Korongo Airlines: THE END

[hvs89]

Some additional shots :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/keith_burton/5407784191/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brusselssp ... 415596680/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42602380@N03/5408131686/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46850379@N03/5416227162/

[cathay belgium]

Hi,

it's so sad we can not fly once with the korongo airlines aircraft before it will leave to Africa,
maybe someone of the SN managers read this and can still arrange a special flight for aviation lovers!
i am sure we can find 70-90 passengers for this flight.

Nice,but don't think they gonna/will act!
If their would be enough pax to fill such a flight I guess someone has to take action him/herself.
Write/mail SN what it would cost for approx. half hour roundflight from BRU somewhere
end of march?
Any suggestions of a price of such thing with full plane ( guess 60/75euro ? )
If more I guess a lot of enthousiasts will prefer another experience,because it's just an old AVRO or not ?
If it will be possible than search enough people (quick ) to do so and make booking by SN.

Now the million dollar question : who will do all the necessary steps ?

Maybe if there enough response we can make a 'luchtzak' anniversary-day/happening of such thing !

If possible I'm in !

Who's next ? and who will take actions ?

CX-B

[3D-LLL]

hvs89

Think you didn't see the most beautifull photo's posted on the net untill now:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Korongo- ... 1860099/L/

http://www.airteamimages.com/big115569.html

Flying on OO-MJE? No thank you. As far as I know, it is just a normal 146...

[Outsync]

This is possible of course, you can charter it yourself.

[geoffrey11]

I saw the AVRO leave yesterday, and the color was wonderful.
I have two questions

-What mean IATA?
-And when will the 2nd AVRO and Boeing 737 joined Korongo?

[sn26567]

-What mean IATA?

IATA is the International Air Transport Association, a body that defends the interests of its makes regulations applicable worldwide for its members, airlines from around the world (but no low costs). It used to be a cartel that also fixed ticket prices.

http://www.iata.org/Pages/default.aspx

[Shanti]

I am curious for the boeing 737 in the Korongo Airlines colours.

[Conti764]

We had a discussion about it a few months ago, with some very cool artistic renderings of a new SN livery based on the ZC one and it looked great!

[Shanti]

When will leave the BAe146 of Korongo Airlines to Africa?

[Crosswind]

As soon they find enough pilots, I guess...

Until now, nobody knows anything about the operation's details. What about insurances? What about communications (internet...)? What about flight conditions? what about roster? What about infrastructure? what about protections? What about local climate at that time? What about alternates fields? What about, what about and still what about...

No briefing, no correct follow up.

But nice livery, indeed

[leketdelaviation]

Hi all,

Do not know how many SN pilots are here on the site but to give you more infos about recruitment.

They are actively searching for flight crews thrum various contracting agencies such as PARC aviation, Mach2000, Brookfield Aviation etc......thus very much doubt that they in fact would want to have SN crew operate on Korongo fleet.

Using SN crew down in FBM would mean Belgian basic Salary+Perdiem+Flight hour/rate+housing,,etc.....
this would be too much in the eyes of SN, where a contracted pilot through an agency even a CPT paid 10.000 usd + housing allowance and Extra's would be easily deducted from their general costs as they receive an "invoice" that they can bring into the general costs of the company and get fiscal deductibility ....get the picture?? SN flight crews are not going down to FBM...

Apply via one of these agencies and you'll get for sure better salary and package than what you have now with SN... bonne chance

[tolipanebas]

SN has been asking for volunteers to join Korongo, but only a few of its pilots have decided to take up the offer, so YES, there will be SN crews flying for ZC, but they will be few: the rest of the flight crew for Korongo will be made up of contractors, but I've heard they are having a hard time finding enough candidates externally too... the thing is, FBM isn't exactly the most tempting place to be based, really.

[Air Key West]

Right, although I've never been to FBM, it's indeed probalby not the most exciting place on earth, but it could be an interesting experience, at least for young pilots with no strings attached back home and for a limited period of time. The problem, here, in my opinion, is that you cannot exclusively rely on young less experienced pilots to operate in a difficult environment. My guess is that Korongo will have to pay a lot of money to find and retain pilots at FBM. The project will eventually turn out to be very expensive and perhaps even unprofitable. I have always been against this project (and the previous one). The risk investment in Korongo would have been better used for less risky investments in more long haul aircraft for SN.

And on another note, I don't like to be a spoil-sport, but I don't share the enthusiasm about Korongo's livery and logo. To me it's just another dull airline livery and logo. For an African airline, they should, IMHO, have gone for something more colorfull like : http://www.airindiaexpress.in/FreeREZ/A ... /Home.aspx

[tolipanebas]

The risk investment in Korongo would have been better used for less risky investments in more long haul aircraft for SN.

The thing is, most of the investment in Korongo is not in cash, but in hardware (the 2 BAe146 and the 733W are owned), so it's not like SN ever had the option to spend its money on more A330s iso a regional project.

[Air Key West]

I'm not sure I'm going to follow you all the way on this one. If we can believe Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korongo_Airlines) the initial financial injection from SN would amount to about 3.5 million euros (if my calculations are correct / correct me, if I'm wrong).
Now, I don't have any idea how much it costs to lease a sixth A330 and to start operating it. Would it cost more than 3.5 million ? My concern is that Korongo is a risk investment, whereas a sixth A330 would be a much safer investment.

[tolipanebas]

But you see, the initial 'injection' of SN is in the form of the planes; there is really very few cash money pumped in by SN, only hardware and I don't think ILFC is taking Bae146s or 733W as payment for a lease of A333s.

[Air Key West]

OK, you've got a valid point.

[tolipanebas]

in this context, it would be interesting to know who's financing all the structural works at FBM, like the hangar. Probably that part is taken care of by Georges Forrest?

Interestingly enough, the private Gulfstream of Forrest is now parked at the Brussels Airlines maintenance hangar in BRU, whereas before he had to rent parking at the General Aviation apron whenever visiting BRU.

[cnc]

IWould it cost more than 3.5 million ? My concern is that Korongo is a risk investment, whereas a sixth A330 would be a much safer investment.

with 3.5M leasing an A333 and possible set up a new destination? you'll need 10 times that amount of money

[Air Key West]

Thanks for the info. However, don't forget that while the A333 will be flying, hopefully to (still) high yield destinations (like most African cities), it should bring in (a lot of) money.
Does anyone know if the first or one of the first domestic Korongo flight will be a feeder service to/from SN's flight to Kinshasa ?