Flying Dutchman In Zanzibar

[Soap Box Cowboy]

Saw Rovos Air's DC-4 in Zanzibar. Pretty suprising sight, and the DC-4 is a lot bigger and taller than I expected. Lovely looking aircraft for it's age. Anyone know what it's doing this far north, heard it arrived yesterday and is leaving tomorrow. Must be pretty expensive to operate it this far north, and a little risky too with the Av-gas and sometimes the Jet-A1 coming and going.

Only wish I could have seen her come in or leave, would love to hear how she sounds with all four engines running. Got a couple of pics but don't know how to post them here.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Not Springbok Flying Safaris doing a Rovos charter perhaps? Is she in the green and cream Rovos livery?

[Soap Box Cowboy]

She has a silver belly, white on the top with Blue stripes and lettering. Afrikaans on the starboard side and English on the port. Also a South African flag on the port side at the front. If I recall correctly the reg is ZS-AUA. The letters DDS are also displayed over the pilot and co-pilot cockpit windows. She alos sports a Rovos Air seal beneath the pilot and co-pilot side windows.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Belongs to the Dutch Dakota Association, I think. Currently on charter for Rovos. LR flying her perhaps?

[Round Engine]

True, she is a lovely aircraft. ZS-AUA is currently leased to Rovos Air (for some time now), although still owned by the DDA (The legend "DDS" above the pilot windows hark back to the a/c's previous identity as PH-DDS). Springbok Flying Safaris (aka Springbok Classic Air) are not involved with this a/c anymore at all. She was restored back to airworthy condition at Swartkops Airbase by SA Historic Flight, after enduring two years of storage outside at Rand Airport with Springbok Classic Air. She is on charter for Bushtracks Adventures (an American Company). Despite common misconceptions the DC-4 is in fact a very profitable aircraft to operate, and once adequate supplies of AVGAS and W120 oil are secured, no problem to fly those sort of distances. The SA Historic Flight DC-4 fleet (not operating at present) have doing it for 13 years without hassle.:8

[Soap Box Cowboy]

What's the furthest they usually operate from SA? Zanzibar seems a bit of a strech, especially since the further north you go the harder it is to get Av-gas. I've never heard or seen one this far north in the five years I've been out here. Was a real suprise.

Though she is in great shape, had a quick look, she looks no older than 25. How is it to get spares for the aircraft? Saw one for sale in OZ a few years back.

What work does she usually do and how much is she sold for and how much does she cost ti run per hour.

She has 40 seats right?

[Round Engine]

As with any charter a/c, they operate as far as the client wants them to go. Generally they remain in Africa, going as far as Cairo, on occasion. Although in the last five years Historic Flight has operated two long flights into Europe as well. You probably wouldn't have noticed them, because of their routings through fuel availability. Although AVGAS is not nearly as difficult to get as the critics would have it, it is still a consideration, and so we normally head for Nairobi (Wilson) and from there to Entebbe and/or Addis Ababa and Port Sudan. South of Nairobi, favourites are Kilimanjaro, Mfuwe, Beira, Lilongwe or Chileka etc... The DC-4 has good range though and can make Nairobi- JHB direct without trouble. Eight tank DC-4's can carry still more fuel in a set of inboard auxiliary tanks, which is not counted on landing fuel weight, so the ability to "tanker" fuel with you is there. It is ideal for runs into a country like Zimbabwe (no fuel - eish!), where a total trip of around 8 flying hours can be done without refuelling. A 60 gallon auxiliary oil tank is also on board, which combined with the 22 gallon engine tanks, gives one reasonable range on oil. Spares are plentiful in South Africa (hence why we have a good active population of these aircraft) for these a/c, so no problem there. Only engines are not that plentiful at the moment, but can be overhauled locally or purchased from the 'States.

The three passenger registered DC-4's (ZS-AUA, ZS-AUB, ZS-BMH) operate passenger charter operations throughout Africa, and the freighter configured C-54 (ZS-PAI) operated by Phoebus Apollo in South Africa operates cargo schedules into Southern Africa. An immaculate condition DC-4 (genuine DC-4 1009 now) like ZS-AUA could command a price of up to US$650 000, whereas flyable cargo configured C-54's can be had from about US$125 000 upwards. All three the passenger configured DC-4's had their interiors done by South African Airways and all three seat 50 pax in business class. Check out http://www.historicflight.co.za .:}