MEA October 2017

12 MEA MARKETS / October 2017 , Safair Operations is an aviation related company based at OR Tambo International Airport South Africa. The company holds an Aircraft Operating Certificate (AOC) issued by the South African Civil Aviation Authority and is IOSA accredited and certificated. We invited Cornelis Schoonderwoerd to provide an in-depth profile of the firm’s remarkable success in the aviation industry today. Experience, Expertise and Excellence IOSA refers to IATA Operational Safety Audit. All IATA members must be compliant in order to maintain membership. Our core function is providing wet lease / ACMI and charter services within the aviation industry. Safair commenced operations in 1965 and has been operating for over 51 years. Our footprint is worldwide, having operated on all seven continents, including as far north as the Arctic Circle and as far south as Antarctica. The name Safair is well respected for offering ‘Experience, Expertise and Excellence’ to our numerous customers. Our mission statement is, ‘we are pioneers and adventurers, delivering wherever, whatever and whenever through dependability, expertise and a caring and can-do attitude’. Our vision is to be the preferred provider of unique and specialist airlift services. Safair is also a socially responsible company and contributes via various means, to uplift the lives of the less fortunate and under- privileged communities in South Africa. Our approach is straight forward, in that we aim to deliver an excellent service and to achieve that, we look at appointing the right people. We look for people who meet the ‘Safair Culture’. Such people are ‘gladiators’, who challenge the status quo, drive change and find better ways to do things). They also have ‘loving hearts’, in that they proactively anticipate and exceed our customers’ expectations). They should also have a ‘great attitude’ in that they should remain humble, stay grateful, remain hungry and build positive teams plus a family atmosphere. The Safair fleet consists of six Lockheed Hercules and 2 x B737-400 Combi aircraft. Both the aircraft types are well suited to airfields with limited infrastructure. In addition, the safety of our people and assets is non-negotiable. Some of the areas of operation are within a hostile environment, and, prior to any contract or charter, a risk assessment on the base of operation, routes to be flown is undertaken. The Hercules aircraft has a structural payload of 21,000 kilogrammes and the rear loading cargo door is perfect for all types, whether it be bulk, vehicles or palletised. In addition, the aircraft is capable of operating into short, unprepared runways and is pretty much self-sufficient. The B737-400 Combi is also very versatile. It can accommodate 10,000 kilogrammes of cargo, plus 72 passengers on the upper deck. There is a fixed bulkhead separating the cargo and the passengers. This configuration makes it ideal for troop and baggage equipment transportation, both in the military and governmental sphere, plus the oil and gas industry. The humanitarian aid and relief arena is a large part of the Safair business, where we provide aircraft for several NGO’s. We are currently very active in both airlift and airdrop operations to regions of Republic of South Sudan. We are pioneers in the 1705ME04