Page 63 - World Airnews Magazine May 2021 Edition

NEWS DIGITAL

approaching Vredehoek and Woodstock. and Oryxs worked in tandem to douse the after the other.
“The biggest problem battling a fire fire where it was still flaring up.
Since 2000, the SANDF’s budget had
along the curves and bends of the Ironically, the fire started just a week been cut “beyond the bone” as defence
mountain slopes was not the wind itself, after the Western Cape provincial minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told
but the varying downdrafts. It was clear government announced that all 30 of parliament during her 2020 budget
that none of the aircraft would be flying on its municipalities were preparing and speech.
Monday before the wind calmed down,” reviewing their disaster management
Abrahams said. The exhausted ground plans for flooding, mudslides and other She warned that it wouldn’t be long
teams working around the clock were the calamities associated with the province’s before the SANDF could not fulfil its
last line of defence between the fire and typical winter weather. constitutional mandate, given the
properties. In January 2000 - when wildfires unrealistic budget cuts. In February
“The wind also affects the direction torched more than 8 000 hectares of the 2021, in reaction to finance minister Tito
of the water being dropped. The drafts Cape Peninsula and swept through the Mboweni’s budget speech, SANDF budget
cuts as a ‘full-blown crisis’.
take the water everywhere, except to Table Mountain National Park destroying
the hotspot that needs to be drenched,” houses and property in its wake - the The SANDF referred in response only to
Abrahams said. air force was at the forefront, with six Tuesday, when two Oryxs were dispatched
On the third day - Tuesday the Hueys Oryx-helicopters dropping one water load to assist with the fire. Q

MALTA

A PRE-HISTORIC BEAST

Photos by Mario Caruana / MAviO News

IL-62MGr : This prehistoric beast belongs to Belarussian cargo outfit - RADA Airlines. The aircraft flew to
Malta from Misurata in Libya on 25th April before departing to Belgrade after the technical stop. It is
believed that less than 10 IL-62 remain in commercial service today namely in North Korea and Russia

Photos by Mario Caruana / MAviO News

This Airbus A330 which until recently has been in the fleet of South African Airways is seen landing
on runway 31 at LMML carrying the 2-HHLL registration. Guernsey is increasingly becoming popular
as a jurisdiction were lessors register their aircraft in- between leases. SAA is currently going
through some very difficult times with internal and regional flights suspended till mid-June

World Airnews | May Extra 2021
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