Dear SWAT PILOTS

[Blue Max]

Asterix ek stem saam met jou..
Ek is gatvol.

[WOBBLY]

D20 & Tumbleweed
You will hear no more about SA Aerial Support from me.
I will stick to Zimbabwe only, again this is my decision and not the SWAT standpoint

As the recent postings on this subject are telling us How wrong we have got your Rhino situation I am more than happy to step back from offering any assistance and I will also personally ensure I do not contribute any funding to helping eradicate your Rhino poaching issues.

As I am extending you the courtesy of accepting that you don't need our help, could you and all the so called Rhino Conservationists extend all us ' Little Islanders ' the courtesy of not asking us for ' Handouts ' to fund your corruption based environment.

I am quite keen to make a substantial investment in ridding South Africa of one creature that adorns your soil........ to do this it would mean putting a 'cap in Asterix's arse ' just to make sure I get his pea-brain

[Bundy]

I am quite keen to make a substantial investment in ridding South Africa of one creature that adorns your soil........ to do this it would mean putting a 'cap in Asterix's arse ' just to make sure I get his pea-brain

Having recently had experience in dealing with characters who confuse "co operation" with "delegation", and who self righteously appoint themselves Lord and Ruler...I must say your posts here and elsewhere leave me with a pretty conclusive view on both your "organisation" and your motives.

It is clear to me that you have absolutely no understanding of our complex and violent continent nor do you seek any means by with to reach such understanding? You dictate terms with no credentials and seek funding for UK based technological developments which remain clouded in mystery? Respect is earned Mr Greenpeace....come fight alongside those allready risking their lives against this scourge and you may just earn some of that respect and with that some credibility.

Asterix and I may not share the same views on life, but I like how he (unlike you) simply states things as they are. Be careful who you try and "put a cap in"chom....as the pom's learnt the hard way 100 years or so ago..."die boere skiet reguit!"

You have to live in Africa to understand the complexities of this tough place....and it's people are even tougher. Do not belittle them, you will come off second best I promise you!

[John Boucher]

Very much the basics of AIRMANSHIP....

[Asterix]

Oh my! Looks like there is a price on my head! Here is a chance for any of you guys who need some cash - Wobbly is gonna pay you substantially to put a cap in my arse! I wonder why - to afraid to come do it himself?

[Bosvark]

Asterix I agree.

The mud islanders have supported/are still supporting the cANCer which have now completely f'd up every system and department with their corruption, nepotism incompetence and personal greed. Now they want to claim high ground by "helping us" to sort out one of the results

The biggest damage is caused by armchair "conservationists" with deep pockets.

Wearing flack jackets Flack pants will probably be more appropriate.

[Asterix]

Because I am now mortally afraid of substantial funds being raised abroad by Wobbly to get somebody to put a cap in my arse, I will conclude quickly here before I head of for the Nkandla bunker to go into hiding:

1. The mere fact that Wobbly will now personally ensure that no funds goes towards the eradication of our Rhino problem, exposes him. If he really cared, he would raise funds and contribute liberally towards the dozens of international professional organisations working for the protection of species - including the Rhino. But you see - he doesn't really care about the Rhino - he cares for his self-styled Indiana Jones type microlight pilot adventurer image - bravely battling along in Wild Africa against the Elements and the Hostiles, and being a hero on Facebook, Twitter, and who knows - maybe even the mainstream english media. (On the elements - I assume you will be able to handle the force of a bushveld thermal and the little bumps we refer to as "midday turbs", with temps at 35C and VERY low density altitude) While spotting game and dodging AA?

2. We know that the scourge of Rhino poaching is a problem - but frankly my dear, we have bigger problems - like how to stop being the murder and rape capital of the world. Why don't you embark on a crusade in this area? Because it will not entail flying in a microlight and looking cool?

3. Your invocation of the name Leonardo Di Caprio leaves me cold. We are used to Hollywood celebrities latching onto the "newest fashionable thing" here in Africa, once they get bored with their money. We have seen Bono, George Clooney, Chaaliees Firawn, to name a few, on CNN and BBC as they selflessly help us over here on some crusade. As long as of course, these "crusades" are "politically correct"

4. We are recreational pilots - flying for the enjoyment of free flight, battling scrutiny and regulations as it is, having to defend our sport in public a couple of times each year after an accident or two. We really do not need Foreign Cowboys here, inadvertently infringing controlled airspace, flying too low over designated areas, crashing because you don't understand African flying weather, and tarnishing our image through your noble exploits. Not to mention being made a target of heavily armed terrorists because they associate my sport-flying with your little ego-trip. (If you want to be a fighter pilot - go join the RAF and attack Afghanistan's poppy fields. You and Prince Harry. Help sort out your countries cocaine problem - it will be politically incorrect to kill those Afghan cocaine producers though...even though it will save millions of lives.. oh well - rather save the Rhino! (which is fashionable and avoids most of the elephants in the room)

5. I am very glad that you have decided to go and wage your aerial war against poachers in Zim. This spares us the pain of being scrutinized as a SA microlight society once you crash / get "capped in the arse", over there. I have a feeling you will get a cap "down there", long before I do. Word of caution: In Zim you will not only have to contend with AK 47's, and R4's "lost" by our SANDF. Over there you will also contend with RPG-7's, 20 mm cannon and quite a couple of old Soviet dual barreled 14 mm FLAK guns mounted on the back of pick-ups. And mines laid on your airstrip at night.. (They even use the mines to poach elephant over there!) So drop the flak-jacket idea and start thinking armour plating for your trike. Also - please don't exercise any out-landings, and pray your motor doesn't quit. The locals are not running towards you to help you - they are running to ROB you - ask us - some of our friends have been assaulted after emergency landings - and this is over HERE, in the wonderful Rainbow Nation!

So I wish you all the best of getting into the air over there and showing us how to sort out the poachers. Please let us know when your first sortie will be - I will be watching the news of your rude awakening with interest.

Hope you live to tell the tale... I do agree on one thing with you though, from your avatar: Your Horn is DEFINITELY NOT medicine. If it was, the poachers would have been having a field day over there in the UK! Unchecked. Actually sad...it might have saved the Rhino, and endangered the Anglo-Saxon... Win -win situation.)

[Gyronaut]

Vatso!

[Asterix]

And as a personal reaction to the Anglo Saxon's call for my murder by bounty - look at the picture - and think LONG and HARD. As my friend Bundy said - we "boors" have this uncanny ability to shoot straight over long distances..BEWARE.

[ZULU1]

This thread is emerging into a hilarious video..

I can see the title now...Asterix versus the Rooinek, its going to be a Oscar winner (Asterix will get help to get his best shot)..I can already imagine the internal workings of Microlighters own B.O.S.S. in meetings and in contact with the London office...eish scary stuff.

My money is on Asterix winning...in the movie that is..Bundy as spin doctor, D20 as head of security, Dobbs as head of intelligence, Tumbleweed serving drinks and snacks (great cheese burgers). John Boucher as translator and press officer, Blue Max as head of BOSS air wing and I am unsure who is in charge of hits as yet..I have not found a roll yet for Gyronaut but his flying skills may put him in charge of drone deployment..Somewhere along the way the Rhino project got left out of the focus..We need a position for Nemo as he is going to be left out after he took 11 rounds a few years back.

Chill out chaps, this is a flying forum.. help me find a single seater !

For info Tumbleweed has a awesome store in Secunda that supplies the local "burghers" with the best burgers containing pure beef patties...

[WOBBLY]

I am quite keen to make a substantial investment in ridding South Africa of one creature that adorns your soil........ to do this it would mean putting a 'cap in Asterix's arse ' just to make sure I get his pea-brain

Having recently had experience in dealing with characters who confuse "co operation" with "delegation", and who self righteously appoint themselves Lord and Ruler...I must say your posts here and elsewhere leave me with a pretty conclusive view on both your "organisation" and your motives.

It is clear to me that you have absolutely no understanding of our complex and violent continent nor do you seek any means by with to reach such understanding? You dictate terms with no credentials and seek funding for UK based technological developments which remain clouded in mystery? Respect is earned Mr Greenpeace....come fight alongside those allready risking their lives against this scourge and you may just earn some of that respect and with that some credibility.

Asterix and I may not share the same views on life, but I like how he (unlike you) simply states things as they are. Be careful who you try and "put a cap in"chom....as the pom's learnt the hard way 100 years or so ago..."die boere skiet reguit!"
ugh place....and it's people are even tougher. Do not belittle them, you will come off second best I promise you!

Bundy,
I must admit I don't have much experience of your complex and violent continent and I will concede that I haven't gained any understanding of South African ways on any of my visits since 1978.
Without giving too much away I would hazard a guess that my flying experience within SA exceeds most of your seasoned flyers. The reference to " Putting a cap in Asterix's arse " is something that can be answered with " Die Britse gebruik superior Bewapening so is baie meer akkuraat "
To answer Asterix about who will put a cap in his arse " Waarom sou ek kom myself wanneer ek kan betaal 'n Zoeloe om die skoot te neem, As ek het dit sou wees soos die stuur van 'n tier 'n iguana te veg "

Unfortunately I am not dictating any terms or backing the credentials or seeking funding for UK based technological developments which remain clouded in mystery as I don't believe in UAV interaction being the answer or the solution.
Frank and I do not share the same views on UAV's Which is why you will not see me endorsing UAV use in SA and as SA prefers UAV over microlights, it made my decision to focus on Zimbabwe so much easier.

[KFA]

" Die Britse gebruik superior Bewapening so is baie meer akkuraat "
To answer Asterix about who will put a cap in his arse " Waarom sou ek kom myself wanneer ek kan betaal 'n Zoeloe om die skoot te neem, As ek het dit sou wees soos die stuur van 'n tier 'n iguana te veg "

I was watching this with amusement but this quote takes the cake. Straight from google translate. Verstaan een van julle Afrikaanse manne wat hy nou hier probeer kwyt raak het??? Asterix, los nou die man dat hy 'n gat van homself maak en klaar kry. Lyk my hy wil klaar 'n zoeloe huur om 'n patroon in jou gat op te skiet. Die arme ou is nou so afgestit van onse vaderland, hy sal tien teen een net terug kom met a ALIAS. Hy het gedink hy help die arme sukkelende afrikaane en in die proses kry hy dan sommer 'n bietjie avontuur en toe loop hy hom vas in Asterix. I suspect this would make for a good scene in Zulu's video....

[KFA]

I must add that with all jokes aside. I have offered my services many times to the some of the government agencies like SANPARKS operating in our area but they are simply not interested in using private individuals. They are more worried about liability lawsuits than to make use of the free services being offered. So it is not as if we did not offer or are not trying to help. Help is mostly not accepted due to policy.

[John Boucher]

Ek dink hierdie storie het nou sy koers geloop.

Daar is baie raad aan hom aangebied maar tog wil hy dit nou uitmaak asof ons nou die probleem is. Soos jy gesê het Stefan, hulp is aan die verskeie parke aangebied en met respek het hulle ook maar hulle prosedures en bekommernisse met sulke operasies.

Wat my gepla het is die arrogansie van - ONS KOM OM JULLE RENOSTERJAG PROBLEEM TE UIt TE ROEI !! Ek dink glad nie dat hulle aksies of intensies edel is nie, het geen werkbare konsep van hoe dinge eintlik hier werk of die werklike gevare wat dit inhou.

Ek het voorgestel dat hulle eerder hulle euros gebruik en Oom Bob gaan help want hier gaan hulle met ander wedlike dinge deurmekaar raak.

As hulle avontuur wil hê, kom Suid Afrika toe, vlieg van Port Nolloth, kus af Kaap toe, dan op Durban toe, dan Johannesburg toe en dan weer soos Bundy hulle wou weer terug Port Nolloth toe. Dit sal mos nou mos geld wees wat briljant gespandeer is... en dies meer, ons sal hulle met ope en barmhartige arms ontvang.

Oh, to translate this in Google, the whole essence is lost of what I wrote....

Without dredging up the past, but a few sections of those kind that served under Oom Magnus & Oom Jannie, some Caspers and Alo III gunships patrolling the borders would have instilled the fear and respect bordering countries and terrorists (Rhino Poachers and alien invaders) had for this country! But no, we have to stand by whilst a quarter of a billion rand is spent on a bloody kraal & bunker by those put into power by 1st world countries screaming for what they thought was right and become the natural lavatory for effluent spilling over from the degradation of Africa!

[KFA]

Ek le langs jou in die loopgraaf