SAFARILINK’S NEW CESSNA GRAND CARAVAN TO MAKE GRAND ENTRY ON INDEPENDENCE DAY
(Posted 06th December 2013)
Safarilink’s 8th brand new Cessna Caravan EX was handed over to Kenya’s premier safari airline yesterday at the Cessna factory in the United States. The state of the art aircraft is presently being fitted with ferry fuel tanks to allow for the marathon journey home to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, where the bird is expected to land on Independence Day and in time for the Tusker Air Show which is taking off, literally by the way, that weekend too.
The single engine aircraft features the latest Garmin G1000 ‘glass cockpit’ which is quite similar to what is today used in jet aircraft and powered by an 825 shp Pratt & Whitney PTA6-140 turboprop engine, which adds an extra 150 shp of raw power to the new bird. Safarilink in their communication to this correspondent highlighted that the new engine type will significantly improve performance out of small fields, into which most of the airline’s flight operate across Kenya’s national parks. Not only will this latest Cessna Caravan fly faster, shaving off up to 15 minutes of flying time to Safarilink’s coastal destinations like Lamu and Ukunda, but also increase take off safety margins when flying out of short dirt strips.
(One of Safarilink’s Cessna 208B Grand Caravans as seen here recently at the Nanyuki airfield)
The flight home to Kenya will start on the 09th of December in Florida and then route via Bermuda, the Azores, Malta, Egypt’s Luxor and finally reach Safarilinks home hub at Wilson Airport. Flight updates will be available on Safarilink’s website www.flysafarilink.com where regular updates will be posted.
Safarilink has also announced the recruitment of additional pilots who will be deployed as first officers on the Caravan fleet, and applications of suitably qualified Kenyan pilots (Hold Kenyan CPL + IR + ME – Hold a Caravan C208B rating – Be 30 yrs of age or younger) can be sent to chiefpilot
Happy Landings to the new bird and the ferry crew on the way home and see you soon at Wilson Airport.
