Sky Travel and Aviation (Juba) is planning to grow its fleet to five aircraft and obtain its own Air Operator's Certificate (AOC), Managing Director Cosmos Gombura told Forbes.
The South Sudanese virtual carrier, operating under the Sky Navigator brand, plans to add a new Cessna (single turboprop) 208B Grand Caravan on long-term charter from Airworks Kenya (AKS, Nairobi Wilson) shortly. Going forward, it wants to add another two chartered turboprops and buy two aircraft. While the Grand Caravans currently form the bulk of its fleet, Sky Travel and Aviation is also considering adding slightly larger Let 410UVP-E20s.
The South Sudanese carrier does not have its own AOC because the South Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority (SSCAA) lacks the means to assess and certify local carriers adequately. Gombura underlined that as of now, this had forced the airline to charter capacity - its two Grand Caravans are currently chartered from Kenya's Horn Aviation and Fly Zanzibar. Until it has its own AOC, Sky Travel and Aviation will be forced to register its own and leased aircraft abroad and operate them in partnership with other airlines.
"If we want to purchase an aircraft I have to choose between Kenya or Uganda or Tanzania to register it there. Most of the agreements that we look at right now are getting away from this partnership kind of arrangement and having the AOC directly under our control," Gombura stated.
The carrier plans to focus primarily on domestic South Sudanese operations. It currently connects Juba with Yei and Torit. Its only international route is a weekly service to Gulu.
Gombura explained that the airline plans to add two new domestic routes per quarter with ICAO!HSBR, Rumbek, and Yambio touted as some of the prospective destinations. Sky Travel and Aviation also plans to change its schedules to allow for more convenient connections at Juba.
