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Douglas DC-3 and C-47 in Kenya
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On 26 July 2009 Brendan Odell reported the DC-3 survival list for Kenya is now:
C/N 34222 ZK-BBJ United Nations, derelict at Mombasa -4° 2' 18.69", +39° 35' 51.23"
C/N 17108 5Y-BMB Skyways Kenya, stored at Lokichoggio +4° 12' 17.90", +34° 20' 35.05"
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MOMBASA AIR SAFARI
In April 2011, Mombasa Air Safari took delivery of a DC-3 Turbo prop c/n 25610 registered 5Y-WOW. The information below was sent in by their Chairman, John Cleave.
Wildlife reserves, are by their nature large land areas and the Masai Mara covers a large geographical space. The Mara has actually been expanding around the outer fringes with more luxury camps and lodges being built. There are no tarmac roads and many 4X4 safari vehicle passages between camps are on dirt tracks that are difficult to drive on. At its widest point,
the distance across the Mara is some 30 miles.
Many camps have their own airstrip close to their own site and keep a fleet of special safari vehicles especially for tourists arriving by air. Most Mara visitors arrive by air. Mombasa Air safari lands at seven of the available 12 Mara airstrips. Some of those airstrips are no more than 5 miles apart. This is a unique situation. In addition the airfields are about 1,200 meters long at 5,500 feet with daily temperatures of about 30 C. The Mara is STOL territory!
The DC-3 was selected on the basis of its ability to take off and land with 32 passengers at seven different Mara airfields. In addition to STOL performance, the other significant criteria, was simplicity of design. The airframe is well proven and, when well maintained, seems to be timeless. Matched to modern Pratt and Whitney engines with 6,000 hours TBO, the result is a rugged, reliable, simple and cost effective aircraft for our niche market.
The turbine DC-3T conversion is not a cheap plane and inserting a fuselage plug, adding a lightweight floor, strengthening the wing, adding extra fuel cells, installing the PT6 65R engines and modernizing the cockpit is an extensive process. The result is a delightful aircraft that brings a smile to the face of our passengers when they board via the convenient air-stair doors. On board music and light meal service adds to the level of comfort.
5Y-WOW was delivered from the USA in February, whilst still on the South African register (as ZS-OJK) and flew across the Atlantic to Africa. In Mombasa, our home base, she was given a thorough inspection process and compliance check at our own AMO facility which now has the type added to its capability list.
She has the name FURAHA, which means Happiness in Swahili and the MAS crew spent 2 months on type conversion training with Canadian AME/ATPL/Instructor, John Janssen. Mombasa Air Safari expects to add more of the DC-3-T type to its fleet and to be operating the plane for the next 15 to 20 years.
We also believe that for tourists, flying in the classic DC-3 will enhance their holiday enjoyment and provide a special and memorable experience. Indeed, MAS gives all DC-3 passengers a special memento as a souvenir of having flown in Africa on a Classic DC-3. There are a small number of airlines offering piston engine DC-3 pleasure flights, but I am not aware of any other airline flying the turbine version on daily scheduled services.
Mombasa Air safari is new to the DC-3 and interested to learn what Dakota Associations and Clubs may exist
Yours sincerely,
John Cleave
Chairman
Mombasa Air Safari
www.mombasaairsafari.com
C/N 25610
ZS-OJK
Mombasa Air Safari
Landing at Musiara Airfield in the Masai Mara. 18 April 2011
The smiling face says it all
Photograph: John Cleave
C/N 25610
ZS-OJK
Mombasa Air Safari
Photograph: John Cleave
C/N 25610
5Y-WOW
The aircraft is named Furaha which means Happiness in Swahili
The pilot in the picture is Omar Welton, 15,000 hours, former MAS Chief Pilot and an Instrument Examiner.
Mombasa Air Safari
Photograph: John Cleave
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C/N 25610
5Y-WOW
With Captain John Janssen. (right)
Delivery of S/N 25610 was 10th February 2011 at Mombasa, Kenya and the date of her first service was 14th April 2011 on a flight to the Mara with 32 pax on board.
Captain John Janssen, 10,000 hours AME/CFI/ has 2,000 DC-3 hours and completed the type conversion training (MAS approved programme) for three MAS captains. He is seen together with Kevin Cleave, on the occasion of Imperial Bank of Kenya handing over the aircraft keys (symbolically) to commemorate the entrance of the bank into dollar aircraft financing.
Mombasa Air Safari
Photograph: John Cleave
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5Y-WOW
Mombasa Air Safari
Photograph: John Cleave
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C/N 17108
5Y-BMB Skyways Kenya
Taken April 2003
The aircraft is named Betsy
Stored at Lokichoggio
Text and photograph: Ken Stoltzfus Flying Higher
The text below was submitted by Ken Stoltzfus, July 2009.
Notes: 8/5/03 - This C-47 was spotted at Lokichoggio, in northern Kenya near the Sudanese border in April 2003. It looked like it was waiting for some TLC.
Built as a C-47B-50-DK, she was delivered October 19, 1945 under Douglas Construction Number 34375 and was assigned USAF serial number 45-1105. The number 17108 fits in there somewhere, too, but I'm not sure where. The "DK" in the model number indicates that it was built in the Oklahoma City plant.
After its release by the military, this C-47 was operated by Monarch Airlines as N2025A. However, when Monarch merged with Arizona Airways and Challenger Airlines to form Frontier Airlines on June 1, 1950, N2025A was not in their fleet.
West Coast Airlines (Seattle, WA) operated the aircraft from August 1955 until April 1968. See Transports for a photograph of this aircraft.
December 11, 1963 was not a good day for N2025A. According to the NTSB accident report the Western Airlines co-pilot did a hard landing at Kalispell, MT. Probable cause was that he didn't level off properly, bounced, and then failed to properly recover from the bounce. It is stated that the captain, who was 37-years old and had 11,740 hours total with 9765-hours in type, gave "inadequate supervision of the flight." The left wing tip struck the runway, but they did a go-around followed by a safe landing. It musta' been quite a ride. The report says there was substantial damage. By the way, I was in the back end of a C-47 recently when the pilot did a real bouncer. We didn't get a tip, but it still gave us quite a jolt! Cawooomp!!
In 1968, West Coast, Bonanza and Pacific Airlines merged to form Air West, who operated the aircraft until April 1969.
FAA data from 1976 and 1983 shows that N2025A was registered to Aerodyne Corp. of Renton, WA. March 1989 and '91 data has it registered to Business Air, of Bennington, VT. I don't know when she headed to Africa.
FAA records give the serial number as 17108, but airline records identify it as 34375. On the "oldprops" web site it is identified as 34375/17108, and Kenyan registration 5Y-BMB
NOTE: On October 8, 2003, I received a message from Nicolai Musante of Copenhagen, Denmark. He says that C-47, 5Y-BMB was ferried Reykjavik-Glasgow-Lycon on September 15, 1996. Check out his outstanding web site. It is one of the best!
Ken Stoltzfus Flying Higher July 2009
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 C/N 27085
5Y-RDS
Outside the Rossair hangar
Lanseria Airport 13 January 2000
Photograph:Michel Anciaux
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C/N 27085
5Y-RDS
Lanseria Airport 26 September 2005
Photograph: Gary Shephard LightSketch Photography
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C/N 27085
5Y-RDS
Lanseria Airport 11 February 2006
Photograph: Timothy Webster
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C/N 27085
5Y-RDS
Lanseria Airport 11 February 2006
The DC-3 aircraft behind is ZS-MFY
Photograph: Timothy Webster
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C/N 27085
Douglas DC-3 5Y-RDS
Rossair Kenya
At Lanseria Airport 5 May 2006
Photograph: Stephan Rossouw SR Photography
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C/N 27085
Douglas DC-3 5Y-RDS
At Lanseria Airport 5 May 2006
ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross
Title on the logo reads Comite International Geneve
Photograph: Stephan Rossouw SR Photography
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C/N 27085
Douglas DC-3 5Y-RDS
At Lanseria Airport 17 August 2008
Photograph: Omer Mees
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C/N 27085
Douglas DC-3 5Y-RDS
At Lanseria Airport 17 August 2008
Photograph: Omer Mees
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C/N 27085
Douglas DC-3 5Y-RDS
At Lanseria Airport 17 August 2008
Photograph: Omer Mees
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C/N 27085
Douglas DC-3 5Y-RDS
At Lanseria Airport 17 August 2008
Photograph: Omer Mees
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C/N 13019
N47AZ
N47AZ at Nairobi Wilson Airport in Kenya taken shortly before it was scrapped at Wilson. The aircraft was shipped in pieces to the USA in February 2009 by an American who bought it from Ms Kiriga.
Text and Photograph: Brendan Odell
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C/N 13019
N47AZ
3 April 2008
N47AZ at Nairobi Wilson Airport in Kenya taken shortly before it was scrapped at Wilson. The aircraft was shipped in pieces to the USA in February 2009 by an American who bought it from Ms Kiriga.
Text and Photograph: Brendan Odell
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C/N 13019
N47AZ
3 April 2008
N47AZ at Nairobi Wilson Airport in Kenya taken shortly before it was scrapped at Wilson. The aircraft was shipped in pieces to the USA in February 2009 by an American who bought it from Ms Kiriga.
Text and Photograph: Brendan Odell
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C/N 13019
N47AZ
3 April 2008
N47AZ at Nairobi Wilson Airport in Kenya taken shortly before it was scrapped at Wilson. The aircraft was shipped in pieces to the USA in February 2009 by an American who bought it from Ms Kiriga.
Text and Photograph: Brendan Odell
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C/N 4890
5Y-BGU
Air Kenya
Photograph: Clinton H Groves collection
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C/N 4890
5Y-BGU
Air Kenya
Nairobi - Wilson (West) (WIL / HKNW) Kenya, May 1991
Photograph: Neil Pidduck (NJP)
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C/N 32845
5Y-BBN
Air Kenya
Nairobi - Wilson (West) (WIL / HKNW) Kenya, May 1991
Photograph: Neil Pidduck (NJP)
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DC-3 In Africa