African Star

[FU2]

What's the latest with this outfit? are they ever going to start?

[Tailspin2]

747-300 has been standing, painted in AS colours, in SIN for over 6 months.
Have not heard of any recruiting.

[The Guvnor]

This is one very, VERY fishy operation! I have been accused of being in the "crook and comnman" class meself, so I tend not to do it lightly to others. The guy behind African Star (who goes by the names of "Ben Kirama"; "Ben Kilama"; "Joe Kirama" and "BJRK Kirama" is, however, one of the most accomplished con-merchants I have ever encountered.

Currently out on bail for a VAT fraud allegedly totalling several hundred million rand (the old trick of claiming back VAT for exported ciggies that mysteriously end up in Soweto), the South African Air Transport Licencing Board said (and it was reported in Flight) that Kirama's past criminal activities "had no bearing" on the carrier's application - despite the fact that he would be CEO.

Kirama is *incredibly* well connected politically throughout much of Africa; and I suspect that someone behind the scenes in the South African political heirarchy is pulling strings - no doubt in the hope of a slice of the action! According to my FOD, who knows him well (and who got bilked out of a bundle) he is a very charming, personable and plausible character.

One of the companies I am a director of, Trans Lloyd Cargo, took him to court over various outstanding sums regarding the leasing of one of our CL44s.

We were able to establish that:

1) Kirama/Kilama is not his real name (source: South African Dept Home Affairs);
2) Starwelt Airlines (his 'holding company') is not incorporated in South Africa as was alleged (source: South African Registrar of Companies). I see in Air Transport Intelligence, the Flight/Airline Business website at www.rati.com (http://www.rati.com) that he now claims that Starwelt is Burundian and with a Burundian AOC - like heck! There are two AOCs in existence here - Air Burundi has one and we have the other!
3) We have also established that many of the people named as directors of the company are fakes or related to him with no airline experience - according to my Flight Ops Director, these are:
Beatrice = wife
Ken Parr = Individual with no aviation experience - described in court as Ben's 'Bob Astles'
Byemelwa = Alias used by Kirama
Butelezi = Alias and signature used to witness bogus documents.

Other well known characters involved with him include Hugo Smit, who was under extended investigation by the Office of Serious Economic Offences together with the Gain brothers following the collapse of Phoenix Airways; and Geoff Kingsborough, who at one point was described by the company as their Chief Pilot despite the fact that the largest aircraft he had flown was a B707 (briefly).

In Flight International of the 28th April, Hilka Birns wrote: "Observers are surprised by the speed with which approval has been granted and the lack of objection from South African Airways (SAA) - which, in the past, has routinely opposed new licence applications. The only opposition is from domestic carrier Sun Air [which was allegedly 'murdered' by a combination of the greed of black empowerment shareholders and SAA]. Eyebrows have been raised at the airline's unconditional purchase ahead of approval of two Boeing 747-300s, an Airbus A310-200 and a full flight simulator from Singapore Airlines. The aircraft are to be delivered in late April.

"Kirama says that African Star intends to start flying daily from Johannesburg to Munich (from where rival SAA has withdrawn) and three services to London Stansted. It aims eventually to add Cape Town and more European destinations. The A310-200 will be used as a back-up and will be leased to charter operators on domestic and regional routes. Lufthansa Technik and Denel Aviation will maintain the aircraft.

"Kirama says that African Star is owned by a consortium, 80% of which are South African and regional black entrepreneurs. A minority share is held by Starwelt Airways Group.

"Its Burundi-registered subsidiary, Starwelt Airways, charters casrgo flights between South Africa, Burundi, Malawi, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

"Critics have questioned African Star's ability to survive in a market in which long-established airlines are undercutting each other and where some recent newcomers, including Flitestar and Avia Airlines, have flopped"

When the company was first launched on the unsuspecting South African public, it was stated that they had some US$300 million worth of funding - allegedly provided (if memory serves me right) by some union investment fund.

The whole thing just doesn't make sense. What airline - no matter how well funded and run - starts up with owned aircraft, tying up capital that will be sorely needed? One just has to look at the business plan of JetBlue Airways - which is leasing its entire fleet of Airbuses - to see the lunacy in doing something like that. Anybody that has US$300m in cash will be very highly regarded by any lessor - so *that* can't be the reason they didn't lease the aircraft.

Can someone check with SQ to see if the aircraft have actually been paid for - or have only deposits been paid?

Most of the people I know in the industry are of the firm opinion the whole thing is a scam - we just wish we could figure it out so we could do it too!

Bottom line - good luck to the guys: but don't let them have a cent of your money without getting something immediate (such as a seat!) for it.

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Happiness is VR at Lagos!

[The Guvnor]

Here's the Flight International article referred to above. Unreal!

African Star licence continues, despite troubles

Flight International (14Jul99, 284 words)

Hilka Birns/JOHANNESBURG

South Africa's Department of Transport (DoT) is continuing to process the licence
application of African Star, despite the start-up's chief executive facing charges of
contravening the country's Customs & Excise Act.

Investigators refuse to comment on the case, but sources say that the diversion of
duty-free goods by Capt Joe Kirama is being probed. The trial is set for 16
September.

In April, African Star announced that it had been granted a licence from the DoT to
operate scheduled flights from Johannesburg to Munich and London (Flight
International, 28-4 April). The carrier wants to operate four direct flights a week to
Munich, in Germany, and three to the UK's London Stansted. The licence has been
approved in principle, but not issued, as the applicant has yet to meet various
provisions.

The DoT says it is going ahead with processing the licence as the company is the
applicant, not Kirama as an individual. "In terms of the law, there was no obligation
on applicants to disclose that they were facing criminal charges, nor that they had a
criminal record," says the DoT.

Earlier this month, Kirama and his management team were in Singapore, where two
Boeing 747-300s and an Airbus A310-200 are parked, awaiting delivery. The
aircraft and a full flight simulator, all bought from Singapore Airlines, were due for
delivery in April. A consultant to the airline says a chief pilot and chief engineer have
been hired, but that the start-up capital has not been released. The carrier had said
that $150 million had been raised from local investors.

African Star is also trying to gain traffic rights out of Zambia, with plans to fly from
Johannesburg to London Gatwick via Lusaka.

Source: Flight International

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Happiness is VR at Lagos!

[FU2]

Seems a good place to keep clear of. Thanks for the warning !

[The Guvnor]

Latest from Johannesburg - there was a 10 minute slot on African DisaStar on ETV... offices are all locked up, no one has been paid - Geoff Kingsborough was fired and replaced as Chief Pilot with James Lloyd whose previous claim to fame was flying Jonas Savimbi around in a Lear (which, btw, is the largest jet he has flown although he does have a few hours on the CL44!)

So, it looks like the whole thing *was* a scam - I wonder how much SQ got taken for?

Also - especially bearing in mind that I am have been accused of being a scam artist myself by various undesirables here - why can't I do scams like this?? Ah well ... back to the drawing board!!

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Happiness is VR at Lagos!


[This message has been edited by The Guvnor (edited 28 December 1999).]

[jumbo Mouse]

Dear Guvnor

It seems you like to make alot of noise, and yes you have been accused of many malpractices and misdemeanours.

Would it rather not be better for you not to critisize others when it appears that you are claimed to be in the same situation!

Rather get on with your ideas and prove yourself, it seems you spend most of your time answering and abusing the folk of the PPrune forum.

As for personally attacking the new said Chief Pilot, is that not what people have done to you, and has it not pissed you off, so what gives you the right to do it!!!

[Drop and Stop]

jumbo Mouse
I think the Guv has raised some valid concerns regarding this outfit. The information he has provided (including the Flight Int. article) would suggest that something is amiss in relation to this start-up. As for the Guv being "accused of *many* malpractices and misdemeanours" you must be talking about the ONE idiot who seems to have a personal grudge against him! Who would you more likely believe?: A person who registers on PPRuNe for the sole purpose of attacking another poster whist remaining totally anonymous OR a person who tells everyone here who he is, where he is, what he does and where you can contact him. Personally I think the Guv is doing a sterling job in defending himself in every thread where he is (sadly) attacked. I don't think I could remain as calm and level headed as he has in the past week. As for "abusing the folk of the PPrune forum", WHERE? and where is this personal attack on the "said Chief Pilot"? "G K, who at one point was described by the company as their Chief Pilot despite the fact that the largest aircraft he had flown was a B707 (briefly)."
WOW, talk about a scathing attack!!!!! :rolleyes: http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/confused.gif http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/eek.gif :rolleyes:

[This message has been edited by Drop and Stop (edited 31 December 1999).]

[JetBok]

xxx

[This message has been edited by JetBok (edited 31 December 1999).]

[The Guvnor]

Thanks for the support Drop & Stop!

Jumbo Mouse, if you read my original post, you will see that I said "I have been accused of being in the "crook and conman" class meself, so I tend not to do it lightly to others". You should also be able to tell from the tenor of the last post I did that I am taking the flak I am getting with - I hope! - a sense of humour. If we can't laugh at ourselves, who can we laugh at?

However, when there is an iffy operation/individual that I know about - and more importantly have first-hand knowledge/proof of - then I will speak up. There's a world of difference between the sort of anonymous, unfounded attacks that I've had and this particular situation - as Stop & Drop pointed out quite correctly, I am readily identifiable, I provide my email address (and anything else anyone wants such as documentary backup and contacts withing the SAPS, Receiver of Revenue, SA Registrar of Companies, Burundian DCA etc etc). The other idiots don't. BTW, I'm not sure that I have been accused of "*many* malpractices and misdemeanours" (my emphasis), have I?? And I certainly don't spend my time "abusing the folk of the PPrune forum" - even those characters that have been sniping at me I treat in as reasonable a manner as possible! The big problem is that in this business there's a tendency to treat everyone ever says as gospel - so if I don't defend and justify myself there's a real danger that people may say "oh well, that must be true then - no smoke without fire!" regardless of an individual's reasons for posting something. How would you react if someone posted messages to the effect that "Jumbo Mouse has been fired from his last three jobs due to being drunk on duty; and likes nothing better than hanging out with the pretty boys in Patpong when in BKK"? You'd be pretty peed off as well - and rightly so.

The reason that I singled out the Chief Pilots should be obvious. If you are setting up an operation that revolves around a couple of Boeing 747-300s and an A310, I would personally feel it's quite a nice idea to have a chief pilot that has actually got experience on type - and not just as a passenger! Would YOU, Jumbo Mouse, be happy having as your CP a guy that had never flown the aircraft? Of course not!!

Actually, I am "getting on with my ideas and proving myself" - moving along the new Ayres 7000s, evaluating software systems, discussing proposals with several suppliers for the potential widebody operation, etc, etc!

Anyway guys, have a Happy Hogmanay, and my very best wishes to you all for a safe and prosperous New Year.

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Happiness is VR at Lagos!

[Tailspin2]

The 747-300 was still in SIN on the 25/12 but on 01/01 is was either gone or the AS paint job painted over.

[SA ATCO]

Just read on a local web site, windsock.com
that this airline is to start ops by end of January 2000. Claims to be awaiting the final go ahead from the SA CAA. Capt Kirama is apparently seeking legal advice about all the "untrue" allegations in the media. Take cover guys.

[AfricanSkies]

Last I heard was that one of the 747's had been sold to another carrier.

[XpressOne]

Does anyone have any update on African Star - according to information we have received here in London start up is planned for 17th July ?
Plans for London Gatwick & Munich from CPT via JNB
Does anyone in Singapore know whether these B747-300's are still available to ASA ?

Appreciate any update

[Gunship]

Hi All,
World Airnews; May 2000 page 75 : "New Airline get it's ticket" ....
ASA 747 - 300 x 2 is still standing in Singapore already with ASA livery painted on it.
All the best,