As a South African company, registered with the South African National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), and not reliant on US exports, this change does not affect TFASA’s day to day operations.

Nevertheless, TFASA is disappointed that the United States Department of Commerce has taken this step without consultation.

TFASA has operated with the full knowledge of NATO defence and security agencies for over a decade. Recent communications between the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Air Force Office of Special Investigation and the Society of Experimental Test Pilots indicate that TFASA has broken no laws. In addition, following our UK lawyers correspondence with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) the MoD confirmed that ‘they do not believe that TFASA is engaged in activities which breach current UK law.’

TFASA notes that over the past ten years almost 70% of Chinese pilot cadets who received training internationally do so in the United States; all Chinese pilot cadets trained by TFASA are drawn from, and return to, exactly the same talent pool as those trained in the United States. The targeting of TFASA with punitive measures, but not larger US peers, risks creating the perception that commercial bias might play a greater role in elements of decision making than national security.

TFASA will be contacting the United States Department of Commerce to clarify its position.

TFASA has strict protocols and a Code of Conduct in place that are designed to prevent any TFASA employee sharing any information or training that is, or might be considered to be, legally or operationally sensitive, or security classified.

All of TFASA’s training materials are either open source documents, or provided directly by TFASA’s clients.

TFASA is, and always has been, in full compliance with the laws of South Africa, and every other jurisdiction in which it operates.

TFASA highlights that the training it provides is also available from other civilian contractors including organisations based in the United States of America, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and European jurisdictions.

If journalists have any questions regarding TFASA or any of its current or former employees they should contact TFASA’s communications agency, for whom contact details are provided below.

Media enquiries
Edward Lee
elee@sfassociates.ltd
+44 7736 220 565

Neil Cameron
ncameron@sfassociates.ltd
‪+44 7786 384 017‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

To avoid the further spread of inaccurate information TFASA would like to put the following statements on record:

• TFASA is a test pilot and flight test engineer training school based in South Africa, providing training services to a variety of clients in the aviation sector, across the MEA and APAC regions.
• TFASA is registered with the South African National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), and as such adheres to its regulation.
• TFASA provides training to test pilots, flight test engineers, and basic operational instructor pilots under closely controlled security conditions. All training aspects and material are strictly unclassified, and provided either from open source or the clients themselves. No training involves classified tactics or other information, nor any frontline activities.
• TFASA tutors are all experienced in the aviation sector, and many of the employees formerly served in the Armed Forces of their respective home countries.
• TFASA has never actively recruited tutors directly from individuals serving in the Armed Forces of any NATO country.
• The majority of TFASA’s employees join the Company from other civilian contractors, such as BAE Systems in the Middle East, as well as several from the airlines.
• TFASA is, and always has been, in full compliance with the laws of South Africa, and every other jurisdiction in which it operates.
• Further, having consulted UK lawyers, TFASA strongly believes that its actions, and those of its employees, do not contravene any UK laws.
• TFASA highlights that the training it provides is also available from other civilian contractors including organisations based in the United States, Canada, and European jurisdictions.
• TFASA has a strict Code of Conduct and is confident that the Company and its employees have, and continue to abide by its regulations.
• TFASA highlights that none of its trainers are in possession of legally or operationally sensitive information relating to the national security interests of any country, whether those from where its employees are drawn or in which it provides training.
• On 19 October 2022 a UK Ministry of Defence (“UK MoD”) spokesman told the BBC that: “the training and the recruiting of pilots does not breach any current UK law.” (BBC News).
• TFASA also wishes to highlight that it has been in contact with the UK MoD for many years and they are fully aware of the nature of the company’s business.
• Additionally, since 2013 TFASA’s British tutors have been in direct contact on an individual basis with the UK MoD and other UK Government agencies prior to undertaking training contracts with the Company’s clients, including its Chinese clients.
• Neither the UK MoD nor any other UK Government agency has raised any objections to TFASA, or its employees with whom the agencies have been in direct contact, regarding the Company’s fulfilment of any training contracts.
• TFASA is engaged in a dialogue with the UK MoD, to ensure that there are no misunderstandings between the organisations.
• TFASA stands by its employees and will continue supporting them, all their work is and has been carried out in full accordance with the laws of every country where the company operates.

If journalists have any questions regarding TFASA or any of its current or former employees they should contact TFASA’s communications agency, for whom contact details are provided below.

Media enquiries
Edward Lee
elee@sfassociates.ltd
+44 7736 220 565

Neil Cameron
ncameron@sfassociates.ltd
‪+44 7786 384 017‬‬‬‬‬‬‬