Surf Air Mobility (SAM), a regional air mobility company that retrofits Cessna Grand Caravans with electric or hybrid-electric powertrains, on Thursday signed agreements to provide its technology to a pair of operators in Kenya. The two firms, Safarilink and Yellow Wings, each agreed to install SAM’s proprietary powertrain following its FAA certification, targeted for 2026. Both aim to be all-electric in 2027.

Safarilink connects domestic scheduled flights to locations in Kenya and Tanzania using a fleet of 12 aircraft, eight of them Cessna 208Bs. It makes more than 30 flights per day to 18 destinations. Yellow Wings’ fleet, meanwhile, comprises two 208Bs and two 208B EXs. The air operator serves more than 500 airfields in East Africa.

“Implementing Surf Air Mobility’s electric powertrain technology will help us reduce the noise and minimize the climate impact of our flights as we help people from all over the world to experience our region’s incredible ecosystem,” said Alex Avedi, CEO of Safarilink.

SAM has an exclusive agreement with Cessna parent company Textron Aviation to electrify the Grand Caravan, making it Textron Aviation’s sole supplier of electric and hybrid-electric powertrains for that model. SAM also agreed to purchase as many as 150 Cessna EX single-engine turboprops to convert to a nine-seat variant. The first 20 deliveries are expected in the first half of this year.

The company’s vision is to use its modified Caravans to connect airports with sustainable, short-haul direct service, particularly in North America. It claims the aircraft will be “immediately operable” at more than 5,000 public use airports in the U.S., with no charging system installation required for hybrid-electric models.

More broadly, however, SAM is focused on business in regions that are already key markets for the Caravan, and which have shown themselves to be early adopters of emerging mobility technology. Kenya—home to Caravan operators such as Safarilink and Yellow Wings and committed to a 100 percent clean energy transition by 2030—appears to fit the bill.

“The Caravan is an amazing aircraft on which to develop our electrified powertrain, and we believe Safarilink and Yellow Wings’ operations are perfectly suited to demonstrate the benefits of our technology,” said Stan Little, CEO of SAM. “We believe Africa is at the cutting edge of regional air mobility.”

Added Christian Strebel, CEO of Yellow Wings: “We strongly believe in alternative propulsion for air travel. We have always been the frontrunners in adopting new systems and innovations. Kenya, with 91 percent carbon-free power generation, is the ideal country to spearhead this movement.”

SAM is in the process of developing supplemental type certifications for the hybrid and all-electric versions of its Caravan. The firm is targeting a 50 percent reduction in operating costs, with a 100 percent drop in carbon emissions for fully electric models.

“Our goal is to deploy our proprietary electrification technology on a global scale, in addition to our own network,” said Fred Reid, global head of business development for Surf Air Mobility. “Upgrading Safarilink’s and Yellow Wings’ Caravan fleet with our electrified powertrains unlocks new possibilities. As air travel economics change with electrification, we believe Safarilink and Yellow Wings can improve current services, launch new viable routes, and reduce environmental impact.”

The agreements with the two Kenyan firms are just the latest in SAM’s global push to bring electric aircraft to market at scale.

In October 2022, the company signed a $450 million deal with Jetstream Aviation Capital, the largest global aircraft lessor focused exclusively on commercial turboprop regional aircraft and engines. Over six years, SAM will be able to purchase new and used Caravans and Pilatus PC-12s, as well as enter sale and purchase agreements or separate binding lease agreements for each aircraft. The Miami-based lessor, meanwhile, plans to purchase up to 250 powertrains.

In November, SAM agreed to electrify Caravans within the existing fleet of Azul, Brazil’s flag carrier and largest airline. Azul operates 27 208Bs serving 80 destinations across Brazil.

But perhaps the company’s biggest update came in August, when it closed the acquisition of Southern Airways. SAM claims the merger will create the largest commuter airline in the U.S., based on the companies’ 2022 scheduled flight departure figures. Combined, the firms that year served 450,000 passengers across 48 cities, with more than 75,000 departures.

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I first ran into Stefan Coetzee and KFA at Aero Friedrichshafen, my favorite light aircraft show in Europe. I was caught by the clever name. Easy to say, “KFA” sticks in your mind like a catchy tune.

Kitplanes For Africa sounds like a company making aircraft that should have superior bush capabilities. It was a handsome aircraft and I felt readers would enjoy it but they had no American representation at the time so I filed the discovery away under: “Promising.”

The bigger and more accurate picture is that KFA is yet another light aviation success story for South Africa*.

Almost half-way around the world, South Africa fell out of many conversations once the apartheid struggle finally ended in the 1990s. Yet despite years of ugly headlines, the country’s interest in aviation has been strong and building. Companies are producing lots of aircraft. (The Aircraft Factory alone produces 20 Sling aircraft each month, and has plans to increase to 30, employing almost 500 personnel.)

KFA was begun roughly when apartheid ended, so it shares no history with that difficult period. However, this timeline also illustrates the 30 years in business this builder has been active. More than 300 of their Bushbaby designs were sold and Coetzee reports strong business today.

Welcome to America…via Canada

An early enthusiast in the Americas was Canadian Vince Scott, a six-foot-eight tower of a man… and yes, he fits. Even his entry looked straightforward. For someone of my average stature, Safari XL looks huge inside. Coetzee enjoyed referring to “Hamburgers,” hinting at Yankee pilots who enjoy a good meal or three every day. Those well-fed pilots will love this enlarged bird. In fact, I think most pilots would look admiringly upon the large interior volume of Safari XL.

The gray-over-black Explorer looks familiar to Oshkosh attendees. I overheard more than one person say it “looks like a Kitfox.” This comment is not original or accurate because even Kitfox started out as a modification of an Avid Flyer, the true original of this planform by designer Dean Wilson 40 years ago. Many other variations on the theme have been developed over the decades.

Coetzee maintains that while similarities exist, Explorer is different in almost every element, “I don’t believe any part on this airplane would work on a Kitfox,” he said. Over several iterations — Bushbaby to Explorer to Safari to Safari XL — the design evolved like many do when engineers find a way to improve.

Safari XL has a particularly interesting story, one that I think many Americans will appreciate.

The XL model, made to fit tall Vince is six inches wider, almost two inches taller inside and about 15 inches longer. People who know about these numbers realize that those few added inches make for a significantly larger interior. Climb inside and it feels spacious. Bowed-out doors help (many aircraft use this technique) but Safari would feel large even with flat doors. Then, consider the luggage area.

Loading luggage into many aircraft is often an awkward hassle but KFA created a luggage door large enough for a good size suitcase. A couple sets of golf clubs would fit, noted Coetzee, and you can see in the image KFA has also accommodated lengthy fishing poles (arrow).

While Explorer fits the LSA description closely at 1,320 pounds gross, Safari XL bumps that up another 100 kilos to 1,543 pounds. Until 2025 when Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates (MOSAIC) throws open the door, Safari XL will come to the USA as a kit. Explorer has met German standards and could likely qualify for special light sport aircraft (SLSA) status but this work remains in the future. The good news is that KFA has long been a kit supplier, so they see supporting builders as a normal duty.

When MOSAIC finally arrives, Safari XL will easily qualify, even if equipped with an in-flight adjustable propeller. An even larger model is well into development, Coetzee hinted, so his company—like many in the light aircraft space — is gearing up for the added capabilities we are getting with MOSAIC…assuming the final rule looks much like the NPRM proposal we have been studying in recent days.

Even though Safari XL must be Experimental Amateur Built, KFA is happy to support different skill sets with a variety of kit packages. Beside the basic kit that may consume 700 hours, the company offers at least two levels that are commonly called quick-build kits.

Coetzee’s humorous reference to “hamburgers” brings home the fact that even if you and your best flying buddy may not be large fellows or gals, extra space inside is almost always appreciated (except maybe by the go-as-fast-as-possible crowd). If you are built large, this airplane will fit. Six-eight Vince looked comfortable when I asked him to model his plane for me.

Safari XL — and its slightly smaller Explorer sibling model — offer another interesting choice for pilots and brings to the market a design refined over many years.

ARTICLE LINKS:

• Kitplanes For Africa, contact info and content on this website
• Website for North American distributor Drake Aviation Adventures (website remains under construction at publishing time)
  • Until their Drake website is available, contact info appears here
• Complete kit description of KFA kits in PDF form

* Just off the top of my head, I can recall these manufacturers… The Airplane Factory (Sling), SkyReach (Bushcat), Bathawk, Rainbow, and now KFA plus a business in South Africa worked closely with Jabiru to build those aircraft. I’ll bet I missed a few. Not bad for a country of 60 million located a great distance from other established aviation development centers.

The post Kitplanes For Africa Bush Planes Are Big. Really Big. appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In 1998—25 years ago—Air Journey was founded to help pilots achieve dreams of long-distance travel with their airplanes. The company now leads globally with its escorted flying journeys. The first trip took four GA pilots flying their airplanes to the southern Caribbean islands of San Salvador, Stella Maris, and Andros. Now, Air Journey has grown to a company approaching $10 million in sales and itineraries ranging from 4 to 76 days, and visiting up to 27 countries.

To celebrate the anniversary, Air Journey plans an extraordinary adventure, Islands of the Indian Ocean and Beyond, to transpire from May 24 to July 22 this summer. The trip will bring pilots flying their own aircraft to the islands of the Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar, along with excursions to Europe and Africa, including gorilla trekking in Rwanda.

“On our Escorted Journeys, pilots fly their own airplanes in small groups on prearranged itineraries by the AJ Team to destinations across the world,” said owner and founder Thierry Pouille in a release. “Every journey is led by experienced Pilot and Journey Directors and each leg is expertly created to accommodate single-engine turboprop to light-jet aircraft, never exceeding 1,100 nautical miles.”

A Journey for Everyone

In its release, Air Journey highlighted a few of its milestone itineraries over the years. “In 2007, the company launched the first Around the World Journey at Sun ‘n Fun [Aerospace Expo] and took off in 2008 for its Eastbound Around the World [trip]. Milestone destinations to follow included Africa in 2011, Australia in 2017, and the Islands of the Indian Ocean in 2022.” This year, 2023, marks another special journey for Air Journey—the first roundtrip circumnavigation of Australia and New Zealand via Europe in April.

How It Works

The Escorted Journeys come thoroughly planned and executed by the Air Journey pilots and facilitators traveling with you. However, if you want to travel independently, Air Journey also provides its Concierge Service for assistance with planning and is reachable during the trip. In partnership with several pilot and owner associations, Air Journey also organizes Association Journeys where pilots can fly with like-minded companions in similar aircraft models.

To learn more about Air Journey and access the 2023 trip calendar, visit airjourney.com or call +1 561-371-6661.

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Getting Licensed

The starting point of my epic flying safari was to first become a “certificated” South African pilot through the foreign-license validation process. While this is normally just a paperwork exercise for many countries, South Africa requires both ground school and a flight test. South Africa is different from most western countries that employ what pilots there call an “open ratings system.” In South Africa, a pilot’s license—and it’s called that here—must specifically list each individual type of aircraft that a pilot can fly, and each requires its own proficiency check ride and submission to the South African Civil Aviation Authority. My mission that day was to get licensed to fly the SkyReach BushCat, a light sport aircraft I have flown extensively in the U.S. and Canada. I previously worked for the model’s distributors and its manufacturer, ferrying new and used airplanes to new owners.

SkyReach Ltd. has a long history of aviation in South Africa, a country whose people rely heavily on aircraft as a way of life. The predecessor to the BushCat was the Rainbow Cheetah, a similar looking nosewheel-equipped aircraft that has been around for several decades, often supporting anti-poaching missions and government work. It also provided an affordable means for individual citizens to enjoy the romance of flight.

The BushCat I flew was used by the Johannesburg Flying Academy for primary training and tailwheel training. After a one-hour proficiency check and submitting all of my paperwork, I was ready to start the adventure of a lifetime. I celebrated alongside Etelka Paxton from SkyReach, and we enjoyed a delicious South African breakfast made by a local pilot who lived on the airfield and operated a small café there.

First Launch

The next morning, Etelka picked me up at the hotel and drove me out to Springs Airfield (FASI). SkyReach provided me with its most famous zebra-patterned BushCat, ZU-IMS, known endearingly as India Mike Sierra. The plan was for me to solo in IMS in loose for-mation with a guide, Benjamin Fincham, flying in an-other BushCat.

After preflight and discussing procedures and planning, we launched to our first stop: the Middelburg EAA Fly-In, which was South Africa’s version of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture at Oshkosh. Because an airshow was in progress at ourtime of arrival, we had to remain clear of the airspace and delay landing. Similar to EAA AirVenture, a temporary tower had been set up that was metering traffic into the airfield. Benjamin and I decided to explore a local river canyon in the meantime, which was when I saw exotic animals in the wild for the first time. I saw zebras, giraffes, and elephants from the air, all while gracefully maneuvering the nimble BushCat around the terrain. While I had seen such animals before in local zoos, observing them in the wild from an airplane made for an experience that I’ll never forget.

After landing safely at Middelburg (FAMB), we tied down the airplanes swiftly as weather was predicted to move in. South Africa has inverse seasons to the United States since it lies far south of the equator. The areas east of Johannesburg and toward the Kruger National Park were transitioning from the wet to the dry season, with occasional storms rolling through in the afternoons. 

Middelburg was full of vibrant aviation adventurers. Vendors were lined up on the airfield and food trucks offered local delicacies that I had never tried before. The organizers had nice sleeping tents already set up, and we rented our own for the night. The evening celebrations featured an awards dinner, where people and aircraft were recognized for different feats. One particular accomplishment caught my attention—the first Black woman to be licensed as a hot air balloon pilot in South Africa. That was when I first met Semakaleng Mathebula, a young, passionate 27-year-old aviator who had accomplished something that nobody had yet to do in South Africa. We sat and talked for a while; her story is one of intrigue and perseverance.

Hoedspruit and the Aerotel

On the second day, I woke up in a tent to the fresh South African air. Benjamin and I had a nice breakfast in the hangar and then prepared to fly to Hoedspruit. The geography would soon change from high-altitude rolling hills to harsh mountains filled with rivers and mines. The views were remarkable as we made our way under clear skies over beautiful mountains. Those mountains ended abruptly and the land dropped off to the mostly flat rolling hills that comprise the Kruger National Park. The Hoedspruit Civil Airfield (FAHT)—there’s also a military air base there—featured a short, paved runway and a fuel farm. After landing, we could still see the mountains in the background, making for a picturesque view of traditional African bush with steep, powerful peaks in the distance.

From the airport, we were picked up by staff from the Aerotel, a luxury hotel that features rooms inside the fuselage of an old, repurposed Boeing 737 airframe. The airplane-themed hotel comes complete with wings and a flight deck. It also features a pool and common area, as well as a deck that overlooks the bush and mountains. We had custom meals made for us by a staff member at the hotel, one of the highlights of the trip. For evening entertainment, we went to a movie and ate dinner at a private game reserve, the 7 Star Oase. We then returned for a good night’s rest.

Flight to Kruger

Day three marked our journey to the Kruger National Park. One of the only public airports in the park is Skukuza (FASZ), a well-known compound for adventurers looking to experience the Kruger. Despite being a nontowered airport (or “unmanned,” as they call it in South Africa), it required a slot reservation and logistical coordination to fly into. The airport features a long runway with very little traffic, although the local airlines occasionally fly in tourists.

The Skukuza compound is protected by large gates and fences on every side to keep wildlife out. As we walked to our hotel room, I couldn’t help but notice the monkeys—they were absolutely everywhere as they couldn’t be kept out by the fences. The front desk staff warned us to keep all windows and doors closed because the monkeys would enter and wreak havoc.

The food at Skukuza was excellent, and the next day we were able to go on a game drive to see more animals in the wild. While the Kruger is probably the most famous park in South Africa, it’s also the largest, often making it difficult to spot the wildlife, which are very spread out. People often search for Africa’s “Big 5” safari animals (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and buffalo). Of these five, we only saw elephants in the wild at the Kruger. However, we saw plenty of giraffes, crocodiles, impala, hyenas, and zebras.

To The Hippo Pools

After two nights in Skukuza—on day five of our adventure—we departed to a new location. We loaded up in the trusty BushCats and launched to the Hoedspruit River Lodge, with its fairly technical and challenging runway. It was partially paved and partially loose gravel, wedged in between trees with a slight bend in the middle. It was easy for the BushCat—with a ground roll of well under 500 feet—but it could feel a bit short.

After landing, we were greeted by Joggie and Paula Erasmus and taken to the Ekuthuleni River Front Chalet overlooking the Oliphants (Afrikaans for “elephant”) River, known for its population of hippos. In fact, there were so many that it wasn’t safe to walk around in the evenings. While hippos look like docile animals, they are actually one of the most dangerous in Africa and kill many people every year, owing to their territorial and protective instincts.

One of my favorite adventures at this lodge was the tour of the Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga. Our tour guide was Richi “Rikki” Wagner, a Danish settler to Africa. He leads tours through Botswana in his trusty off-road vehicle and drove us out to the Blyde River Canyon for a boat tour. The scenery was spectacular and mostly untouched by humans. We saw hippos and crocodiles, as well as many types of antelope, including Kudu and bushbabies. 

On day six, we discovered flat tires on the airplanes from thorns in the bush. We spent a good part of the day getting everything repaired, and decided to spend the night back at the chalet. That evening, we were invited by our hosts for a traditional South African braai, a style of cooking similar to our barbecue in the U.S. Just before sunset, we took Paula and Joggie—as well as Rikki and his wife—flying in the BushCats.

Private Game Reserves

For day seven, we flew to Nyathi Airfield (FANT), located in the Nyathi Wilderness, for a stay at the Izintaba Private Game Reserve. At the beautiful chalet in the mountains, we were able to walk down the hill to try our hand—unsuccessfully—at fishing. We could see evidence of leopards and hear noises from the big cats, and viewed wildlife from a distance. SkyReach arranged a hunt for the next day at Haak N SteekSafaris, a great outfitter with knowledgeable guides and staff that offer both hunting and wildlife viewing at a private lodge.

On the eighth day, we made a long flight from Nyathito Bona Bona, which is a very popular private game reserve that caters to tourists outside of Johannesburg. Despite primarily visiting tourist locations, I didn’t meet another American for nearly a week during my travels. It was almost odd to hear an American accent coming from a television screen after being in the bush for so long. The restaurant at Bona Bona overlooked the reserve where hippos, rhinos, and other wildlife came within 50 feet of the overlook.

Benjamin and I were talking at our table when someone came over and asked, “Are you Sarah?” which I confirmed. The young man said, “You flew my Cessna 210 to Europe!” It was none other than “JP,” Juan-Peter Schulze, a blogger who had flown N210EU around the world and then sold it to a European buyer. I ferried it to its new owner in the winter of 2018—a journey featured in FLYING’s November 2019 issue. JP was in South Africa building an aircraft, and vaca-tioning at Bona Bona to take a break from the strenu-ous task of the build. We had some great conversations,and it truly showed just how small the world can be in aviation, despite being thousands and thousands of miles from home.

One More Morning

On day 10, we experienced a morning game drive. On that morning, I also met Gerry the Giraffe, and actually fed him a few bottles of fresh water. I had a chance to pet some leopard cubs and see several big cats at the game reserve as well. In the afternoon, Benjamin and I flew back to Springs Airfield, completing the most epic flying safari that I have ever been on in my life.

Once Africa gets in your blood, it’s there to stay. While comprising so many different nations, regions, cultures, and landscapes, the African continent is a majestic, spectacular, and remarkable place that will forever have a place in my heart—South Africa in particular. The people, food, and adventures are unparalleled to anything I have ever experienced before, and I am looking forward to returning to do more flying. The operation with SkyReach was top notch, and the execution of our adventure was exceptional, despite operational challenges changing our plans as we went along. I was in good hands the entire time, and plan to go back to do more flying.

Indeed: This Is Africa. Those words will resonate in my heart and mind for the rest of my days.

Semakaleng Mathebula: A first for South Africa’s hot air balloon community

I first encountered Semakaleng Mathebula at the Middelburg EAA Fly-In in South Africa during the awards dinner. She was called to the stage to celebrate a large accomplishment: being the first Black woman to become licensed as a hot air balloon pilot in South Africa. Later that evening, in awe of the passionate 27-year-old who persevered through so many challenges, I introduced myself to her. I eventually interviewed her to learn more about her story so I could share it with others.

Semakaleng started her aviation journey when she worked in marketing for a balloon safari operation, and then eventually as a ground crew member. Though the act of ballooning was initially shrouded in mystery, she quickly discovered her passion for it and acquired her license. The two greatest hurdles she faced were access and funding, a similar story to many aspiring pilots in theU.S., as well.

One way she believes ballooning can attract more people to the sport is through visibility. After all, many people don’t know that it exists or even how to get started as a hot air balloon pilot. The next thing on the horizon for her was to go to the world championships in Slovenia, and she sought funding for that mission. The event was held in late September, with the South African team not ranking high but having a real “jot” of a time. You can read more about Semakaleng and ballooning in South Africa here. 

SkyReach BushCat

Price: Roughly $90,000

Powerplant: Rotax 912 ULS, 100 hp

Seats: 2 

Max Gross Weight: 1,320 lb.

Empty Weight: 750 lb.

Fuel Capacity: 24.8 gallons

Wingspan: 31.5 ft.

Wing Area: 146.17 sq. ft.

Average Cruise Speed: 86 ktas

Stall Speed: 38 kias

Max Rate of Climb: 700 fpm

Endurance: 6.5 hours

Takeoff Distance (ground roll): 472 ft.

Landing Distance (ground roll): 235 ft.

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