ITAB - Air Katanga BAC 1-11s

[mrshubigbus]

Does anyone know of this company or have seen either of their two BAC 1-11s? They are a series 201AC 9Q-CSJ and more recently a series 537GF 9Q-CDY. I last heard of the series 200 being operated by Air Katanga without titles a couple of years ago from its base at Lubumbashi. The series 500 came from Nationwide Airlines at the beginning of 2004 and has been seen operating with ITAB (International Trans Air Business). This name was, I thought, a previous airline before Air Katanga was created. Any help trying to establish what these two aircraft are presently doing would be most appreciated as I am trying to complete my archive for the BAC 1-11. It appears that this african airline may be the last one in the world to operate any scheduled services with the 1-11!

Thanks in advance of any help.

Peter
www.bac1-11jet.co.uk
BAC 1-11 Forum moderator at Yahoo Groups

[Jangys]

Last I heard was that the particular airline you are talking about bought the whole lot of Bac's from Nationwide Airlines.

I saw a BAC 1-11 the other day still flying for Nationwide on their Durban route, dont know if they still do.

[mrshubigbus]

A 1-11 still flying for Nationwide Airlines on their Durban route???
I thought that they stopped flying with their 1-11s over a year ago and sold their last in service 1-11 ZS-NUJ to Air Katanga.
The mystery deepens?
Any other comments please!

[dynamite dean]

reply

Well I am in Lumbumbashi at the moment .we park opposite the hangar which those birds sit. I haven't seen them move. The hangar doors always open. According to my ramp chap he reckons the engines are sick so I guess the thing used to struggle out FAGG heaven knows how they perform on one motor nice plane though - but then thats me.

I'll ask and find out when they last flew tomorrow.

[dynamite dean]

check your mail.

[mrshubigbus]

It has been confirmed that these two 1-11s are in fact hangared and appear stored at Lumbumbashi. If anyone has any further information about their future use I would be very pleased to hear from you. If possible can anyone take some photos of these "rare birds"! I am still a bit confused as to the current name of the airline. ITAB was the old name which then became Air Katanga. It now appears that they are using the ITAB name again?
Any further updates would be very welcome indeed.

[Speedbreak]

ITAB-AIR KATANGA

ITAB-AIR KATANGA

Sorry guys... two different companies!
Two different bosses, very close to each others. Aircraft sitting in the same hangar, somtime Air Katanga use ITAB's airplanes and vice-versa.

Taking a pics in any Congolese airport is very difficult. Need to pay some people to get it. Or do it from your cockpit window.
Otherwise if you are catch by any '' inteligence'' officer, you 'll get a lot of troubles, but with money, you might no be a spy anymore.
And specially with digital cam, they will try to get '' film''. ... try to explain, that all the pics are in a small "sim card"...

Good luck! but it's pissble to get some pics...I have done some int he past...

See you

Speedbreak

[mrshubigbus]

My research has also indicated that as many as 18 Okada Air BAC 1-11s still exist at Benin Airport. Can anyone out there confirm this for me please as this information is crucial to me completing the 1-11 history / archive.

[Boss Raptor]

I believe I mentioned/answered this on a previous enquiry from u Mr. Shubigbus - Okada 1-11's were/are dumped at Benin, all around the airport and some in the hangar - been there for at least 7-8 years to my knowledge (if not more), not certain of the exact number but back in 98 only 1 Okada 1-11 was still airworthy and I doubt is still flying now - FAAN were threatening to bulldoze the lot back in 99-2000 along with all the other derelicts at Nigerian airports, placed advertisements in the papers as legal warnings of their intent, not sure what happened however

[poorwanderingwun]

Talking of Lubumbashi...what's the story with the burned out turbo-prop that's sitting off to the left of R07.... looks as though it was towed there..... Has it been there long or have I been too focused on my landings to notice it before a couple of weeks ago...

[AirSDF]

Some informations

The last thing I heard about these Bac is that one of them ( I don't know which one) will start flying on schedule flight between Lubumbashi and JNB.
Apparently it is Wimbi Dira Airways based in Kinshasa Who will lease this aircraft to ITAB, to operate on this route.
It was supposed to start last week, but everything takes time in D.R.Congo!!!!

I'm going tomorrow to Lubumbashi, I'll try to take some pictures for you!

This aircraft (HS 741) completely burned along the runway has been put there to train the fireman, maybe one day they will use properly their nice firetrucks.
it has been put there I think less than 1 month ago.
I was also quite estonished the first time I saw this plane.
Not very nice to see for the passengers!!!!!

Cheers guys!

[poorwanderingwun]

Thanks for that....last time I requested a fire truck ( after a fuel spill by the fueler ).....I waited 40 minutes...it arrived with four guys pushing it.....one was so exhausted he gave up and 3 were left to push it back....(Diri-Dawa, Ethiopia..)

[Bravo Echo November]

Nationwide owns a few more Bac 1-11's but all in hangar striped for parts. None flying on CE schedule anymore. Last flying one sold last year.