Korongo Airlines: THE END

[delibec]

oo^ps sorry is N193DD , slip of my finger !!!

[Boeing767copilot]

So, the Korongo/SN-bird will be a firefighter.

http://www.neptuneaviation.com/index2.php#/rgallery1/1/

As the leader in the airtanker industry, our primary mission is to provide safe, reliable, and effective aerial support for wildland firefighting. We also provide charter flight services with the same dedication and care. We continue to lead the aerospace service industry into the future by capitalizing on our extensive experience in fleet management, aircraft maintenance, and wildland firefighting operations. Our experience, coupled with our dedication and passion, place us in a superior position to successfully provide for the smooth transition to a modern large airtanker fleet.

[Boeing767copilot]

A decision will be made before the end of May, after an audit of the future perspectives of Korongo.

The Countdown has begun.

[sn26567]

http://radiookapi.net/actualite/2013/04 ... directeur/

A Korongo flight from FBM to FIH has been cancelled on 28 April, because an engine was overheating. This is the second cancellation in two months. And since there is no backup plane anymore...

[Flanker2]

LTM strikes again.

[kilobravo243]

The top management of Brussel Airlines were in Kinshasa last week. They met the prime misnister and discuss SN involvment withe the congolese civil aviation and some of the issues around Korongo arilines. It appears the Korongo project is still in the pipeline and some decisions should be made in the next weeks to make the company profitable.

[sn26567]

Interesting interview of Korongo CEO Christophe Allard in a Congolese newspaper: http://www.lobservateur.cd/index.php?op ... &Itemid=65

Among other news:

• The BAe146s were not adapted to the local conditions of Central Africa
• There is an agreement with South African company Safair that would send an aircraft to Korongo if there is a problem with the current Boeing 737
• The fleet will treble by the end of 2013.

[Flanker2]

Wasn't that what I said a long time ago? The BAe146 engines are not suited for hot & high operations as they are too heat-sensitive. It's sad to say, but good riddance.

The fleet will triple by the end of 2013. Does it mean that Korongo will finally get the A319/A320's they need? That would be amazing news! Finally a good move in the right direction, Korongo could present a great opportunity if they get the necessary resources.

[spagiola]

Wasn't that what I said a long time ago? The BAe146 engines are not suited for hot & high operations as they are too heat-sensitive.

Considering that 146s have been (and are) widely used in a variety of African environments including hot-and-high environments such as South Africa, as well as, for example, Peru and Chile, this seems unlikely to be true as a blanket statement.

[Passenger]

Wasn't that what I said a long time ago? The BAe146 engines are not suited for hot & high operations as they are too heat-sensitive.

Quote from the article: "...Nous avons démarré notre activité avec 1 avion Boeing 737-300 et 2 British Aerospace 146 qui ont depuis été retournés à leur propriétaire ne répondant pas aux performances exigées dans les conditions de chaleur et d’altitude élevée des aéroports au Katanga..."

The fleet will triple by the end of 2013. Does it mean that Korongo will finally get the A319/A320's they need? That would be amazing news! Finally a good move in the right direction, Korongo could present a great opportunity if they get the necessary resources.

Actually, you gave them six months when Brussels Airlines announced the project.

[kilobravo243]

Korongo Airlines flights ZC103 and 104 from Lubum to Kinshasa via MbujiMayi had to be cancelled due to ground incident with the company only B737 during parking in Lubum airport . Damages to left wing will need some repairs. Regular flights to be resumed this Sunday using a plane from South African partner SAFAIR OPS until repairs completed.

Full details here: https://www.facebook.com/flykorongo

[sn26567]

It's amazing how some local newspapers are reporting that incident. When you read them, passengers narrowly escaped death, crew are incompetent and measures have to be taken.

http://direct.cd/2013/05/28/boeing-737- ... ement.html

[convair]

Slightly on the hysterical side indeed...

[Didymus]

The picture of a scale model really adds up to the dramatic effect.

[Flanker2]

I agree and disagree at the same time. Korongo is selling itself as the safe and reliable airline, and asking premium fares for that, but until now the record doesn't really excel. Colliding with a parked aircraft doesn't add any glamour to the image that Korongo is trying to uphold.

When you sell safety and you can't provide it, you are to expect that the media would be all over it.

[RoMax]

Colliding with a parked aircraft doesn't add any glamour to the image that Korongo is trying to uphold.

I don't know the details of the accident, but was it the fault of the Korongo crew?

When you sell safety and you can't provide it, you are to expect that the media would be all over it.

This is simply because several media have close connections with people that own/control/do business with some of the other crapy DRC airlines. Every minor incident comes in the media and they let it seem like they were close to killing everyone on board. With one of the previous incidents, passengers that were on board of the aircraft even reacted on some of these articles that they were simply nonesense and that Korongo staff did 'everything they could' to communicate, ease the passengers and find solutions for their flights, contrary to what they were used of other carriers in the DRC and what the media suggested (and that the technical aspect wasn't as extreme as suggested).

But indeed that 737 is not the newest anymore and Central-/South-Africa is a challenging environment to operate. So yes they should invest in a bigger fleet (more back-up) and more reliable planes. But what some media write about Korongo has nothing to do with that, it has everything to do with politics and personal interests.

[Flanker2]

I agree with you about the political and media environment, but Korongo also feeds them the stuff to talk about. One would think that knowing that the media would use every opportunity to bring them down, Korongo/SN would do their utter best to give them nothing to talk about, by being or trying to be simply perfect on the operational front.

This has not been the case until now and everyone knows that even in BRU, LTM was giving SN a hard time, which to me shows that the mentality going into this operation was too "hakuna matata, as long as it's a EU-OPS B737, it will be better than the Ilyushins and DC-9's".

The aircraft has nothing to do in this incident, but wasn't this collision avoidable on such a small and relaxed airport?

The DRC is working with TK to establish a new carrier, so it's time to wake-up.
viewtopic.php?t=50437&p=280916

[OO-ITR]

I was reading this article :
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... ca-386585/

and I was thinking if the CSeries would be an ideal aircraft for Korongo's operations...
What are your thoughts?

[airazurxtror]

An interview of Christophe Allard, the boss of Korongo, in "le Soir" today p. 24.
Extracts :
- we fly with one B737 (instead of three as initially planned) to four destinations : three in RDC (Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Mbuji-Mayi), one out of RDC (Johannesburg).
- our financial results after one year are not so very bad, bearing in mind that we are still a start-up
- we have only 157 employees at present, we are very small
- the Korongo name is known everywhere in Africa, and appreciated : we are a Congolese company that follows the international safety and quality rules.
- with only one aircraft, we are not a true airline. Any small technical snag and we are blocked.
- we must make an effort : 40% in savings, 60% in an increase of revenues
- it's impossible to progress when we have only one aircraft - we think about another B737 and a 50-seats turboprop
- who will finance that ? The present shareholders ? Only one of them ? A new one ? We'll see, but it must be done by the end of the year.

[Flanker2]

Allard is right.They need more aircraft and more support. They've gotten this far, now they need to continue and grow. The start-up expense is behind them, now they need to invest in their network.
It would help a lot if SN finally starts the BRU-FBM service using the 2 new frequencies they got.

With 167 employees versus one aircraft, the overhead cost is quite significant, even if the wages are not the same as in Europe. The agency commissions for ticketing also take a big chunk out of their earnings, while as he said, fuel and taxes are ridiculously expensive.

More classics and some Q400's could help Korongo. When he says 50-seaters, is he thinking about Fokker 50's?
I'm divided about F50's. They are workhorses and they are fuel efficient and fast... but these aircarft are at the end of their life, maintenance and cabin furnitures must be expensive? What do you think Bruspotter?