The “blame”, if it can be called that, for the delay in pupil pilots at Central Flying School not finishing their courses last year is due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the regulations declared in terms of South Africa’s national state of disaster, now in day 292.
The SA Air Force (SAAF) via SA National Defence Force (SANDF) corporate communications informs defenceWeb “like all other SAAF flying units and government departments, Central Flying School Langebaanweg has been negatively impacted by COVID-19”.
“Flying training at Central Flying School has been intermittent due to various reasons related to COVID-19 such as availability of spares (customs clearance delays) and positive cases of infection among personnel, which required isolation/quarantine as per COVID-19 containment directives,” a statement attributed to Brigadier General Mafi Mgobozi, director defence corporate communication, has it.
“Flying training was suspended for the end of year (2020) period and will resume on 18 January. Pilot wings course 128 is expected to be completed toward the end of 2021.
“Pilot wings course 129 is expected to report to Central Flying School at AFB Langebaanweg in January 2022 to commence flying training,” the statement reads.
