The ground crew component of the SA Air Force (SAAF) is 40 artisans better off following official reclassification as artisans.
The coming of age – as it were – from apprenticeship to artisan was marked by a 21 November parade at the Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing (AF MDW), previously Air Force Base (AFB) Swartkop, the oldest operational base in the force.
The transition from apprentice saw the men and women based at nearby 68 Air School in Lyttelton, as per information supplied by the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Directorate Corporate Communication (DCC), “reclassified” as artisans after an 18 month technical apprenticeship. The 40 successful “spanner swaaiers [swingers in English]” are essential components of the ground crews keeping aircraft serviceable, along with registered MROs (maintenance, repair and overhaul) organisations and companies. The artisans completed formative and “summative” assessments before a final trade test with theory, verbal and practical parts.
They will take up duties at 10 SAAF Air Servicing Units (ASUs) nationally putting their training to work in trades ranging from aircraft mechanic through to painter, safety equipment fitter, radio and instrumentation technicians as well as general electrics, electronic communication and ground radar specialists.
Nineteen aircraft mechanics will find themselves at 1, 2, 3 and 6 ASUs with 17 and 21 Squadrons as well as 85 Combat Flying School (CFS) benefitting from the newly acquired artisans’ skills. 5 ASU will boost the skills available in safety equipment fitting, armourers, structures, instrumentation, ground communication and general electronics in addition to 1, 2, 3 and 6. Two bases – Hoedspruit and Overberg – along with Air Force Station (AFS) Port Elizabeth [Gqeberha] – will also have added technical personnel strength.
