South Africa, often called the "Rainbow Nation," boasts a vibrant and diverse history shaped by its multicultural heritage. Beyond its cultural richness, the country's unique political and cultural landscape sets it apart. Amidst this backdrop, National Airways Corporation (NAC) has emerged as a prominent figure in the aviation industry, accumulating over seven decades of flying experience on African soil.
Established in 1946, NAC has weathered challenging political conditions to become a leading aviation company in Africa. The team at NAC proudly emphasizes that "NAC’s strength lies in the relationships it has built over seven decades with both clients and suppliers."
Topography of South Africa
NAC's Operations and Services
NAC's operations are strategically based at Lanseria International Airport in Johannesburg, with a network of offices across South Africa. Sabrina Valentine, NAC's operations controller, details the company's presence at Rand Airport, Ultimate Heliport in Johannesburg, the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, and Virginia Airport in Durban (in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province).
NAC’s state-of-the-art fixed base operation (FBO) at Lanseria International Airport offers clients a comprehensive suite of services, inclusive of aircraft management, on a 24/7 basis. In addition, NAC extends its reach internationally with offices in Johannesburg and Malta, along with asset ownership and leasing businesses, Awesome Flight Logistics and Awesome Asset Securities, based in Johannesburg and Perth.
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Valentine explains that “NAC offers a full range of aviation products and services to the aircraft and helicopter markets." This encompasses a wide array of services, solidifying NAC's strong position in the aviation space over the decades.
Helicopter Services
NAC provides specialist support and assistance in applications such as firefighting, construction hoisting, and cargo slinging. According to Valentine, “Charters can be arranged to corporate venues, game lodges or out-of-reach destinations." Moreover, NAC's experienced pilots have extensive slinging and lifting experience in both the military and civilian sectors, supported by the necessary equipment for a variety of slinging operations.
For photographic and film solutions, you need look no further than NAC. Helicopter air ambulance services can mean the difference between life and death. NAC operates several helicopters equipped with state-of-the-art EMS equipment that can be hired for patient transport, or as standby for sporting and other events.
NAC's helicopter pilot training is conducted at the newly developed, state-of-the-art “Ultimate Heliport” in Midrand, Johannesburg. The school has extensive experience in training, from ab initio to advanced commercial qualifications, and their graduates have gone on to become captains with helicopter operators across Africa and the world. As NAC offers such a various range of services their client list is equally varied.
HEMARS | Helicopter Emergency Medical And Rescue Service | AIRBORNE Rescue #ems #hems
Experiences and Challenges in African Skies
While Africa may seem ideal for helicopter flights, it presents its own set of challenges. These conditions can also bring unique and memorable experiences. Chief Flight Instructor Vicky Sankey recalls one of her best experiences flying in the Drakensberg Mountains with the Bell 505 helicopter. “I was very fortunate to fly to Drakensberg Mountains where we do our annual flight training and to where I took the Bell 505 helicopter. At 11,000 feet we could actually operate with it amazingly. We landed on that altitude and the aircraft still had ample power, she just blew our mind!
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NAC holds quite a few unbelievable experiences with the Bell helicopters. Marnus Gouws, chief pilot at NAC, indicates that the Bell 407 is the main “workhorse” in their facility. They find it very reliable and are super happy with the ride quality and maintenance support. “We can take it anywhere around the world and we will always have fast and reliable maintenance support.
Alister Brown, division head and partner in NAC helicopter operations, recalls one of his most memorable missions with Bell helicopters. “We rescued two lions from caged hunting and transferred them in the back of a Bell UH1 Huey helicopter. With a 407, we once went to rescue a gyrocopter that crash landed on a mine dump. We also had a veterinarian with us staying at the back with the two male lions who were snoring away and I just remember thinking to myself that I hope they won’t wake up before landing.
Bell 407 Helicopter
Partnerships and Future Vision
Gary Phillips, executive director of the Helicopter Division, explains that NAC is and has been a Bell independent representative for the last 28 years. The team emphasizes that in all the years of flying with Bell helicopters they have never stumbled upon any major problems with the aircraft.
The team works with passion and has a great vision for the future to expand their HEMS (helicopter emergency medical services) operations as well as their firefighting operations. The rainbow skies of South Africa have been “colored” in NAC colors for decades now and I can easily say they will still stay up there for long decades to come.
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NAC and Piper Aircraft
Recently, National Airways Corp. (NAC) was appointed as Piper’s Authorized Dealer for Sub-Saharan Africa. Piper Aircraft designs, manufactures, sells and supports the strongest and broadest single-engine product line in the industry, from high-performance pistons to turboprops to the world’s most fuel-efficient seven-person business jet, the PiperJet Altaire. NAC’s Executive Director: Aircraft Sales JP Fourie says, “Piper Aircraft offers a complete line of the highest quality aircraft for everyone - from new pilots to adventure-seekers to serious business travelers, helping realize the flying dreams of any pilot. NAC offers customers a depth and breadth of aviation expertise, underpinned by reliability, maintainability, endurance and state-of-the-art technology. This will usher in a new era for Piper owners and enthusiasts of unparalleled product support.
Randy Groom, Piper Executive Vice President, stated that “NAC’s proven expertise with the Piper product line, its Piper fleet experience and proven aviation success in Africa makes its choice as our authorized distributor in the region a natural.”
NAC's Global Presence
From its headquarters at Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg, NAC operates a South African network of offices in Cape Town, Durban, Grand Central Airport, Wonderboom Airport and Rand Airport. NAC also has branches further afield in Botswana and Nigeria and Awesome Flight Logistics in Perth, Australia, and Specialized Aircraft Services in Wichita, Kan.
NAC Locations:
| Location Type | Location |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa |
| South African Network | Cape Town, Durban, Grand Central Airport, Wonderboom Airport and Rand Airport |
| International Branches | Botswana, Nigeria, Perth (Australia), Wichita, Kan (USA) |
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tags: #Africa
