The newest members of the South African Air Force (SAAF) received their commission and wings on Wednesday 21 June.
Seven members completed pilot-wings course 129B, while six completed navigator-wings course 70.
Chief of the South African Air Force Lieutenant-General Wiseman Mbambo urged the new pilots and navigators to remember the importance of their role, not only for the country but also globally.
He noted the aid South Africa’s armed forces have given to other African countries and helped locals after the recent floods in the province.
“The environment where you will operate still remains volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous,” Mbambo told his new personnel.
“The answer to such a situation is a clear vision, understanding and agility, with unshakable resilience. The SAAF is on this pathway.”
The 13 graduates completed their basic training and officer forming course and then attended the Military Academy in Saldanha. This was then followed by a move to AFB Langebaanweg for survival, ground and flying phases on the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II for the pilot students. The navigator pupils attended 80 Air Navigation School at AFB Ysterplaat.
Mbambo urged the newest air-force members to remain lifelong learners and keep up with the latest innovations to refine their skills and be prepared to confront the unexpected that their careers will surely bring.
Aside from receiving their commissions the top achieving students were also awarded with various trophies for the academic work.
Second Lt Chrystabell Dixon received the SAAF Association floating trophy. This award goes to the student who showed the greatest overall improvement. The Air Command floating trophy went to 2nd Lt Carli Visagie, for the student who obtained the highest percentage during the theoretical phase of the Pilots Wings Course. Second Lt Hetelele Vuma was the student who obtained the highest overall percentage during the flying phase of the Course and was rewarded with the Air Force Board floating trophy.
The Inkwazi Floating Trophy, awarded to the student who obtained the highest overall percentage on the Pilot’s Wings Course, was awarded to 2nd Lt Jozua Perold.
The Air Navigation School Academic trophy, awarded to the student who obtained the highest average percentage during the theoretical phase of the Navigator’s Wings Course was awarded to 2nd Lt Marcell Wessels, who also received the 5th Dimension Technologies Simulator Floating Trophy.
The Community of Hopefield Flying trophy for the student who obtained the highest overall percentage during the flying phase of the course went to 2nd Lt Abdur’rauman Adam. He also received the Air Navigation School Floating Trophy for the best overall navigation student on the Navigator’s Wings Course.
The new pilots and navigators will now undergo additional line training.
