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Solenta Aviation is an airline based in Johannesburg, South Africa, with its maintenance base at OR Tambo International Airport. The company was founded in 2000 and operates cargo flights on regional routes throughout the
Solenta Aviation has adopted a de-centralised business model, thus being able to offer flexible short-haul cargo flights. From its home and maintenance base at OR Tambo International Airport, it operates a number of DHL flights on regional routes to Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe using a fleet of
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...
on behalf of DHL Aviation
DHL Aviation is a division of DHL (owned by Deutsche Post) responsible for providing air transport capacity. It is not a single airline but a group of airlines that are either owned, co-owned or chartered by DHL Express.
Overview
DHL currently ...
. Solenta Aviation also operates extensively for the oil and gas industry ( "OGP"), offering passenger charter, cargo and aircraft lease services.
Operations
Solenta Aviation has adopted a de-centralised business model, thus being able to offer flexible short-haul cargo flights. From its home and maintenance base at OR Tambo International Airport, it operates a number of DHL flights on regional routes to Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe using a fleet of ATR 42
The ATR 42 is a regional airliner produced by Franco-Italian manufacturer ATR, with final assembly in Toulouse, France.
On 4 November 1981, the aircraft was launched with ATR, as a joint venture between French Aérospatiale (now Airbus) and ...
and Cessna 208 Caravan
The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna.
The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982.
The production model was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA ...
cargo aircraft.
There are several subsidiaries under separate airline licenses:
*In 2006, Solenta Aviation Gabon was set up, which is headquartered at Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon. Occupying in the northwestern province of Estuaire, Libreville is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea. As of the 2013 census, its population was 703,904.
The area has been inh ...
and operating out of Libreville International Airport, using one ATR 42
The ATR 42 is a regional airliner produced by Franco-Italian manufacturer ATR, with final assembly in Toulouse, France.
On 4 November 1981, the aircraft was launched with ATR, as a joint venture between French Aérospatiale (now Airbus) and ...
and one Beechcraft 1900
The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop regional airliner manufactured by Beechcraft. It is also used as a freight aircraft and corporate transport, and by several governmental and military organizations. With c ...
*Solenta Aviation Côte d'Ivoire
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...
is based in Abidjan and operates one ATR 72-200F
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR (french: Avions de transport régional or it, Aerei da Trasporto Regionale), a joint venture formed by ...
(as of August 2019). It previously operated two ATR 42
The ATR 42 is a regional airliner produced by Franco-Italian manufacturer ATR, with final assembly in Toulouse, France.
On 4 November 1981, the aircraft was launched with ATR, as a joint venture between French Aérospatiale (now Airbus) and ...
aircraft for DHL Worldwide Express.
*Solenta Aviation Kenya Ltd.
A private company limited by shares is a class of private limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, certain Commonwealth countries, and the Republic of Ireland. It has shareholders with limit ...
operates two cargo configured Cessna 208 Caravan
The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna.
The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982.
The production model was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA ...
out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi for DHL flights and aircraft lease services.
*Solenta Aviation Zimbabwe operates three Cessna 208 Caravan
The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna.
The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982.
The production model was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA ...
out of Harare International Airport linking Harare, Kariba, Bumi Hills, Hwange and Victoria Falls.
*Solenta Aviation Mozambique operates 1 ATR 42-300 and 2 Embraer ERJ 145(as of August 2019).
Further aircraft of Solenta Aviation are based and operated out of several other airports:
*Three Beechcraft 1900
The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop regional airliner manufactured by Beechcraft. It is also used as a freight aircraft and corporate transport, and by several governmental and military organizations. With c ...
are stationed at Kotoka International Airport in Accra
Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...
, Ghana for passenger flights for the oil and tourism industries as well as on-demand charters.
*In Erbil
Erbil, also called Hawler (, ar, أربيل, Arbīl; syr, ܐܲܪܒܹܝܠ, Arbel), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It lies in the Erbil Governorate. It has an estimated population of around 1,600,000.
Hu ...
, Iraq, one Beechcraft 1900 is based at Erbil International Airport mostly for humanitarian aid missions.
*In Conakry
Conakry (; ; sus, Kɔnakiri; N’ko: ߞߐߣߊߞߙߌ߫, Fula: ''Konaakiri'' 𞤑𞤮𞤲𞤢𞥄𞤳𞤭𞤪𞤭) is the capital and largest city of Guinea. A port city, it serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea. Its p ...
, Guinea
Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...
, one Beechcraft 1900 is based at Conakry International Airport operated on behalf of a mining company.
*One Beechcraft 1900 is operated for the International Committee of the Red Cross mission in Kabul, Afghanistan.
*Another seven Beechcraft 1900 are operated on behalf of Air Express Algeria
Air Express Algeria is an Algerian airline dedicated to the Oil and Gas Industry. The company is based in Hassi Messaoud (Algeria).
Air Express Algeria was founded in 2002. The services provided by the company include transportation of personn ...
out of Oued Irara – Krim Belkacem Airport in Hassi Messaoud.
*One Beechcraft 1900 is operated for the International Committee of the Red Cross mission in Peshawar, Pakistan.
*Two Beechcraft 1900 are operating a network of DHL routes in Zambia and Zimbabwe out of Johannesburg International Airport.
*One ATR 42
The ATR 42 is a regional airliner produced by Franco-Italian manufacturer ATR, with final assembly in Toulouse, France.
On 4 November 1981, the aircraft was launched with ATR, as a joint venture between French Aérospatiale (now Airbus) and ...
is based at Lomé-Tokoin Airport in Lomé, Togo for DHL cargo flights throughout West Africa.
*Two ERJ 145
The Embraer ERJ family (for Embraer Regional Jet, model names EMB-135, EMB-140 and EMB-145) are regional jets designed and produced by the Brazilian aerospace company Embraer. The family includes the ERJ135 (37 passengers), ERJ140 (44 passenge ...
's are operated for 2 oil companies out of Johannesburg International Airport.
Fleet
Current fleet
The Solenta Aviation mainline fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of March 2022):Old Fleet
The Solenta Aviation fleet previously included the following aircraft: * 1 ATR 42-300 * 1 ATR 42-300F * 4 ATR 42-500 * 3 ATR 72-600 * 3ATR 72-201F
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR (french: Avions de transport régional or it, Aerei da Trasporto Regionale), a joint venture formed by ...
* 1 ATR 72-212F
* 1 ATR 72-202F
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR (french: Avions de transport régional or it, Aerei da Trasporto Regionale), a joint venture formed by ...
* 2 ATR 72-212A
Accidents and incidents
On 6 June 2011 at 10:25 local time, an Antonov An-26 ( registered TR-LII) ditched into the Gulf of Guinea 2.3 kilometres offLibreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon. Occupying in the northwestern province of Estuaire, Libreville is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea. As of the 2013 census, its population was 703,904.
The area has been inh ...
, Gabon. The aircraft was operated by Scorpion Air
Scorpion Air was an airline based in Sofia, Bulgaria. It was established in 1990 and was a general aviation company operating domestic and international charter services using helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Its operating certificate was rev ...
, a Bulgarian company, under Solenta Aviation Gabon's AOC. It had been on Flight 122A for DHL Aviation
DHL Aviation is a division of DHL (owned by Deutsche Post) responsible for providing air transport capacity. It is not a single airline but a group of airlines that are either owned, co-owned or chartered by DHL Express.
Overview
DHL currently ...
from Port Gentil to Libreville. The three crew members and one passenger on board received only minor injuries. Prior to the ditching, they had reported hydraulic problems; eyewitness reports suggest that an engine failure may have occurred. As a consequence, the Gabonese government declared a temporary ban on aircraft of the types Antonov An-12
The Antonov An-12 (Russian: Антонов Ан-12; NATO reporting name: Cub) is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10 and has many variants. For more than thr ...
, An-24 and An-26 in the country, pending the outcome of the investigation into the cause for the crash. gaboneco.com: French news article on Flight 122A]
References
External links
{{Airlines of South Africa Airlines of South Africa Airlines established in 2002 2002 establishments in South Africa Companies based in Johannesburg