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October 11, 2010 -
This week, the South African Air Force created aviation history. One of
the four South African Air Force (SAAF) pilots to successfully complete
the first Operational Conversion Course (OCC) instructed by local SAAF
pilots, is a woman.
Captain Catherine
Labuschagne, made her solo Gripen flight at the South African airbase
Makhado in the Limpopo
The Saab JAS 39
Gripen is a lightweight single engine multirole fighter aircraft
manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. Gripen International
acts as a prime contracting organisation and is responsible for
marketing, selling and supporting the Gripen fighter around the world. |
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The aircraft is in
service with the Swedish Air Force, the Czech Air Force, the Hungarian
Air Force and the South African Air Force, and has been ordered by the
Royal Thai Air Force. A total of 236 Gripens have been ordered as of
2008. Captain Labuschagne is one of several women serving as pilots in
the SAAF and she previously flew the Impala jet before she qualified on
the Hawk Lead-In-Fighter trainer to prepare her for the transition to
She did fly in the
rear seat of Gripen back in 2004, then making history as the first woman
pilot to fly Gripen, this time however, she took to the skies in a
single seat Gripen and the instructors at 2 squadron stayed on the
ground. The four newly qualified Gripen fighter pilots will strengthen
SAAF and the 2 squadron as they will reach operational status sometime
next year when their conversion course is completed.
The South African
government ordered 26 Gripen C/D fighter aircraft in 1999 as part of a
?strategic defence package.?
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