|
This year has started off with a BANG for Sefofane. March saw Sefofane turning 20 years old as well as undergo a name change to WILDERNESS AIR.
The name change signifies a logical and strategic move of the 20 year old air charter company to strengthen its position as a proud member of the extended Wilderness family, while still providing the same excellent service to our guests.
During the month of March we launched the name change in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
This was a very exciting time for the regions as they got to show their fleet of rebranded aircraft to the trade and media.
Sefofane began operation in March 1991
01 MARCH 2011
Wilderness Air Launch – Northern Air Maintenance Hangar, Maun Airport, Botswana.
As the launch in Maun was the official launch of Wilderness Air, Christo Ebersohn (Botswana General Manager), spent many hours with his team planning a four ship formation flight. The team underwent intense briefing sessions with Christo and many days in the air practising the formation flight.
As the sun was setting on the 1st March, whilst our VIP guests were sipping on a glass of champagne... The Skimmers crossed overhead in a perfect diamond formation to open the official launch of Wilderness Air.
The formation flight can we viewed on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcNgsRKDoHU
03 MARCH 2011
Wilderness Air Launch – Eros Airport, Botswana
Wilderness Air Namibia put together an incredible launch to the trade and media at Eros Airport, Windhoek.
The weather did play a role in keeping the pilots busy, (as seen below), but when the rains subsided our VIP clients got the opportunity to view the rebranded aircraft and climb on board our Cessna C208 Grand Caravan.
23 MARCH 2011
Wilderness Air Launch – MFC, Charles Prince Airport, Harare, Zimbabwe
The launch in Harare was a celebration of the name change and the new addition to our fleet in Zimbabwe. Z-ELE (Cessna C208 Grand Caravan).
The evening was enjoyed by the sounds of the St. Johns Marimba Band whilst our VIP guests got the opportunity to view Z-ELE.
With much excitement the launch was broadcast on ZBC.
After the launch in Harare, we took a few members of the media on a photographic journey to one of the Seven Wonders of the World - Victoria Falls and then onto Hwange National Park.
Whilst in Victoria Falls, we got to do a photographic shoot of our new edition to the Fleet in Zimbabwe: Z-ELE (Cessna C208 Grand Caravan) flying over Victoria Falls. An opportunity very few get to experience.
 SAD FAREWELLS
Andries Gelderblom left his post as General Manager for Wilderness Air Namibia on the 1st of March 2011.
Andries has been a big part of the Namibia operation for the past 7 years and will be sorely missed by all.
We wish him all the best of luck in his new ventures. Lara Jentsch is overseeing the day to day operations whilst Ian du Rand has taken over as General Manager for Namibia and South Africa.
WILDERNESS AIR ZIMBABWE
It is with great excitement for our Zimbabwean operations that we have added the first Cessna C208 Grand Caravan to our fleet after 12 years of operation. The addition of Z-ELE will allow the movement of more clientele into the camps; with an effortless flight of sheer comfort.
We wish the team in Zimbabwe all the best of luck and look forward to seeing the numbers of visitors to Zimbabwe increase over the coming year.
WILDERNESS AIR BOTSWANA
During the month of April, Botswana got the opportunity to assist the Rhino Project in the location of a wandering rhino in the extreme vastness of the Makgadikgadi Pans.
The Rhino Project team had been searching in vain with a ground based crew as well as with a helicopter for 3 days with no site of the missing Rhino.
Wilderness Air Botswana donated the time of one of our aircrafts to assist in the search. Our aircraft managed to cover more ground and enabled the Rhino Project to locate the Rhino which was further afield than they had anticipated.
The assistance from our Botswana operation and the quick dispatch of the aircraft saved the Rhino Project further expenses and time in the location of the Rhino.
Map Ives and Poster will keep us updated in the relocation of the wandering Rhino.
WILDERNESS AIR ZAMBIA
Lafupa Camp has been supporting the OAT runs this year out of session. This has afforded our Zambian pilots to get much practise flying around the thunder showers and landing on very muddy strips.
The Zambian circuit has added additional flights to and from Livingstone to Kafue and Lusaka to Kafue on Fridays.
INDABA
Wilderness Air will be stationed at the Wilderness Safaris stand at Indaba in the ICC; stand number ICCH016.
Please contact us should you wish to set up an appointment with Neil Lumsden or Ashleigh Barker.
FACEBOOK
Please be sure to visit Wilderness Air Africa on facebook. All the excitement of the last month has been photographed, documented and uploaded onto facebook.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN AFRICAN BUSH PILOT
BY FELIX GOSHER, WILDERNESS AIR BOTSWANA PILOT
The eastern horizon lights up at the start of another 9 sector day. Sipping on a hot cup of coffee, I run the order of today’s events: Each leg, distance, track and time ticks through my head. The early signs of winter are imminent, with fresh north easterly autumn winds, cooler temperatures and higher pressures. I can see myself arriving at the aircraft and completing my preflight inspection, having all my documents signed and orderly stapled. I’m focused on the sequence of events that get me to do my core function: Fly guests safely and on time.
They call this a job, I call this “living the dream”. To soar among the birds of prey and master the winds and temperatures. To dance with the clouds and look over our majestic alluvial fan. To execute sound judgment based on hours of training and hard work. Like a fine wine, the bush pilot appreciates in value as their experience base broadens; as fragile as the very glass bottle in which it is contained, so is their professional reputation, should we allow the slightest distraction hinder the flow of what we are tasked to do.
So off come the covers and tie downs; fuel is clean, quantity sufficient; oil levels good; airframe is sleek and clean; rods and actuators move in the correct manner, all enabled by the supreme maintenance team who work long hours to keep our operation on track. I realise that this aircraft is in my custody from the moment I sign it out. I need her. I need her performance to not only get people safely from A to B, but also to create an unforgettable experience for the guests who traveled for days to see a exquisite swampland spanning 15000 square kilometers that annually moves 11 trillion liters of water though its ever changing channels designing over 150,000 islands.
As I commence the take off down runway 08, I enter a state of harmony with my machine. I would know if anything were amiss because she speaks to me. I can feel her power is what I want it to be. I work her rudders to counteract the corkscrewing slipstream. I feel so in tune with this mechanical bird, like it could be an extension of my being, and when she gracefully rises from the Maun asphalt, I let her accelerate in the last moments of ground effect. And whether 300 or 675 horses pulling me, I sail to the sky. In my view, the Main Street and Thamalakane twist into the horizon and I gently bank left to steer North to the great Okavango.
Special thanks to Dana Allen, Felix Gosher, Mark Mansfield and African Pilot for the use of their photographic material.
|
