SAWIAS O U T H E R N A F R I C A N W O M E N I N AV I AT I O N & A E R O S PA C E I N D U S T RY

I N F O R M . C O N N E C T . M O T I VAT E . I N S P I R E

AVIATRIX PROFILES12 AUGUST 2012THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCESIYANDIZA COMMUNITY OUTREACH &

THE YOUNG FALCONS AVIATION ACADEMY

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SIYANDIZA COMMUNITY OUTREACH & THE YOUNG FALCONS AVIATION ACADEMY

The Siyandiza Community Outreach is a programme that has been created by the South Afri-can Air Force (SAAF) in a bid to promote aviation awareness and develop the country’s youth, particularly those that come from disadvantaged backgrounds, by exposing them to informa-tion on career options available in the SAAF. The programme is managed by the Directorate of Corporate Staff Services.

This outreach programme is about social mobilisation, advocacy, aware-ness, education and communication. In a way, Siyandiza comes up in a form of intervention with regard to addressing issues of equity in the line of aviation. Also, the programme becomes essential in the sense that it deals with poverty alleviation, especially when some of these youngsters eventually become selected for job opportunities.

Siyandiza’s target audience is, at the moment, high school learners from grades 9 to 12. In its approach to reach learners, Siyandiza places emphasis on careers such as pilot and naviga-tor, as well as air traffic controller, mission controller and engineer.

In its vision, Siyandiza points out that its intention is to expose the youth to aviation careers, thereby supporting the SAAF in achieving air power excellence. On the other hand, the programme’s mission is to prepare the youth in developing an active interest in the SAAF and aviation in gen-eral by providing exposure and some rudimentary training.

Siyandiza employs a very calculated strategy in order to achieve its objectives. Firstly, it em-barks on aviation awareness by visiting schools every year. Siyandiza also hosts schools when learners are on an excursion to visit the South African Air Force Museum. Therefore, it is impor-tant for Siyandiza to participate in exhibitions at Science and Technology events. Siyandiza is also present at air shows, as well as selected agricultural shows.

ALPHASIM T-6 SAAF “SIYANDIZA” PHOTOGRAPH SOURCE: http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/126648.jpg

Learners need to be proficient in mathematics, science, geography and English in order for them to be considered as Young Falcons. This is a developmental programme with regard to aviation awareness. Learners who wish to apply for the Young Falcons programme must be in grade 10 or 11 in order to commence with the development training.

These Young Falcons are then exposed to several aspects of aviation through visits to SAAF facilities and lectures during camps that are held annually to enable them to appreciate the world of aviation and everything it entails.

The Young Falcons’ learning areas include Virtual Aviation, Navigation, Meteorology, Radio-telephony, Aerodynamics, Propulsion Systems, Instrumentation and how radio and radar work, including some life skills.

On completion of the training programme, all those learners in grade 12 showing interest in the careers in the Air Force are then given a preparatory phase for the selection process.

However, there are requirements in this regard, namely that learners must be South African citizens, aged between 18 and 22 or, if they are university graduates, they should not be older than 26 years of age. In addition to these requirements, the applicants must not be area-bound, have no criminal record, preferably be single and, most importantly, the learner must have successfully completed grade 12.

This year Siyandiza started fairly well in its attempts to carry out its outreach exercises of aviation awareness. The Siyandiza functionaries visited Emaculata High School in Soweto in March where they addressed learners from grades 9 to 12 about the National Defence Force and the Air Force in particular, while at the same time focusing on career opportunities avail-able in the aviation world.

During the same month of March, other events included the Soweto Career Day, which was held at the Orlando Community Hall, and Siyandiza also received learners from Tidima High School, all the way from Limpopo. These learners were made up of children from grades 8 to 12.

In April, Siyandiza was able to reach far-off places such as Trompsburg in the Free State province. The school was Madigetla High School, and Siyandiza was able to give a presenta-tion to senior members of staff.

3ad astra - special edition AAD 2010 17

However, there are requirements in this regard, namely that learners must be South African citizens, aged between 18 and 22 or, if they are university graduates, they should not be older than 26 years of age. In addition to these requirements, the applicants must not be area-bound, have no criminal record, preferably be single and, most importantly, the learner must have successfully completed grade 12.

This year Siyandiza started fairly well in its attempts to carry out its outreach exercises of aviation awareness. The Siyandiza functionaries visited Emaculata High School in Soweto in March where they addressed learners from grades 9 to 12 about the National Defence Force and the Air Force in particular, while at the same time focusing on career opportunities available in the aviation world.

During the same month of March, other events included the Soweto Career Day, which was held at the Orlando Community Hall, and Siyandiza also received learners from Tidima High

School, all the way from Limpopo. These learners were made up of children from grades 8 to 12.

In April, Siyandiza was able to reach far-off places such as Trompsburg in the Free State province. The school was Madigetla High School, and Siyandiza was able to give a presentation to senior members of staff.

Another trip was undertaken to Trompsburg and, this time, the presentation was made to a great number of teachers from the Xarib

district. The Executive Mayor of Trompsburg made it possible for Siyandiza to carry out its presentation. Also visited in the same district was Albertina Sisulu High School in Edenburg.

Other activities included a trip to Kimberley, where Siyandiza attended

a Career Exhibition in May. Also in May 2010 there was a Matric Motivational and Career Day that Siyandiza attended in Mpumalanga. In addition to this, another important event that Siyandiza attended was the Aviation Week at Sci-Bona Discovery Centre in Johannesburg.

Siyandiza’s presence was also prominent at the Pietermaritzburg Royal Air Show this year. The Young Falcons’ Winter Camp held at the South African Air Force Gymnasium was a notable success. Most parents

were present to witness the splendour of the passing-out parade held in honour of their children, the Young Falcons.

It seems clear that Siyandiza as a programme is on the right track, and there appears to be much hope that success will continue to be characteristic of all Siyandiza’s activities.

There are, nevertheless, some challenges that this programme is faced with. The root cause of these problems has been Siyandiza’s lack of funds to buy promotional items. Also, Siyandiza needs to reach every corner of the country, and money plays a vital role to be able to do so. Siyandiza is a unit in the Directorate Corporate Staff Services (DCSS) and, as a result, this programme depends entirely on the budget that it receives from the Air Force, like all units do. Most of the schools in rural areas are inaccessible, and this makes it difficult for them to make contact with members of Siyandiza. The inadequacy in the transport system in these remote places adds to these problems. In addition, there are inadequate means of communication. These are serious problems that keep these young people behind and forgotten.

These problems aside, Siyandiza’s objectives are relatively easy to achieve as a result of the programme’s sound structure. This programme is the responsibility of passionate educated members of staff who also exhibit excellent leadership.

YOUNG FALCONS IN TRAININGPHOTOGRAPH: WO2 David Nomtshongwana SOURCE: AD ASTRA, Official magazine of the SAAF - (Vol. 30 #3) 2010.

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Another trip was undertaken to Trompsburg and, this time, the presentation was made to a great number of teachers from the Xarib district. The Executive Mayor of Trompsburg made it possible for Siyandiza to carry out its presentation. Also visited in the same district was Al-bertina Sisulu High School in Edenburg.

Other activities included a trip to Kimberley, where Siyandiza attended a Career Exhibition in May. Also in May 2010 there was a Matric Motivational and Career Day that Siyandiza at-tended in Mpumalanga. In addition to this, another important event that Siyandiza attended was the Aviation Week at Sci-Bona Discovery Centre in Johannesburg.

Siyandiza’s presence was also prominent at the Pietermaritzburg Royal Air Show this year. The Young Falcons’ Winter Camp held at the South African Air Force Gymnasium was a no-table success. Most parents were present to witness the splendour of the passing-out parade held in honour of their children, the Young Falcons.

It seems clear that Siyandiza as a programme is on the right track, and there appears to be much hope that success will continue to be characteristic of all Siyandiza’s activities.

There are, nevertheless, some challenges that this programme is faced with. The root cause of these problems has been Siyandiza’s lack of funds to buy promotional items. Also, Siyandiza needs to reach every corner of the country, and money plays a vital role to be able to do so. Siyandiza is a unit in the Directorate Corporate Staff Services (DCSS) and, as a result, this programme depends entirely on the budget that it receives from the Air Force, like all units do. Most of the schools in rural areas are inaccessible, and this makes it difficult for them to make contact with members of Siyandiza. The inadequacy in the transport system in these remote places adds to these problems. In addition, there are inadequate means of communication. These are serious problems that keep these young people behind and forgotten.

These problems aside, Siyandiza’s objectives are relatively easy to achieve as a result of the programme’s sound structure. This programme is the responsibility of passionate educated members of staff who also exhibit excellent leadership.

By Lt Col R.P. Leburu, SA Air Force Siyandiza ProgrammeSOURCE: AD ASTRA: Official magazine of the South African Air Force - (Volume 30 No 3) 2010.

YOUNG FALCONS ON THEIR WAY TO AN AIR SHOW IN 2007 SOURCE: http://www.youngfalcons.org/news3.html

SIYANDISA PROJECT LURES ANOTHER SOWETO SCHOOL

The Siyandiza outreach programme of the South African Air Force (SAAF), which seeks to scout for young talent for aviation, is begin-ning to spread around South Africa like wildfire. It is attracting atten-tion from a variety of high schools, especially institutions from disad-vantaged backgrounds. About 120 pupils from Naledi High School on the extreme west of Soweto visited the SAAF museum on 18 September 2009. Two teachers and a parent escorted them: Mr Eric Johnny Nkutha (natural science teacher), Mr Gauta Segoto (parent) and Mr Serai Makatsa (Southern Sotho teacher). The project attempts to help pupils from previously disadvantaged environments with career guidance. Most of the pupils who attended the Swartkop Department of Defence (DOD) cer-emony were in Grade 10 and 11. The Grade 12s could not come because they were writing examinations on the day. “Young people should not act like they are enjoying their last hour. They still have more time left to use,” said Maj Gen Lucky Ngema when addressing the pupils. General Ngema, who is a former teacher at Ncube Secondary in Soweto, emphasised the rigorous discipline that would be required from the pupils should they opt for a career in the Department of Defence (DOD). Maj Gen Dan Mofokeng, DoD’s Chief Foreign Relations, told the pupils that his division has 40 offices outside South Africa and, therefore, a wide variety of skills continue to be demanded there. He however warned them that it could only be through hard work that the prospective candidates could enter the unit. “We are very grateful to be here. We think we are fortunate to have been selected for this enlightening outreach trip to the DOD,” said Mpho Mpshe (16) and Nthabiseng Dube (19), both Grade 10 pupils from Naledi Secondary. The delegation arrived late at Swartkop Air-field, so they lost out on the usual flights in the Air Force aircraft around Tshwane. Other members of the DOD who were present included Col Pule from the Inspector General’s office, Lt Martin Matsetse, Lt Col Skweyiya, Lt Col Moshoeshoe, WO2 Molepo and Maj Clem-ent Maleka, who presented a paper on different careers available in the SAAF. He noted that the organisation was a repository of all kinds of training opportunities.

By CO Solomon M. Kotane, Ad Astra magazine, and photos by WO2 David NomtshongwanaSOURCE: http://www.af.mil.za/news/2009/052_2009.htm

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NALEDI HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS WITH SENIOR DEFENCE FORCE MEMBERS DURING THEIR VISIT TO THE SAAF MUSEUM SOURCE: http://www.af.mil.za/news/2009/052_2009.htm

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SIYANDIZA AT THE SWARTKOP AIR SHOW

ABOVE: DOCUMENT SOURCE - www.docstoc.com/docs/ 70116073/at-swartkop-air-showLEFT: POSTER SOURCE - www.saafmuseum.org.za/articles/posts/page/6/

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APPLY TO JOIN THE YOUNG FALCONS AVIATION ACADEMY SUMMARY OF THE YOUNG FALCONS PROGRAM30 Grade 10’s are selected each year based on their mathematics prowess, fitness and enthusiasm for flying to complete a one year course in aviation basics and some formative short courses. Successful candidates are invited back for a second year as Grade 11’s where these subjects are handled more thoroughly and a few very interesting aspects of Aviation are added into the course on an ad-hoc basis.

ELIGIBILITY FOR JOINING YOUNG FALCONS PROGRAM1. Must be starting Grade 10 in the year that they want to join. 2. Must have Maths as a subject (“Maths Literacy” not acceptable) – the higher the mark, the better your chance. 3. Must be able to attend the course every second Saturday during the school term. 4. Applications close in the first week of February each year. 5. There are many, many applications each year – candidates who suffer from asthma, need glasses or have any physical infirmity are most likely not to be selected. Selection is done according to the demographics indicated in the 2001 SA Statistics for Western Cape high school learners taking Maths on the higher grade.

SELECTION & INTERVIEWSSelection is done by the end of February. Interviews and fitness tests are done soon thereafter and the suc-cessful candidates (and their parents/teachers) are invited to the opening session the very next Saturday. The course is mostly from 09h00 until 13h30 every second Saturday during the school terms.

VISIT THE YOUNG FALCONS AVIATION ACADEMY FOR MORE INFORMATIONhttp://www.youngfalcons.org

CONTACT THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE

ADDRESS: South Africa Air Force Headquarters, Air Command, Directorate Human Resource Services, Private Bag x199, Pretoria, 0001TELEPHONE: (012) 312-2148/2609/2801/2904/2726/2511/2695/2985FACSIMILE: (012) 312-2138 WEBSITE: www.airforce.mil.za

YOUNG FALCONS IN A HELICOPTER, THE FIRST FLIGHT FOR SOME OF THE LEARNERS. SOURCE: http://www.youngfalcons.org/news3.html