Indigo Aviation Tanzania
 

I was flying commander for a DC-3 operator in Tanzania. I am from the states. I seem to be the 5th or 6th captain they had in 6 months, and one day I flew to Dar Es Salaam and they told me to leave..they had no real reasons why other than they did not want to pay. And it seems they hire a guy for a month and they do not pay him, then they get another guy to fly for a month....

Then one day they called me back and begged me to come fly, so I did, and money up front, then again I did, and the second time, they had wanted to fire the co-pilot and not pay him, and they try to involve me, well the company was missing their garmin 296 and the aircraft log, so longer story shorter, these guy paid the police to arrest the co-pilot and his wife. Then I hear that they have tried this stunt with 2-3 other pilots that I was not aware of.

Beware of these guys, it is no joke.

Yes, but you get to fly a DC3 - that must surely be worth sending your best friends to an African prison for....;)
NS

There is a feature on Indigo Aviation in the February edition of Airliner World.

Indigo
 

Well, T.I.T. ...

This is what happen when an airline is run by an arrogant professional hunter and by a "business man" from Tanzania that doesn't know to add 2 + 2. I was the first officer that started in that airline. After the first month being paid for hanging out in a hotel room in South Africa I flew the DC-3 to Tanzania. Then, when I decided to leave bcz they wanted me to make pay for the aircracft (1500usd x hour) for the checkride, they asked me to pay back all the money that I earned the last 3 months (about 8.000usd).

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PEOPLE!!!!

When I left they owed me about 3.000 usd, so I thought a lot of things like stealing the GPS and the aircraft log or draining the fuel tanks, but as my fiend told me, my clean name is more valuable than a GPS or aircraft log so I just left! But it seems that somebody didn't think the same!

"Debt is a prolific mother of folly and of crime."

Benjamin Disraeli
1st Earl of Beaconsfield, KG, PC, FRS, (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881)
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Dramatic Turn Around !
 

Rather dramatic turn around from another thread !!

http://www.pprune.org/african-aviati...o-airways.html

Where:
"AFRICA IS FOR MEN OF MEANS NOT WHIMPS."

Or are you stearing "well clear of the DC-3 owner as he has impecable credentials aviating and of the Pussklopper kind too. "

Ha!

Or too much sipping Avgas through straws, may be?

The first partner (with the cred ) and Pilot was crooked and thrown out of TZN by JMV hence the about turn.

Dar...?
 

This guy fly's T's to Dar? Why would I want to book with a guy that screws fellow peealots? If he screws his employees he screws the maintenance I can almost say for certain.

The story goes around that town that you did not know the difference between flap lever and u/carriage lever - no wonder they asked you to pay for training

Maybe you want to make these allegations in person? The man is being slandered behind his back - shame on you

Spadhampton
 

The forward motion of the open palm at a substantial rate of knots, directed at your ear!

Rumour has it that chums4 was claiming a captains salary without an ATP and only 120 hrs on the 3...wonder where these other guys are from that work for free?

Ok.....
 

....but I wonder if he wants to sell that Dak before he prangs it?

"John Martin"....... The name and defined character rings a bell...

Isn't he The pipe smoking Professional Hunter?

I heard there might be a indian guy involved ? Rumor has it that he uses money from a guy in the states and pays people off, and steals fuel from BP? just a rumor.

Any word on how the company is doing? I was just in Zanzibar and the plane was sitting in the corner. maybe they shut down? is there any routes yet? Cheers.

chums4
 

There are 2 planes standing at the hangar - apparantly awaiting licensing for maintenance

Don't fly.
 

To all possible passengers, crew and employee's of other companies in Tanzania. From what I have learned is that the pilots are not properly licensed to fly in Tanzania and that the airplanes are not properly maintained. To all possible pilots wanting to fly for Indigo Aviation take note that the employer also has a bad track of dismissing his employee's and does not pay them.

Whats the latest with Indigo? the same? better? closed? open? I have not seen the airplanes for sale, so I guess they are still in Zanzibar? do they have pilots/ engineers? Cheers.

micky rats
 

I heard they are still not flying! I can not honestly see how they would ever start up again after the increase cost of av-gas and that they could not afford to pay full price for it anyways. Not to mention the fact that the local's refuse to fly with them anymore due to being unsafe and unreliable. Their pilot licenses are not even endorsed with a local Tanzanian IFR rating which by law is required on the DC3. Plus the word has spread that most DC3 pilots and AME'S probably refuse work for Indigo because the owner cheats them out of their pay.

?
 

Any news on Indigo? Was told that they tried to buy petrol from BP and was refused due to an outstanding balance owed from the past. Which is not surprising because I heard they even stopped flying to Pemba Island because they have a large outstanding balance on landing fee's as well. Wonder where they are finding the cash to pay for maintenance.

Maintenance? Is there anyone still alive this side of the Atlantic that knows how to fix those things? :E

Know how's
 

Allot of good guys in South Africa are qualified and know very well on how to work on a DC3, only problem is not one wants to work for Indigo Aviation. The owner either fired most guys when it was time to pay them because he was not making a profit or either the crews have had to quit because they were ripped off on their paychecks.

Still wondering in this day and age if there still is a suitable role for a piston DC-3.

From what I hear it takes 45 minutes to refuel the aircraft at the pumps here, delaying all other operators for the sake of one aircraft. Possible solution is planned refueling when the pumps are not so busy.

Also in the time it takes to load passengers, do one leg, offload, load up again and fly back, a grand caravan will have done almost double the legs.

The high price of Avgas in this part of the world, availability of spares, need to certify engineers and TBO time of the engines. I recall Caribou's flying for the Australian Airforce had TBO's of around 1200 hours on a good day. I'm asuming the DC-3 will be the same. This works out to roughly 100 DAR-Zanzi return trips.

Also 5H-DAK apparently has only instruments on one side, meaning it will not be approved for IFR operations here. I don't know how the setup is in 5H-LVR.

The only real work I see for a Dak out here is as a freight dog. Carrying descent loads to remote strips. Especially usefull for hunters ferrying in their high rollers since often a lot of logistics have to be moved. Not sure if any of those high rollers would set foot on a Dak though.

Add to that that most fields here are built around the idea of the largest plane being either a Van or a B200 the DC-3 would be severly limited in places to go other than the larger fields.

Also the availability of Avgas around the country and for example in Dodoma of a small cart with a hand pump, reduces the range of the aircraft and payload.

All in all, people may love to see the old bird and fly her, but when push comes to shove does a DC-3 really have a chance anymore except at airshows on joy rides?

Cowboy!

Long time no speak, sorryI left ZNZ in a hurry and didn't get the chance to say bye. Off to the US on Friday for my ATPL and dunno what to do after I return.

I heard Coastal were looking for a van pilot, apparently Aziz was trying to get hold of me at one point. If you hear of anyone who needs help for the season, drop us a line? I aint trekking back just to sit and drink 10 coffees a day at T1.

Hows work holding out at your end?

J

SBC

Pretty good chance a DC3 will outdo a B200 in the short field stakes. Operated them into 900m strips with no problems.

Cardinal Puff,

Was thinking a little more along the lines of wing span. Some fields here have clearance of only a few feet either side of the wing tips of the Van. You'd have to cut down a lot of trees before you get a Dak in there.

Gotcha. High aspect ratio and low wing loading make her a good rough field performer but she does require a bit of wiggle room.:ok:

?
 

Any news on Indigo Aviation? Ramadan is just around the corner so again it may look like a another very low passenger load for the 28 seat DC3. They could be still hurting from last years numbers.:yuk:

?
 

Does anyone know if or when these guys are going to start operating. Looks like they are just sitting in the grass while everyone is taxing by looking at these airplanes rusting away. To make matters worse for Indigo a new airlines has started up in Zanzibar which will add competition and misery.

disronny
 

The DC3 looks fine parked at zanzi airport. Just for your EYES to see these aircraft:ooh::ooh::ooh:

Anyone
 

Anyone work for Indigo Aviation anymore? Have you all been getting paid sitting around all this time while no business has been generating? Or have all of you fled?

Paid? Has anyone ever been paid by them, be it pilots or even Air BP? :E

COST'S
 

My thought's exactly! How can you possibly make a profit when the grass you are parked on is growing taller than the airplane itself? Not to mention that it probably burns 80USG/hr and about 4usg/hr of oil. What about parking charges, maintenance charges, parts, crew, fee's, navigational charges, landing fee's and what about money for new engines after they expire? The Caravan has been tried, tested and proven to make a profit. What was this guy thinking? That if you bring in a DC3 everybody would just line up to fly in it. Maybe he should just charge a small fee for people to walk in it and have a look around. This is not WWII.

Now boys, thats some silly talk there - which some,like me, will consider inflammatory! Indigo's problems actually have little to do with their choice of aircraft.

"What about parking charges, maintenance charges, parts, crew, fee's, navigational charges, landing fee's and what about money for new engines after they expire? " Disronny, I do believe that the DC-3 is not the only type of aircraft in the world to incur these expenses? Even a Caravan needs all of those?

Truth is if you don't pay your staff - especially when they have to be pretty clued-up fellas to operate a DC-3 - you WILL see your arse. Because all they'll do, is pack their bags and leave. Eventually, when word gets around enough, as has happened here, nobody will work for you.

That will happen no matter what type of aircraft you operate.

The most important thing in any airline is the quality of its managment, you don't need fancy facilities, new aircraft or anything like that. With strong managment you'll always get the job done - and thats all the client asks for. If you don't believe me, ask "Buffalo Joe" Mcbryan.

And yes....I am talking from experience....

Indigo's reputation in trouble
 

Thank you Round Engine, I do agree with what you have said, excellent points.:ok: Every airplane has it's cost's however how can a DC3 which is I believe is the wrong airplane for the Tanzanian market. The intense competition alone with the other companies of which they all mostly operate Caravans that have a much lower operating cost and better performance? I guess my whole point was how can Indigo Aviation make a profit with it very poor reputation, wrong airplane, poor service and probably poor safety and maintenance of which I have heard from it's pilots because of Indigo's extremely low or nil profit's margins plus not paying it's expenses and debts and it's disregard for paying it's pilots wages, really how can it make it out here? Any suggestion's?

Disronny, thanks for the compliment; Firstly, we cannot compare the Caravan and the DC-3, they are not the same type of aircraft at all. Let me answer your questions like this;

" Caravans that have a much lower operating cost and better performance?"

The operating costs are relative. The turbines are affected by cycles (which on short cycles can become prohibitive). The 1830 Pratt's 1600 hr TBO remains just that regardless of the amount of cycles. On this type of operation it is seldomly necessary to climb above 3000 ft, so the DC-3 enjoys the benefit of low fuel and oil consumption, as the need for long climbs are not there. The big place the DC-3 scores is its low purchase price - no repayments to dent the budget. Its maintenance costs per hr are signifigantly higher than a Caravan, but then so is it range, payload (7500 lbs/28 pax) volume (33m2) etc... There is no question of the DC-3's performance, it is/was operating essentially a sea level operation, so no need to be flying over mountains at 15 000ft, plus it has something the Caravan can never have - engine "out" performance, very good single engine performance at that.

Do the maths - the DC-3 is still the best at what it does, dollar for dollar.



"I guess my whole point was how can Indigo Aviation make a profit with it very poor reputation,"

I agree with you wholeheartedly, in aviation your reputation is everything! With a bad reputation, pax won't fly with you, much less will you find crew to fly or fix them.

"wrong airplane,"
Disagree, it is the right aircraft for the job. When operated and maintained CORRECTLY, it is cheap to operate, extremely reliable and VERY profitable. That's where the aircraft get its reputation from, and why its still in commercial service in many parts of the world despite being a 75 year old design. It is a very capable single engine performer (despite commonly spread witchcraft and superstition), and its performance much less blunted by WAT limitations than many other aircraft. This is a big consideration in flying over water - remember the implications of being in a single engined aircraft over water.

"poor service"

Agree 1000% Return business is a big thing on that route, as the money is in the locals not the tourists.

"and probably poor safety and maintenance of which I have heard from it's pilots"

Although they never had an incident to my knowledge, yes. That said, it shows you what a great, safe aircraft the DC-3 is, it keeps going despite the worst maintenance and poor flying practices.


The trick is this, and let me emphasise again that there is no comparison between a Caravan and a DC-3 - any monkey can operate a Caravan (and thats good - it is a good aircraft and extremely effective). A successful DC-3 operation requires very skilled, experienced and correct maintenance and pilots - which are in short supply the world over. In the case of Indigo, once they weren't paid, and the owner felt no obligation to maintain the aircraft correctly - they left. Without the type skilled persons in place those DC-3's are just ornaments. Running a DC-3 operation, is hard work, make no mistake - success does not come easily.

Advantage Miss Thompson!

?
 

Indigo Aviation! What is your latest status? Are you still in business? Have you found any pilots who are risking or willing to work for you? Any scheduled routes planned? What about the cost of fuel and oil? I do not think BP will take your credit anymore. Have you won the hearts and minds of the locals who refuse to fly with you do to your poor service or any service at all? Have all your dept's been paid? Not hearing good things at all about you. What a shame.:confused: