Skyhawk sale still on, says American company

The American company negotiating to buy the air force's fleet of mothballed Skyhawk attack jets says the deal is still going through.

The Arizona-based Advanced Training Systems International (ATSI) said today it was still waiting final approval from the United States State Department before the sale of the 17 Skyhawks could be finalised and they could be shipped to America.

An aviation magazine reported this week the sale had fallen through but ATSI chairman, former US Navy fighter pilot Larry "Hoss" Pearson, told NZPA today that was wrong and the deal was still viable.

"We are still waiting for State Department approval.

"There are no show-stoppers here."

State department approval is needed because of the advanced electronics and warfare systems fitted to the Skyhawks which is virtually identical to the F16s flown by America and other air forces.

In spite of the age of the air frames, the Skyhawks have been modernised several times and are considered the equal of any attack jets in terms of their weapons and systems.

Mr Pearson could not say when the final contracts would be signed or when they would be delivered.

Only two of the 17-strong fleet were still flying out of the air force base at Ohakea. The other 15 were in storage at Woodbourne in Marlborough.

Mr Pearson said he was very happy with the condition of the aircraft and the way they had been maintained by air force engineers before the air combat wing was axed by the Government in December, 2001.

His company already flies 12 Skyhawks to train pilots for the American and other military forces. They are based at the Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, Arizona.

The company has refused to discuss the purchase price. In 2000 former politician Derek Quigley said the aircraft and spares had a market value of about $120 million although the New Zealand Ministry of Defence later said $85 million would be a good price.

The aircraft may continue to be maintained in New Zealand at Air New Zealand subsidiary, Safe Air in Blenheim which has a long history of Skyhawk maintenance.

Some of the Skyhawks may return to the Australian naval base at Nowra near Sydney when the New Zealand Air Force had a deal with the Australian Government to train and work with the Australian military on joint training exercises.

The Australians believed the Skyhawks were ideal aircraft to train with their navy because they were small, fast, manoeuvrable and very difficult for a warship's defensive systems to detect.

It is highly unlikely the Skyhawks would be flown to America. They will probably be dismantled and packed into containers for shipping back to America.

New Zealand originally had 24 Skyhawks after buying 14 brand new in 1970 and 10 second hand in 1984 from the Australian navy. Seven Skyhawks have been destroyed in crashes.

The sale of the air force's fleet of 17 Aermacchi jet trainers is also thought to be nearing completion. They are likely to go to the Malaysian Government.

- NZPA