Aviation in Lesotho

[world]

What actually happen to Lesotho airways?
Who controls Lesotho airspace?
I thing that there are very few aircraft registered in Lesotho.

rgds,
world

[Mal_206]

Hi

Air Lesotho was taken over by Ross Air in about 97 i think. They were operating Twin Otto's, 206's and I think the odd 207. They apparently ran at a loss and pulled out, damaging the general operation in Lesotho. (Although they gained a whole lot out of the take over)

There was a family company based in Matatiele called Senqu air Services which operated 7/8 206's. Was an awesome operation. They operated for many many years but pulled out in about 96 due to Politics in the Country etc.

Last I heard Lesotho were looking for company's to start up an operation, but not sure what is presently happening.
There is the odd Private aircraft, and Mission aviation etc. operating there.

Cheers

Mal

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Air Lesotho also operated one of the nicest F27s I've ever seen which RossAir later sold to someone in the Sudan to drag through his buttcrack.

[ERASER]

Don't forget the Twin Otters, DO 228 and B707.........all in very good condition and well maintained.....

E

[Solid Rust Twotter]

The Twotters were also great low time examples in good nick. They were third and fourth last off the production line IIRC.

EA (May he rot in hell) sold them to get his hands on the dollars and left the grotty old wrecks for the crews to operate in seriously inhospitable conditions.

[world]

Air Lesotho operated flights to Maputo, Durban, Gaborone....
I thing i knew a person who worked with Mission Aviation, but anyway does anyone know anything about Mission Aviation?

[Mal_206]

It is extremely sad to see what happened to Air Lesotho's aircraft.
And the whole Lesotho operation for that matter.

Mission Aviation's site: www.maf.org

The owner/pilot of the old Senqu Air is still around. Now based in Durban and flies for an operation there.
I do believe he has an awesome amount of knowledge on Lesotho flying!

[world]

The mountains are very steep in Lesotho, and the runways are grass and small (exept MSU).

[Mal_206]

There is the odd tar Runway besides Maseru, Quacha's Nek is another.
The runways very Tiny and very bad surfaces too.
I was vey fortunate to have flown alot around Lesotho as a child.

[angelorange]

Flying Mission Botswana also fly there and are expanding flt ops into Zambia