New Airline (Safari Air) Licensed To Operate In South Sudan

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Mr. Kuoc said that Safari Air Service will be subject to all regulations and restrictions like any other airline operating in South Sudan’s airspace.

“I want to inform you that any airline which is going to operate in the Republic of South Sudan will be subjected to a very strict civil aviation law like any other country,” Kuoc said.

“Our government believes in fair competition, therefore we are not going to allow our air system to be monopolized. Any competent airline will be subjected to the audit procedures and allowed to operate in the air space of the Republic of South Sudan. Safari Air will be audited equally,” Kuoc added.

Early this year the Republic of South Sudan enacted the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority Laws meant to regulate the lucrative industry.

Safari Air Limited is in partnership with Abyssinian Air Flight Services who are acting as catalysts in advancing aviation in this country. The Managing Director of Abyssinian Air Flight Service, Captain Solomon Gezaw said Abyssinian is working hard to equip South Sudan youngsters to step up to the playing field in the aviation sector.

“We want to play our 90 minutes exactly according to the rules. There are unique challenges in the aviation industry but if we approach these challenges with integrity and fairness there is a huge potential,” Gezaw continued.

“We are not just talking about flying a plane from point ‘A’ to ‘B’ but we are also talking about training the young people in all the areas like piloting, mechanics, administration and attendance,” he added.

The planes are licensed to carry 12 passengers only and will be operating chartered flights at the moment to all the ten States. The price for the Charter flights is not yet established. Abyssinian Air Flight Services is renting its aircrafts to Safari Air Limited but the price for renting hasn’t been established too.

Five young South Sudanese students; Ashraf Seif Eldin, Edward Luol, Abraham Joseph Awan, Akol Mario and Angong Piol schooling in Abyssinian Air Flight Services Pilot Training School in Addis Abeba attended the inauguration ceremony.

Abraham Joseph Awan said pilots who fly in Ethiopia can manage the terrains of South Sudan because Ethiopia has high altitudes and South Sudan has low altitudes. 

“Training in a place near water bodies is easier because you can follow the river. Flying in the main land first of all is affected with the weather and there are chances that you may not even make it back. So every landing and takeoff is always inspiring to us as students,” Joseph said.

“Flying is bringing the aircraft down. Even a monkey can go up but the problem is bringing it down, once you bring it down, then we can call you a captain,” Joseph added.

Training for Commercial Pilot License (CPL) cost 42,000 US dollars for the whole package and 13,000 US dollars for Private Pilot License (PPL) according to Joseph.

There are multiple aircrafts operating in the airspace of the Republic of South Sudan. In October last year South Sudan became a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization hence the country needs to accord to the rules and regulations of the organization.