Ports Authority helicopter training contract for Denel Aviation

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Denel Aviation has secured a R65 million contract to provide ship-to-shore helicopter services over the next five years to the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA).

The Kempton Park-based business division of the State-owned Denel group will be responsible for providing a variety of aviation solutions to the TNPA, including practical experience for its 17 cadet rotorcraft pilots. These pilots have been trained by Starlite Aviation and have received their commercial helicopter pilots’ licences.

The TNPA provides a marine pilot service to shipping lines, using helicopters and pilot boats to transfer marine pilots to and from ships.

Denel Aviation will also be responsible for training of the Port Authority’s six trainee helicopter engineers. All six have completed the first year of their engineer’s course at the Denel Technical Academy on the Kempton Park campus east of OR Tambo International Airport.

Denel Aviation chief executive Mike Kgobe told defenceWeb the five year contract was structured in a “diminishing effect” way.
“This means that when the contract has run its full cycle TNPA will be able to do its own helicopter pilot and engineer training.”

In its first year the contract will see all training services done by Denel pilots and technical personnel. This will decrease by 20% a year over the next four years leaving TNPA in a position to do the training of both pilots and engineers itself.

TNPA helicopters are all Agusta 109s used for ferry ship’s pilots to vessels awaiting entry to various ports on the South African coast.

For the past 17 years TNPA has outsourced its helicopter service even though the aircraft and related infrastructure belongs to it.
“When we reflected on this and our transformation mandate about three years ago, we realised we cannot have an operation not reflective of South Africa’s demographics. This saw a decision taken to train our own helicopter pilots and engineers to fit the demographics,” TNPA chief executive Tau Morwe said.
“Our vision is a long term one to develop a pool of pilots who can adequately take up positions in the commercial aviation sector.”

Echoing Morwe’s thoughts on transformation Kgobe said Denel’s commitment to transformation of the South African aviation industry through skills development and training dovetailed neatly with TNPA.
“Part of the contract ties us into providing mentorship and guidance to TNPA pilots. Once they have qualified they will continue to provide this mentorship service to new TNPA cadet pilots,” he said.