Specialist aircraft leasing, reliability and standards

CemAir offers flexible, value added, short, medium or long-term leasing of turboprop and regional jet aircraft. The service offering is structured to include full maintenance and operational support with quality and safety oversight.

We have experience in operating and supporting our aircraft in a variety of conditions, with an emphasis on maintaining first world standards in third world environments. We strive to achieve high levels of reliability and international operating standards through the application of constantly evolving internationally recognized standards. CemAir’s objective is to place properly prepared equipment, well qualified crews and the use of appropriate current technologies at the disposal of the customer.

The company has operating and leasing experience throughout Africa and the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Tunisia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mali, Gabon, Ghana, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique as well as South Africa.

Where CemAir sets itself apart is in our ability to offer superior support for our operation. This is achieved through a multifaceted approach with the objective of creating a comprehensive offering. Some of the elements of this philosophy include:

Our History

CemAir was established from a partnership which began in 2002 with the acquisition of a Cessna Grand Caravan. The partnership grew with the purchase of several piston powered aircraft and following the procurement of the first of the Beech 1900’s in early 2006 the operation was formalised as a company known today as CemAir.

In the early days CemAir therefore operated a mixed fleet of aircraft but the other types (except for the Caravans) were sold off over a period of years so allowing the organisation to focus on the operation of the Beech 1900’s. As other types were phased out, the 1900 fleet continued to grow and by the end of 2011 the company owned nine of the type.

During 2011 a strategic decision was made to exit the Cessna Caravan market and the two aircraft we have of this type are currently being sold. Whilst the Caravans have served us well for almost a decade the time has come to move on to new opportunities.

Moving Forward

CemAir’ s steady and manageable growth philosophy remains the basis for future expansion. Whilst watching our current operations closely we are mindful of the need for the company to evolve in order to remain vibrant and dynamic. This evolution extends beyond our business processes, right down to the fleet composition itself.

Our focus has now turned to the Regional Jet market following the acquisition of our first CRJ in February 2012. We foresee significant growth for this type of aircraft in the regions in which we operate and intend to enhance our fleet to create a commanding position in this market.

The Canadair Regional Jet was selected due to its excellent history for reliability and safety. The aircraft popularity and market acceptance make it a logical choice for our customers who are outgrowing the utility of the Beech 1900s. We believe the CRJ will meet the transport needs of our market for the next decade.

It is our vision that over the next five years we will build a substantial fleet of CRJ aircraft to operate alongside our Beech 1900s.

Reliability and Safety

An intrinsic element of the CemAir approach is to recognise that the final responsibility of the company and all its staff is to the passengers using its aircraft in addition to any people on the ground over whom the aircraft flies. We take this responsibility very seriously and we have created a structure, systems and processes designed to minimise all elements of this risk.

CemAir has incorporated the following into the organisation:

We have a long term philosophy at CemAir and believe that solid relationships build today will support our operation in the future. High standards, discipline and constant learning are the cornerstones of the organisation.

International Standards

Our focus is on reliability, safety and quality using constantly evolving internationally recognized standards. These standards exceed those laid down by regulatory authorities and have been compiled by a combination of inputs from oil, gas & petroleum exploration companies, humanitarian aid agencies, FAR Regulations, EASA requirements, ICAO recommendations and aircraft operators themselves. The exacting audit processes and subsequent certification which are undergone voluntarily by ourselves go a long way to ensuring a high level of confidence that users of our aircraft and services have every right to expect.

As a full member of the Flight Safety Foundation, CemAir has access to the latest safety information and initiatives. Additionally the FSF conducts regular aviation safety seminars and since their establishment in 1947 has become the global nexus of aviation safety information.

CemAir is in the advanced stages of obtaining BARS(Basic Aviation Risk Standard) certification. This is a common standard and auditing process used by contracting companies to evaluate aviation operators to ensure regulatory compliance and the safety of employees.

Company Structure

CemAir is a private company registered in South Africa. We are the holders of Aircraft Operating Certificates (AOC Part 121) issued by the South African Civil Aviation Authority. We hold licenses for both Domestic and International Air Services on for Scheduled and Non-scheduled services. CemAir is also the holder of an Aircraft Maintenance Organisation approval (AMO Part 145 ) and is authorised to carry out most maintenance tasks on the Beech 1900 series.

The CemAir head office is located at Hangar 31, Lanseria International Airport close to Johannesburg, South Africa. All administration is carried out at this large 1000m2 facility and is the home base to the CemAir owned maintenance facility. In addition this facility is the primary parts stores and logistics hub of the operation.

The management structure conforms to the ICAO model and has six full time post holders for complete oversight of flight operations and maintenance. The duties and responsibilities of each position is documented with frequent internal and external audits to ensure compliance.

Internal oversight is maintained by having separate and full time Quality and Safety portfolios. The organisation runs an ICAO based SMS system conforming to the requirements of ICAO Safety Management Standards & Recommended Practises (SARPs) and ICAO Doc 9859.