JAS 39 GRIPEN

Its a great fighter for smaller nations because of its low cost, wide range of usable ordanance, reliability, and overall value.It is very advanced for the price but its single engine and small range limits interest from larger countries. I prefer larger fighters myself but its a good plane.
 
The South African Air Force have bought them, only problem is, only a few people can fly them. A cadre of would be pilots were sent to UK for training, every single one failed.
 
The South African Air Force have bought them, only problem is, only a few people can fly them. A cadre of would be pilots were sent to UK for training, every single one failed.

Is the JAS more complicated to fly than similar fighters? They (SAAB, the Gov of S) were quite upset when Norway decided to purchase the F-35 instead
 
Is the JAS more complicated to fly than similar fighters? They (SAAB, the Gov of S) were quite upset when Norway decided to purchase the F-35 instead

I don't think the problem was the plane ....

SAAF boasts 23 fighter aircrew

To solo on the Gripen should typically take new pilots five years, 2 Squadron's operations officer, Lt Col Musa “Midnite” Mbhokota told journalists in October. This includes basic military training (three months), officers forming course (a further three months), the Military Academy (one year) and basic pilot training (one year). The latter includes 180 hours on the Pilatus PC7 MkII. Next follows some 390 hours on the Hawk at 85 CFS before posting to 2 Squadron where conversion to the Gripen takes place, starting with six weeks in the classroom followed by 70 hours on the Squadron Level Mission Trainer (a flight simulator) and a further 70 hours on the aircraft. Both periods include 30 hours of conversion training, 20 hours of air warfare training and 20 hours of surface warfare training. It then takes a further six sorties to solo.

SA proves girls can fly fighter jets
 
Witch brings up the question....Why send them to the U.K. instead of Sweden for training?


I should guess the reason for sending them to the UK is the collaboration between SAAB and the British Aerospace. I am a bit confused, the JAS is not their first fighter, even if the Cheetah (looks a bit as a Mirage, Kfir) is perhaps quite old now, but why did they fail? They must have experienced pilots

http://www.af.mil.za/equip/aircraft.html
 
Witch brings up the question....Why send them to the U.K. instead of Sweden for training?

The SADF send all their trainee pilots to the UK, a chopper pilot I know was sent to the RN Air Station at Yeovilton training on the Lynx.

I should guess the reason for sending them to the UK is the collaboration between SAAB and the British Aerospace. I am a bit confused, the JAS is not their first fighter, even if the Cheetah (looks a bit as a Mirage, Kfir) is perhaps quite old now, but why did they fail? They must have experienced pilots

http://www.af.mil.za/equip/aircraft.html

The people they sent were not qualified pilots, they were of the Affirmative Action trainee variety.

The vast majority of the older/experienced pilots took their early retirement because of the unfairness of promotion prospects. To be blunt, if you are white, you wont get anywhere, while unqualified people are promoted above you. That's not being racists, that's fact.
 
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The SADF send all their trainee pilots to the UK, a chopper pilot I know was sent to the RN Air Station at Yeovilton training on the Lynx.



The people they sent were not qualified pilots, they were of the Affirmative Action trainee variety.

The vast majority of the older/experienced pilots took their early retirement because of the unfairness of promotion prospects. To be blunt, if you are white, you wont get anywhere, while unqualified people are promoted above you. That's not being racists, that's fact.

So they lowered the requirements to get other ethnic groups into the air force? Did they do that all over the South African society? I just took a mental note "Never get sick if you are in SA" If they have lowered the requirements for MDs as well
 
So they lowered the requirements to get other ethnic groups into the air force? Did they do that all over the South African society? I just took a mental note "Never get sick if you are in SA" If they have lowered the requirements for MDs as well

Yes they did lower the standards quite a bit, including medical training, so that those with a lower IQ could pass the course. However, with our medical aid we can chose which hospital to go to. Our local hospital have got among the best doctors in the country. My family doctor also carried out surgery, he trained in South Africa, worked in the UK for a number of years then came back and started his own practice. He was a brilliant doctor, sadly he died of cancer not too long ago.

There has been a number of serious accidents in the SADF in recent years due to inept instructors and even more inept trainee's.

Compared to the SADF pre 1994, today's SADF is a joke.
 
Yes they did lower the standards quite a bit, including medical training, so that those with a lower IQ could pass the course. However, with our medical aid we can chose which hospital to go to. Our local hospital have got among the best doctors in the country. My family doctor also carried out surgery, he trained in South Africa, worked in the UK for a number of years then came back and started his own practice. He was a brilliant doctor, sadly he died of cancer not too long ago.

There has been a number of serious accidents in the SADF in recent years due to inept instructors and even more inept trainee's.

Compared to the SADF pre 1994, today's SADF is a joke.


Their (SA) elite formations (two??) had a reputation, I remember I read about Executive Outcomes, they were created mainly by officers and men from these (this) elite unit(s). Anyway, they were famous throughout the African continent
 
Their (SA) elite formations (two??) had a reputation, I remember I read about Executive Outcomes, they were created mainly by officers and men from these (this) elite unit(s). Anyway, they were famous throughout the African continent

You are talking about 32 Battalion and the Recce's.

They were both highly trained special forces. When the ANC came to power they were disbanded immediately. The ANC were scared sh!tless of them.

A buddy of mine was a captain in 32 Battalion, one of the nicest people you could wish to meet, BUT, if you read his eyes you wouldn't mess with him. Today he's a Captain in the Cape Town Scottish.

During the war with Angola which involved Cuban troops, he was based along the Caprivi strip in today's Namibia. He often carried out operations against the Cubans, similar to the old British Long Range Desert group.
 
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I attended the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford a few years ago working as a medical volunteer.
I was "Airside" so got very close to the aircraft.
The JAS 39 GRIPEN was there.
For its size it was very loud, the loudest of the lot. Also very maneuverable, putting on an outstanding display.
A very impressive looking aircraft.
 
Have you ever heard the English Electric Lightning take off on full afterburners?
Now that was awesome.

The one thing I regret was never having the opportunity to see a Lightning melt the runway!
Near where I live, they have a two seater restored to taxi status and they do after burner runs, but I don't think its the same.
I have, however, been buzzed by a Vulcan and that was awesome!
 
The one thing I regret was never having the opportunity to see a Lightning melt the runway!
Near where I live, they have a two seater restored to taxi status and they do after burner runs, but I don't think its the same.
I have, however, been buzzed by a Vulcan and that was awesome!

At Wattisham I stood by with the crash ambulance as a full and proper "scramble" was launched. I think it was 56 Squadron, but I cannot be sure. They climbed like a Saturn 5, amazing to watch. All around the perimeter fence civi's parked their cars just to watch them take off. I was on exercise on Salisbury Plain in 1967, a Vulcan flew over my head with her bomb bay open filled with parachute retarded bombs. She dropped on a convoy of old Bedford's, bus's, cars and what have you, lots of noise and flying metal.

Good fun

Taxi runs aren't the same, its a shame Lightning's are not allowed to fly in UK any more. No doubt Brussels and Health and Safety are to blame or some liberal bunny hugger bitching about the sonic boom breaking her windows.
 
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Taxi runs aren't the same, its a shame Lightning's are not allowed to fly in UK any more. No doubt Brussels and Health and Safety are to blame or some liberal bunny hugger bitching about the sonic boom breaking her windows.

The Lightning at Cranfield was on of three twin seaters bought after the RAF had finished with them.
The buyer was going to do executive flights in them out over the Bay of Biscay and go supersonic for his customers.
The CAA wouldn't allow it so he sold them to the people at Thunder City but the one that is still at Cranfield was not sold and sat rotting and vandalised for years till it was rebuilt.
I got buzzed by a Vulcan one summer holliday when me and two friends biked up to RAE Thurleigh which was a dispersal field for Vulcans.
Between Thurleigh and Little Staughton, an old WWII Path Finder base, there is a road, 1 mile long perfectly flat and straight.
We were cycling along it when this Vulcan came roaring over our heads, don't know how low, but to an 11 year old it was low! An awesome experience.
Seen XH558 a number of times since it been back in the air, FANTASTIC!
 
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