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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO/ZAIRE

Air Congo. (QC)

Air Congo leased a new Series 320L-AZ in full company colours through Laker Airways Ltd from early May67 to the end of Feb68 when this aircraft was replaced by another Series 320L-AZ from the same source until the contract was concluded in May68. The type was introduced into service on 15May67 on international services from Kinshasa to Bujumbura, Entebbe, Lagos, Lusaka, Nairobi and Ndola while domestically Lubumbashi was linked to the capital.

Air Katanga. - see International Trans Air Business – ITAB.

Cargostar Ltd. - see Express City, S.P.R.L.

Compagnie Africaine d’Aviation – CAA. (E9)

By early Aug06 ITAB’s Series 537GF was being used as a back-up aircraft for CAA’s flights between Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. Unfortunately it was grounded in March 2007 but returned to service at the end of December. Bad luck struck again when the aircraft suffered engine problems in Mbuji-Mayi in March 2008. As a result it was decided to permanently withdraw the aircraft from service in September 2008.

Congo Airlines . - see Express City, S.P.R.L.

Express City , S.P.R.L. (EO)

This company purchased three Series 501EXs from British Airways plc through Cargostar Ltd in Oct, Nov and Dec94. The aircraft were used on domestic schedules linking Kinshasa with destinations including Beni, Bukavu, Bunia, Gbadolite, Gemena, Goma, Isiro, Kananga, Kindu, Kisangani, Lubumbashi, Mbandaka and Mbuji-Mayi. By the end of 1996 the fleet would seem to have been withdrawn from front line service. The company name was changed to Congo Airlines Ltd in 1997 after Zaire changed its name and later became Hewa Bora Airways.

Names used on aircraft:-

9Q-CKI Ville de Mbuji-Mayi

9Q-CKP Ville de Goma

9Q-CKY Ville de Mbandaka

International Trans Air Business – ITAB. ( )

ITAB purchased a Series 201AC from Shabair in Jan96. The aircraft has been used on flights throughout southern Africa. The name Air Katanga seems also to refer to this company. A series 537GF was acquired from Nationwide Airlines in Feb04 and was reportedly being used on routes between Lubumbashi and Johannesburg. (see Wimbi Dira Airways entry)

Shabair. (SS)

This Lubumbashi based company leased a Series 401AK from Guinness Peat Aviation in Sep90 followed by a Series 201AC from the same source in Mar81. Scheduled routes were flown with the type from its home base to Kalemie, Kananga, Kinshasa and Mbuji-Mayi together with charter flights. The company’s surviving aircraft was sold in Jan96.

Wimbi Dira Airways. (9C)

From 01Apr05 a twice weekly schedule was being flown on behalf of this carrier between Lubumbashi and Johannesburg with a Series 537GF of ITAB. It is believed that this was a very short lived operation.

DJIBOUTI

Djibouti Airlines.

Djibouti Airlines leased an aircraft from Trast Aero in Apr08.

EGYPT

Air Memphis, Inc. ( )

Air Memphis operated two of Romavia’s Series 561RCs on tourist flights both within Egypt and to eastern Europe for at least the summer season in 2000.

National Aviation Company. (NC)

This Cairo based company was noted operating a Series 401AK in Jul92. No further details are known.

ERITREA

Red Sea Air. (7R)

Red Sea Air leased a Series 528FL from JARO International by Dec98 to operate schedules from Asmara and Assab to Dubai and San’a and from Asmara to Jeddah with the aircraft operating in a two class configuration. Both JARO aircraft were used at different times. By mid Apr00 the One-Elevens had been replaced by Yak 42s.

LIBYA

Libyan Arab Airlines. (LN)

This company obtained a VIP configured Series 414EG in Oct93 but little is known of much activity with it since it was delivered.

Libyan Aviation – Libavia.

This organisation took delivery of a Series 422EQ in Oct06 but nothing is known of its use since it was purchased.

Trans Africa Airlines.

A Series 422EQ was operated by this organisation by May00 but nothing is known of its operations.

MALAWI

Air Malawi, Ltd. (QM)

Air Malawi leased a Series 207AJ from Zambia Airways with effect from early Nov79 pending delivery of a new Series 481FW. The new aircraft was delivered in Feb72 in a 74 seat single class configuration. The fleet was doubled with the addition of a Series 479FU leased from Air Pacific in early Jul74. This was returned in Nov75. Two aircraft were later leased from BCAL, a Series 501EX for three weeks in Nov/Dec77 and a Series 530FX from Oct79 to Apr80. In late Oct80 a Series 524FF was bought from Hapag-Lloyd. The aircraft were employed on scheduled flights from Lilongwe and Blantyre to Beira, Lusaka, Mauritius, Nairobi and the Seychelles and on charter flights including the ‘Wenelas’ South African Mines Labour flights. The aircraft were disposed of in Jun91 and Mar93.

MALI

Tombouctou Aviation.

The Mali Government obtained a Stage 3 hush-kitted Series 401AK in Apr07. The aircraft is fitted out in an executive configuration and is flown throughout Africa and Europe. It is maintained by Jet Technics at Băneasa, Romania. Originally owned by MIA Airlines, it has now been sold to Tombouctou Aviation. A second 1-11 YR-MIA has now joined the fleet and has been re-registered as TZ-BSA. Both aircraft are believed to be based at Bamako.

RWANDA

Rwanda Airlines. (9R)

Rwanda Airlines leased a Series 201AC from Balkh Airlines with effect from 09Jan98 until 15Mar98 and again by Oct99. Schedules were flown from Bujumbura ( Burundi) to Kigali and Nairobi. The aircraft was also flown on behalf of the Rwandan Government in a corporate rôle until it was withdrawn from service in Aug00.

SIERRA LEONE

Fast Aerospace.

Fast Aerospace bought two Series 529FGs and a Series 531FS early in 2002 for onward sale. Two of the aircraft were ferried to Malta but customers could not be found for them.

Sierra Leone Airways, Ltd. (LJ)

The British United Airways/British Caledonian Airways One-Eleven multi-sector West African service was operated as a jointly marketed route with Sierra Leone Airways Ltd over the Freetown to Lagos via Accra part of the journey in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

SOUTHERN RHODESIA

Central African Airways Corporation. (CE)

This company ordered two Series 207AJs on 26Sep62 but although completed in the company colours, they were not delivered following the unilateral declaration of independence by Rhodesia on 11Nov65. This resulted in the refusal of an export licence following an international trade embargo. The order was taken over by Zambia Airways Corporation Ltd.

ZAMBIA

Zambia Airways Corporation, Ltd. (QZ)

Zambia Airways took over the Central African Airways order for two Series 207AJs. These were delivered in Apr66 but immediately leased to British Eagle International Airways Ltd after one of the aircraft was flown to Zambia for one week in May66 for a promotional exercise. On completion of the lease the aircraft were painted in full Zambia Airways colours and flown to Zambia in mid Dec67. The aircraft were fitted with single class 74 seat cabins and had uprated Rolls-Royce Spey Mk.511-14 engines installed with provision for water injection, the only Series 200s so built for airline operation. The type was used on Zambia Airways scheduled network from Lusaka to Blantyre, Dar-es-Salaam, Kasama, Livingstone, Lubumbashi, Mauritius, Nairobi, Ndola and Antananarivo. One of the aircraft was leased to Air Malawi Ltd from Nov70 to Feb72. The aircraft were sold in Mar75.

ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe Express Airlines, Ltd. (Z7)

In May and Jun97 a One-Eleven was used on this company’s schedules between Harare and Bulawayo (14 weekly) and Harare and Victoria Falls (4 weekly). An aircraft from the Nationwide Air (Pty) Ltd fleet was used for this operation.

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