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/ Vol. 5 / No. 2 / FEBRUARY 2013
When there are 10 000 metres between you and the ground below, you don't want it to
just be empty space. You want each and every one of those metres to be filled with one
thing and one thing only: TRUST.
Denel Aviation is the trusted name in aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO),
investing close to 50 years of experience into each and every component used. Accredited
with the prestigious ISO 9001:2008 and AS 9100:2004 quality assurance certifications and
an approved Lockheed Martin & Eurocopter Accredited Service Centre.
Denel is known the world over for incredible attention to detail and ability to comply
with virtually any specification, no matter how complex. Our list of highly specialised and
sophisticated skills includes maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO), upgrades and systems
integration of fixed and rotary wing aircraft, sourcing only the most technologically
advanced tools and equipment and constantly developing industry-leading innovations
through our worldwide partnerships.
IT'S A LONG WAY TO THE TOP
ATLAS ROAD, BONAERO PARK, 1619, GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA +27 11 927 3535. WWW.DENELAVIATION.CO.ZA
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Military news
DENEL
test pilots
spreading their
wings into Africa
Experimental test pilots and flight
test engineers from Denel Aviation
are now taking their unique skills
and experience to clients in countries
across Africa.
"The company has a mobile
telemetry support vehicle which is
capable of supporting flight tests at
remote locations," says Mike Kgobe,
Chief Executive Officer of Denel
Aviation. In the past this highly-
specialised test flying could only be
conducted within South Africa.
The service is part of Denel
Aviation's initiative to grow its
business in Africa. "We are taking
our highly-skilled pilots and
engineers as well as our state-of-the-
art technology to the client, cutting
the costs and efforts to fly the planes
out to South Africa for testing."
With Denel expanding its
maintenance and repair services
to the rapidly growing number
of military and civilian aircraft
crisscrossing the continent, Kgobe
explains that the company is playing
an increasingly important role in
supporting defence forces and the
commercial aviation industry in
Africa through flight testing and top
quality maintenance of their fleets.
Experimental flight testing
is one of the specialised services
provided by Denel Aviation. The test
pilots and flight test engineers have
the responsibility of ensuring that
every aircraft leaving the company's
facilities following maintenance or
repair work is in top shape and ready
for full flying duties.
The Flight Test Centre at Denel
Aviation offers a highly specialised
and sought-after service to the
aviation market both locally and
abroad. State-of-the-art facilities
and telemetry with world-class flight
test personnel has contributed to the
centre's growing reputation in the
global aerospace community.
"This is highly specialised
flying," explains Derick Matthee,
Manager of the Flight Test Centre.
"Only the best and most experienced
pilots are entrusted with these
unique, and often dangerous,
responsibilities. Test Pilot applicants
need a minimum of 750 hours of
pilot-in-command time and be
medically qualified to perform flight
duties, while the engineers need a
bachelor's degree in maths, science
or engineering and must be medically
fit to perform flight duties."
The elite group of experimental
test pilots have all gained their initial
experience in the military followed
by the professional test pilots course
at test pilot schools in the USA, and
the United Kingdom.
Their skill and experience makes
them adept to flying almost any type
of aircraft from fighter jets, to
transport aircraft, to sophisticated
modern helicopters.
Denel Aviation Flight Test
capabilities and resources allow
completing the full cycle of system
testing whether it is airborne or
ground based. The centre can also
provide expertise and support
for each individual task within
the project.
Mobile and "Strap-on" data
acquisition and processing systems
can be tailored to the customer
needs and requirements both locally
and internationally.
"Our primary responsibility is
aviation safety," says Mr Matthee.
"Once the aircraft has passed
our flight testing the client can
be absolutely assured that it is
100% safe and ready for regular
flying duties."
The unique skills of its staff and
the sophistication of the facilities and
equipment make Denel Aviation
a much sought-after venue for
international clients.
Located at an elevation of 5
500 feet above sea level and with
summer temperatures reaching 35°C
the Flight Test Centre is uniquely
suited for "hot and high testing"
of helicopters and fixed-wing
aircraft. The centre offers clients a
runway length of 4 400 metres at
the OR Tambo International and
test airspace is allocated only 10
nautical miles from Denel Aviation.
Sea level testing is conducted
at Denel's Overberg Test Range on
the southern-most tip of Africa.
It was at this venue where test
pilots recently participated in the
testing of the A-Darter air-to-air-
missile, jointly developed by Denel
Dynamics and Brazil.
The list of work successfully
done for international clients is
growing by the day. On the fixed
wing side DAv recently completed
engine development testing for the
Hawk-120 Lead-in Fighter Trainer
acquired by the SAAF, did air-to-
air refuelling testing between a
Mirage III and an IL78 Tanker and
supported the establishment of the
Gripen Flight Test Centre at Air
Force Base Overberg.
The recent delivery of
12 Cheetah fighter jets to the
Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE) was
preceded by extensive flight testing
and the training of the FAE pilots by
Denel Aviation.
New partnerships and contracts
for maintenance, repair and
overhaul work to be performed by
DAv require flying proficiency on
new makes and models of aircraft.
In addition to the development
work performed on South Africa's
own Rooivalk and Oryx fleets the
rotary wing has done qualification
testing on the Agusta A109 LUH
and maintenance test flying on
the Russian made Mil Mi-24 and
Kamov-32 as well as helicopters in
the Puma and Alouette ranges.
"The unrivalled qualities and
experience of the company's test
personnel are matched by the
facilities and world-class equipment
offered by Denel Aviation,"
says Mr Kgobe. Real-time data
processing, formatting and display
are performed by dedicated work
stations through an open network
data system.
The flight test engineering
and piloting capabilities offered
by DAv include test planning
and coordination from the
user requirement stage up to
the generation of a final Flight
Test Report. ·
All above: Denel Aviation Flight Test Centre.