Where is Silvernack Cargo?

[chips737]

Has anyone seen or heard anythng about Silverback Cargo out of Rawanda?????? They seem to have dropped off the map. Last I heard they had a DC-8-62 in check in South Africa with the second aircraft to follow. Wonder if Denel pushed this old bird out to the weeds.................any news out there?:ugh:

[JW411]

Well, I've heard of Golden B*lls but never "Silver Nacks"!

[OSCAR7]

Silverback is Barred

Found this article on Air Cargo World....may go towards the "where are they" question...

The skies over Africa are still not clear of airlines with appalling safety records and dubious operating practices. Cargo is hardly exempt from such nefarious operators.
About four years ago a Rwanda-based company called Silverback Cargo Freighters emerged on the scene with two DC-8-62 freighters. The aircraft, it seemed, had been acquired from the United States for a "symbolic" price of £10 million each in a complex and untraceable financial deal.
The airline began commercial services and charters in the region, including operations for Ethiopian Airlines. Silverback Cargo Freighters also made regular sorties into Europe, usually Ostend in Belgium, a favored destination for maverick carriers.
For a time one of its aircraft also was sub-leased to a Liberian registered, International Air Services, operating out of the Ras-al-Khaimah free trade zone in the United Arab Emirates.
But it soon became apparent, authorities said that in addition to its regular commercial activities Silverback Cargo Freighters also was operating regular flights carrying arms shipments from Eastern Europe to Kigali in Rwanda in clear breach of a United Nations arms embargo.
The airline got its wake-up call last summer when Belgian authorities "named and shamed" several airlines it banned from its skies over safety concerns. Silverback Cargo Freighters was high on the list.
The move effectively barred the African carrier from Europe and placed it high on the "suspect" list of other aviation authorities.
There the matter rested until early March, when the Rwandan authorities impounded an aircraft of Belgian carrier SN Brussels at Kigali airport for three days citing safety concerns. SN Brussels suspended all further flights to Rwanda, cutting the country's only air link to Europe. The row blew up into a major diplomatic incident between Belgium and its former African protectorate, with the Belgians firmly believing the move against SN Brussels was a direct retaliation for the ban on Silverback Cargo Freighters.

[chips737]

Hey there,

Sorry for the typo in the title of this. My bad. Also thanks for the article on this. I have been aware of this but also that they were trying get in the air again. Hence their heavy maintenance vsit to Denel Aviation in Johanesburg SA. last word I had is that there were half way through their visit. No they are simply out of site..............Please do not grade for spelling. I am a aircraft mechanic ok...................:eek: 20 years ago I wanted to be a A&P mechanic, now i R 1

[undiemole]

Perhaps AAL could enlighten us as he keeps his finger on the pulse in that region ;)

[AAL]

Gentlemen,

Dont want to speak out of turn and do an outfit for which I held out hope and opportunity in future, if they can get their act together, an injustice.

Aircraft DC-8-62F 9XR-SD is still in time and should be flying. Dont hear or see much movement though. 9XR-SC is still in Denel and opinion is that costs and hangarage is climbing just a little bit out of control.

My humble opinion is that "time" is catching up with them. Belgian CAA has very sympatheticaly held out possibility that they will withdraw their objections if the company takes steps to rectify and improve their ops.

In this part of the world to successfully fly, your AOC and aircraft must be able to go into the regional cargo hubs (usualy respected and well regulated area's) where slightly better rates are possible, and even to the secondary destinations for better paying cargo in Europe (XCR, CHR, OST).

If you try for long enough to fly in and out of desperation spots on desperate routes where less oversight exists, you will eventualy strangle yourself. Cheap Middle East cargo to Bangui, Chad, Nigeria, Eldorette etc, and some of the other destinations in West Africa can not fund and drive an airline, least of all allow you to grow and save for your maintenance reserve.

Will continue to hold thumbs for SB, there are some very nice and competent people in their org, but seems time is running out.

[chips737]

AAL,

Thanks for the information. I have had some dealings with them but they just dropped off the map. There are some very good folks there and I would Like to see them get back in the air again. I am aware of their bird stuck in the Hangar at Denel. I would hate to see it pushed out to the weeds.

Thanks

Chip:ok:

[altayaara]

A DC 8 freighter of Silverback was seen last week in CNN news, parked at Kigali airport in Rwanda, after an earthquake happened.

[chips737]

I am simply wondering if they are going to get back in the air. Do they have financial backing and a recovery plan? Seems that there ought to be some money to be made with those old -62'2. interesting to know they were seen on CNN recently. Do they have any western managment?:ugh:

[altayaara]

sorry chips, out of the quick images it was not possible to see wheather this was an operational or non-operational aircraft.

[bearkeeper]

Chips737

They did have Western Management back in 2003/2004 but elected to terminate the contracts and go their own way! Quite a shame really, as it had all the ingredients to have gone from strength to strength.

[undiemole]

One of my fellow moles working on this a/c in Jnb informs me that the latest is that after the heavy maintenance the a/c will be put on the RSA register :ooh:

[AAL]

Rumour is that it is going to fly regional cargo for SAA !!!:sad:

[chips737]

Have they changed ownership??? Any details appreciated........:ugh:

[MACKINTOSH]

I heard from the boss that they are trying to sell -SD and concentrate solely on -SC when the check is finished

[chips737]

Thanks for the Post. Is the Bird at Denel still being worked ?? Change of ownership maybe?

[chips737]

Does anyone have an update on Silverback Cargo?

[AAL]

9XR-SC completed the C-check and a repaint, and returned to KGL about three weeks ago.

Would be wonderful to see them in the sky flying again.

[9XR-SC]

Here is a pic taken by my brother during his latest trip to Rwanda, in march 2009:

http://i88.servimg.com/u/f88/11/28/71/03/hpim2219.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=953&u=11287103)