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    DA: Motlanthe's plane may have been unfit to fly
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    Lorimer also said that the SAAF's 21 Squadron, which is tasked with flying VIPs, has a number of executive jets at its disposal. "At the top end is the Boeing business jet, the presidential plane. Minister [Lindiwe] Sisulu told the portfolio committee this was not available to fly Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to Libya because it was still being serviced after another flight ... But the SAAF also has a Falcon 900 and two Falcon 50s, which would have been at least as good, if not better, than the charter plane that was eventually chosen." He continued: "The charter plane that was chosen was a DC-9. Full Article at Mail & Guardian Online
    At the top end is the Boeing business jet, the presidential plane. Minister [Lindiwe] Sisulu told the portfolio committee this was not available to fly Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to Libya because it was still being serviced after another flight ... But the SAAF also has a Falcon 900 and two Falcon 50s, which would have been at least as good, if not better, than the charter plane that was eventually chosen.
    SOURCE: Mail & Guardian Online 2 months ago
All quotes from:
DA: Motlanthe's plane may have been unfit to fly
  1. as the plane should have filed an alternative destination as part of its flight plan. This then raises questions as to why a flight plan was filed with Gbadolite as an alternative destination when it had no tower and no lights, eventually necessitating the plane to land using its own wing lights and at ...
    SOURCE: Mail & Guardian Online 2 months ago
  2. The circumstances surrounding this flight seem very strange. It is clear the deputy president of South Africa was put in harm's way ... There is information showing he was sent on the wrong plane, on the wrong route. Those who planned this flight should be held accountable.
    SOURCE: Mail & Guardian Online 2 months ago
  3. This is probably a mistake
    SOURCE: Mail & Guardian Online 2 months ago
  4. The charter plane that was chosen was a DC-9. This is an old aircraft with a reputation for being heavy on fuel and specifications that indicate it would probably need to refuel twice during the trip from Tripoli to Pretoria. The SAAF's Falcon jets all have better ranges than the DC-9.
    SOURCE: Mail & Guardian Online 2 months ago

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