Our team in the hangar have done an amazing paint job on this Cessna 180! From beginning to end its taken a month – that’s including stripping off the old paint. Professional job done on this fairly complicated design, and we are thrilled with the outcome. Team led by Patrick Irwin (Chief Engineer Fixed Wing).
Here at Nanyuki Airfield, Tropic Air maintains our own aircraft fleet of Cessna and Airbus Helicopters, along with nearly 40 privately owned aircraft.
New Faces!
We are thrilled to introduce Tatiya and Angus!
Tatiya Tukero Naikuni has joined Tropic Air Helicopters. He is a talented helicopter pilot, with experience to carry out a diversity of flying tasks, and is currently providing support to the British Army Training Units in Kenya (BATUK). (left)
With six years of flying under his belt, Angus Melesi is Tropic Air’s newest line pilot, currently flying the Cessna 182. Before joining Tropic Air he worked for the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Tsavo providing air support for conservation and anti-poaching. (right)
Promotions!
Associated with with Tropic Air since 2012, Timmy Flowers joined as a full time as a line pilot in 2015. A year later he became Helicopter Training Captain and this year was promoted to Helicopter Chief Pilot. During the last 6 months alone, Timmy has been instrumental in supporting scientific research in the Danakil Depression (Ethiopia), providing cyclone relief in Mozambique, and introducing and implementing an aerial fire fighting capability to the list of Tropic Air’s services in the Utility sector. (left)
In just under two years since joining Tropic Air as a fixed wing line pilot, Iain Njiraini has been promoted to Chief Pilot Fixed Wing division. His calm and professional approach to flying, his excellent people skills, and his natural abilities as a pilot, has moved him quickly into this leading role. Iain is fully qualified with an ATPL license (Airline Transport Pilot – the highest license that a pilot can obtain). (right)
A week by helicopter in Uganda
First stop: 2 nights in Kidepo National Park, located in the north-eastern most corner of this most wonderful country in eastern Africa.
From the base of Apoka Lodge, a Wildplaces Africa property, we explored the savannah plains – a 1,440km2 wilderness with two river systems (Kidepo and Narus), surrounded on all sides by distant hills and mountains, and with a rich diversity of wildlife and birdlife.
The scenery alone is spectacular, yet its remoteness (Uganda’s least visited park), density of buffalo, herds of giraffe and elephant, the iconic sausage trees and the vast borassus palm forests, all add to the appeal.
All photos @ Ricardo Ferreira, Manager of Apoka Lodge
The fires that raged in March and in April this year have destroyed hundreds of thousands of hectares of the moorlands on Mount Kenya. In reality it could have been worse with the precious indigenous forest at risk. Everyone remains vigilant, although thankfully the late rains have bought some relief.
Routes film team have captured here the challenge of controlling and putting out the fires, and the massive damage to the natural ecosystem. Mount Kenya Trust continue to be instrumental at coordinating efforts on the ground.
All photos and video by ROUTES
Fire fighting training at Borana Conservancy for our helicopter pilots. It takes a whole new set of skills to use the Bambi bucket – filling, flying and dumping 700 litres of water with accuracy!
Thank you to Andy Payne for the brilliant instruction, and to Borana for the great location.
Airbus H125 helicopters, Tropic Air Kenya
Sunday morning departure for Beira, Mozambique! Timmy and Cyprian are supporting the relief efforts in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai – tens of thousands of people are in desperate need of support, and we hope to make a difference despite the massive scale of the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding.
Cyclone Idai is the worst tropical cyclone on record to hit the southern hemisphere, affecting Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. 3 million people have been directly affected, vital infrastructure has been destroyed, cholera has broken out and over 1000 people have lost their lives.
Tropic Air Helicopters Ltd has been contracted by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to support the relief efforts in Mozambique, the worst hit of the 4 counties affected.
