Gripens over Cape Town

[groen_mamba]

I just saw three Gripens fly in formation over Cape Town, I guess for tomorrow's SONA. It made me think of the days when we still had airshows at Ysterplaat. I used to go to all of them, it was so cool to see those jets fly. I guess these days airshows are a thing of the past?

 

[FiestaST]

Yes.

 

[Kosmik]

Yes.

Sadly yes. My sons are aircraft mad, they would have loved the old Virginia airshow in Durbs.

 

[Mist4h20]

Pitty though, was enjoyable

 

[Big Rat]

Ysterplaat in the days they started up the old shackleton.. Good vibrations....

Was there in '94/95. They had the rooivalk there for some maneuvers. friggin awesome

 

[Stokstert]

I just hope they don't repeat the forgotten crash on Devils Peak tomorrow.

 

[MirageF1]

Anyone taken any recent snaps of them?

Wonder who is flying them? Ex Angolan AF pilots or our beloved cadres?

 

[Gordon_R]

Last year they used the Pilatus PC-7, 5 ship Silver Falcons.

Do we have 3 pilots rated to fly the Gripens?

 

[Jola]

Do we have 3 pilots rated to fly the Gripens?

Surprised that we have 3 Gripens that can fly.

 

[MrGray]

Only 5 of the original 26 Gripens are still operational. The rest are mothballed. Lack of pilots, lack of operating budget. The usual cesspool of fiduciary and management incompetence at play.

 

[Gordon_R]

Surprised that we have 3 Gripens that can fly.

We bought something like 26 Gripens, so keeping 3 flying is no heroic feat...

 

[Jola]

What a waste of money, a handful of Gripens is no deterrent.

And the stories that I have heard about the Corvettes are downright scary.

Huge amount of money just thrown away. Was just useful to facilitate corruption.

 

[Arthur]

I guess these days airshows are a thing of the past?

Probably.

Anyone planning to be at the Paris Air Show in late June?

 

[Gordon_R]

Only 5 of the original 26 Gripens are still operational. The rest are mothballed. Lack of pilots, lack of operating budget. The usual cesspool of fiduciary and management incompetence at play.

There is a huge gulf between the reality on the ground, and what SAAB would like to push: http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/ar...apability-upgrade-for-saaf-gripens-2018-09-21

Swedish aerospace and defence group Saab has proposed to the South African Air Force (SAAF) than it adopt the latest incremental update developed for the JAS39C and JAS39D Gripen fighter. The update is designated MS 20.

"The Gripen was developed with the concept of continuous upgrades – small upgrades every second or third year," explained Saab senior marketing executive: Middle East and Africa Mats Lundberg to Engineering News Online at the Africa Aerospace and Defence 2018 exhibition.

"We are proposing that the other operators of the Gripen [South Africa and Thailand] also adopt the same standard," he stated. "It makes it easier for us to support the Gripen if all are to the same standard -- we are only a relatively small company!"

The SAAF's Gripens were currently to "quite good standard", he reported. The aircraft had been operated in South Africa for ten years and had undergone a number of upgrades already.

The MS 20 package could be customised to meet the specific needs of each operator. In the case of South Africa, Saab would do a development study in conjunction with the SAAF and South African industry. Then a SAAF-customised MS 20 would be developed in South Africa and integrated on to the aircraft.

"It would then be verified using the test capability already established in South Africa -- the Gripen Fighter Test Centre at [the Denel test range at] Overberg," he pointed out.

"We understand that funding is short in South Africa, and that the Gripen is probably not a priority right now, but we are seeking a good financial model, in collaboration with the Swedish government and the Swedish defence procurement agency," he affirmed. "We recognise that this will take time. But getting involved in MS 20 will benefit South Africa, including local industry. It will also assist with weapons system development in South Africa -- with MS 20, it would be possible to test new local weapons with the Gripen."

 

[pinball wizard]

The usual cesspool of fiduciary and management incompetence at play.

You mean theft of tax payers money?

 

[Gordon_R]

Briefly saw 3 jets flying in the direction of Parliament just before 7pm...

 

[saor]

Briefly saw 3 jets flying in the direction of Parliament just before 7pm...

Yep - also saw them. The drive home was interesting - M3 swarming with cops and army, jets flying overhead...

 

[A3@MBB]

I guess these days airshows are a thing of the past?

https://www.webtickets.co.za/events/stellenbosch/airshow-stellenbosch-flying-club-2019/1487682000
Not military, but still worthwhile I guess?

 

[bluepoole]

I guess these days airshows are a thing of the past?

Luckily not, up here in Gauteng we still have the annual airshow at Swartkop AFB in May, and then of course an airshow which is part of AAD at Waterkloof AFB bi-annually. Rand Airshow at the Rand Airport in Germiston still happens every year, too (in August).

The annual airshow at Virginia Airport in Durbs is unfortunately not happening anymore, though.

Due to runway upgrade construction at Waterkloof, AAD was held at Ysterplaat in 2006, 2008 and 2010, before moving back to Waterkloof in 2012. That gave the public in Cape Town the opportunity to also be part of the action for a few years.

There are also a number of smaller airshows happening on a regular basis every year, throughout KZN and the Western Cape.

 

[Lupus]

I just saw three Gripens fly in formation over Cape Town, I guess for tomorrow's SONA. It made me think of the days when we still had airshows at Ysterplaat. I used to go to all of them, it was so cool to see those jets fly. I guess these days airshows are a thing of the past?

Have had a few airshows in Gauteng, went to one in 2017 and see them advertised all the time.