Background

CemAir Ltd is a privately owned, limited liability company incorporated under the laws of South Africa. The company was formed in 2005 with the purpose of operating turboprop commuter aircraft. The initial fleet consisted of 1 x Cessna Grand Caravan and 3 x Beechcraft 1900C's. CemAir has developed into a specialised aircraft leasing company offering turboprop aircraft to a variety of operators throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Indian Ocean islands. The company is a South African Part 121 (Large Aircraft operator) and Part 145 (Approved Maintenance Organisation) company with Domestic & International licenses, Scheduled & Non-Scheduled.

Destinations

The majority of the fleet is deployed outside South Africa and the aircraft periodically rotate back to base for selected inspections. Based at Lanseria International Airport, South Africa.

Fleet

CemAir owns a fleet of Raytheon Beechcraft 1900 Regional Commuter aircraft and Cessna Grand Caravans. The 1900 inventory is composed of a mixture of the C and D models. The outlook for the company includes in the near future, a move into the regional jet market using the Bombardier CRJ-200, a 50 seat regional airliner. Maintenance is conducted at the Lanseria base by the company's own staff apart from specialised activities like painting or Non-Destructive Testing.

Head Office

CemAir's head office and engineering facility are presently based at Lanseria International Airport (ICAO FALA), just west of Johannesburg. This is one of just two official Ports of Entry for Gauteng Province, the other being OR Tambo (ICAO FAJS) previously Johannesburg International Airport.

Accidents and incidents

CemAir suffered two hull losses in 2008 with aircraft leased out to 3rd parties, one in the Sudan and the other in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• On 1 September 2008 an Air Serv leased nineteen passenger Beechcraft 1900
  Beechcraft 1900
  The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop airplane manufactured by the Beechcraft Division of the Raytheon Company . It was designed, and is primarily used, as a regional airliner...
  
  C crashed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Democratic Republic of the Congo
  The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
  
  , about 15 km northwest of Bukavu
  Bukavu
  Bukavu is a city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo , lying at the extreme south-eastern extent of Lake Kivu, west of Cyangugu in Rwanda, and separated from it by the outlet of the Ruzizi River. It is the capital of the Sud-Kivu province and as of 2009 it had an estimated population of...
  
   carrying two crew and fifteen passengers. The aircraft, wet lease
  Wet lease
  Aircraft leases are a number of types of leases used by airlines and other aircraft operators. Airlines lease aircraft from other airlines or leasing companies for two main reasons; to operate aircraft without the financial burden of buying them, and to provide temporary increase in capacity...
  
  d and flown by crew from CemAir, based at Lanseria Airport
  Lanseria Airport
  Lanseria International Airport is a privately owned international airport that is situated north of Randburg and Sandton to the north west of Johannesburg, South Africa. The airport can handle aircraft up to the Boeing 757-300 and Airbus A319.-History:...
  
  , Johannesburg
  Johannesburg
  Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
  
   South Africa
  South Africa
  The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
  
  , was arriving at Bukavu following technical service at N'Dolo Airport
  N'Dolo Airport
  N'Dolo Airport , also known as Ndolo Airport, is a secondary airport in the city of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, located in the commune of Barumbu near the city center....
  
  , Kinshasa
  Kinshasa
  Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
  
  . The aircraft was under the command of 24-year-old Rudi Knoetze of Johannesburg when it crashed into a mountainous ridge. Passengers included twelve Congolese, one French, one Indian, and one Canadian.

• On 2 May 2008 another CemAir Beechcraft 1900, registered in Kenya
  Kenya
  Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
  
   flying from Wau
  Wau, Sudan
  Wau is a city in South Sudan.-Location:It lies on the western bank of the Jur River, in Wau County, Western Bahr el Ghazal State, in northwestern South Sudan. Its location lies approximately , northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in that country...
  
   to Juba, Sudan
  Juba, Sudan
  Juba is the capital and largest city of the Republic of South Sudan. It also serves as the capital of Central Equatoria, the smallest of the ten states of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and functions as the seat and metropolis of Juba County.- Population :In 2005, Juba's...
  
   crashed near Rumbek
  Rumbek
  Rumbek is a town in South Sudan.-Location:The town of Rumbek is located in Rumbek Central County, Lakes State in central South Sudan. This location lies approximately , by road, northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in that country. Rumbek sits at an elevation of above sea level...
  
   killing all nineteen passengers and two crew. Among the passengers were two senior officials of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army and their wives.