NZ Air force may send pilots to Australia for training

Kiwi pilots will probably go to Australia for fast-jet training as the Government rushes to fill a 10-year-old hole in the air force left by the scrapped Aermacchis.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp confirmed this week that the 17 Aermacchi jets could not be returned to service.

He said yesterday that New Zealand had missed out on tens of million of dollars, and years of pilot training, as a result.

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