CemAir

CemAir

IATA 5Z ICAO KEM Callsign cemair
Founded	2005
Hubs	OR Tambo International Airport
Secondary hubs	Port Harcourt & Lagos Nigeria. Dakar, Senegal. Juba, South Sudan
Focus cities	Johannesburg
Fleet size	20
Destinations	Margate, Sishen, Plettenberg Bay, Cape Town
Headquarters	OR Tambo, Johannesburg
Key people	Responsible Person: Flight Operations - T Myburgh Responsible Person: Aircraft - Wynand Kleingeld Responsible Person: Safety - R Nel
Website	http://www.cemair.co.za

History

CemAir (Pty) Ltd is a privately owned, limited liability company incorporated under the laws of South Africa. The company was formed in 2005 with the purpose of operating turboprop commuter aircraft. The initial fleet consisted of 1 x Cessna Grand Caravan and 3 x Beechcraft 1900Cs. CemAir has developed into a specialised aircraft leasing company offering turboprop and jet aircraft to a variety of operators throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Indian Ocean islands. The company is a South African Part 121 (Large aircraft operator), Part 135 (Small aircraft operator) and holds SACAA issued AOC (Air Operator Certificates) in both of these categories. The Air Service Licensing Council has issued the company with Domestic & International licenses, for both Scheduled & Non-Scheduled services. In addition, CemAir holds approval from the SACAA for a Part 145 AMO (Approved Maintenance Organisation). The management structure conforms to the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) model and has six full-time post holders for complete oversight of flight operations and maintenance. The duties and responsibilities of each position are documented with frequent internal and external audits to ensure compliance. The organisation runs an ICAO based Safety Management System (SMS) conforming to the requirements of ICAO Safety Management Standards & Recommended Practises (SARPs) and ICAO Doc 9859. The company is a member of the Flight Safety Foundation and has completed its third successive BARS audit. BARS (Basic Aviation Risk Standard) is a move towards audit standardization using a risk-based model based on best practise aviation safety principles and tailored to the needs of the resource sector, mainly the mining industry. Two additional resource based audits have been successfully concluded by Hart Aviation to ensure that CemAir's operating and maintenance standards are acceptable to companies in the oil, gas and petroleum industry.

Destinations

Based at OR Tambo International Airport, South Africa, a large portion of the fleet is deployed outside of South Africa and the aircraft periodically rotate back to base for selected inspections. The main foreign deployments are to Nigeria and Senegal in West Africa as well as Juba in South Sudan. In these locations, CemAir has created SACAA approved Line Stations to conduct flight operations and to carry out the required maintenance programs. Domestically, CemAir operates daily services from OR Tambo International Airport to Margate, Cape Town, Plettenberg Bay and to Sishen in the Northern Cape. All these services utilise Beech 1900D aircraft. The company provides a web-based sales channel for the purchase of e-tickets. The traditional booking methods are available for those who may not wish to use electronic services.

Non-scheduled services are undertaken to a diverse range of destinations both within and outside South Africa. These individually chartered flights have encompassed diplomatic, business and tourist activities.

The company has operating and leasing experience throughout Africa and the Middle East, including:

•  Afghanistan
•  Botswana
•  Democratic Republic of Congo
•  Gabon
•  Ghana
•  Kenya
•  Mali
•  Mozambique
•  Namibia
•  Senegal
•  South Africa
•  Sudan
•  Tunisia

Fleet

The CemAir fleet consists of the following aircraft:

Maintenance

The maintenance arm of CemAir has been accredited by the South African Civil Aviation Authority with the necessary approval to include the maintenance of the Bombardier CRJ to be conducted along with the Beechcraft 1900s at the OR Tambo base by the company's own technical staff. This facility has the capability to carry out maintenance up to the C-check on the CRJ and all maintenance inspections on the Beech 1900 including the changing of all major components such as engines, propellors etc. Apart from specialised activities like painting or Non-Destructive Testing, all maintenance is carried out in-house.

Head Office

CemAir's head office and engineering (maintenance) facility are located at OR Tambo International Airport, previously Johannesburg International Airport, (ICAO:FAOR), 25 km North-East of Johannesburg. This is one of only two official Ports of Entry for Gauteng Province, the other being Lanseria(ICAO:FALA). The fully equipped Flight Operations Control Centre is housed within the Head office and operates between the hours of 05h00 - 20h00 during the week and as required at weekends. A reservations and ticket sales office operates from the same premises during normal office hours. In addition, this facility is the primary parts stores and logistics hub of the operation.

Accidents and incidents

CemAir suffered two hull losses in 2008 with aircraft leased out to 3rd parties, one in the Sudan and the other in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• On 2 May 2008 a CemAir owned Beechcraft 1900, registered in Kenya and operated by Kenyan based Flex Air Cargo was flying from Wau to Juba, Sudan when it crashed near Rumbek killing all nineteen passengers and two crew. Among the passengers were two senior officials of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army and their wives.^[1]

• On 1 September 2008 an Air Serv leased nineteen passenger Beechcraft 1900C crashed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 15 km northwest of Bukavu^[2][3] carrying two crew and fifteen passengers.^[4][5][6][7] The aircraft, wet leased and flown by crew from CemAir, then based at Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg South Africa, was arriving at Bukavu following technical service at N'Dolo Airport, Kinshasa.^[8] The aircraft was under the command of 24-year-old Rudi Knoetze of Johannesburg when it crashed into a mountainous ridge.^[9] Passengers included twelve Congolese, one French, one Indian, and one Canadian.^[10]

References