Executive Travel: Johannesburg
Private Aviation
Michelle Seaton
06/01/2005

Business travelers can easily jet in and out of South Africa’s two largest cities, Johannesburg and Cape Town, but those who wish to mix work with relaxation—touring the wine country, visiting private beaches along the Indian Ocean or exploring one of the nation’s game parks—will find short-hop private aviation options abound. In fact, several of the most exclusive game parks in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia are accessible only by air. South Africa contains dozens of private charter companies, numerous regional airlines and many small airfields. The airports of several South African cities are able to fuel, maintain and secure a large business jet.
 
Johannesburg International Airport (JIA) is the largest airport in the country and handles the most flights and passengers. Because customs officials search private aircraft in the same manner as the commercial airliners, and passengers on private flights must wait in lines with commercial travelers to clear customs, visitors seeking more privacy and convenience may wish to choose a smaller airport.

Lanseria International Airport is also located in Johannesburg, but is much smaller and specializes in business jets. It has 24-hour customs and is actually closer to the city than JIA, eliminating 45 minutes from the drive to the city’s hotels. The security is solid without being overbearing.

Cape Town International Airport is located in the Western Cape area at the southern tip of South Africa. About three hours by air from Johannesburg, Cape Town is the second most popular port of entry for private international flights. It offers a stunning aerial view of mountains and striking green valleys. It is smaller than JIA and offers convenience and security with less customs bureaucracy.

Durban International Airport sits in the KwaZulu-Natal region near the beaches, mountains and game parks along the eastern coast of South Africa. Because the area has been the site of several international conferences, the airport is accustomed to accommodating dignitaries.

Port Elizabeth International Airport is a small facility very close to Port Elizabeth, making it convenient for travelers wishing to explore the nearby beaches and game parks by car. It is one of the least-used points of entry.

Upington Airport in the northwest boasts Africa’s longest runway—16,000 feet. It serves as an alternate landing spot for the space shuttle and can accommodate any size jet. The town itself is small and presents little in the way of tourist accommodations. The airport is primarily a cargo transshipment hub.

In-Country Excursions
Once you and your plane have cleared customs, you are free to tour the country at your leisure, using any of its civilian airfields. An exceptional itinerary might include landing at Cape Town to enjoy the beautiful cityscape, including its waterfront, beaches and museums, before touring the wine country. From Cape Town, you can hop to George Airport in George, which is the center of the country’s scenic garden route, home to 8,500 mostly indigenous plant species. Explore the region and the Addo Elephant Preserve by car and meet your pilot in Port Elizabeth to fly on to Hoedspruit Airport to see the canyons before flying on to Kruger National Park.

Unfortunately, planning such an itinerary is not nearly as straightforward as the guidebooks make it out to be. While it might be tempting to point to a spot on the map, such as Stollenbach in the heart of wine country, and choose that as a destination airport, travelers should note some airfields are private with runways that are far too short to accommodate a jet. (Stollenbach’s is a mere 2,400 feet.) Many airfields require travelers to obtain permission prior to landing, and charge fees for landing and other services. Also, airfields near most of the game preserves are unpaved, and quality may deteriorate quickly in high winds or bad weather. Pilots should also watch out for wildlife grazing near the runway and pedestrians crossing it.

Help at Hand
Fixed-base operators (FBOs)—companies that sell fuel, perform minor repairs, secure aircraft and provide customs clearance in their own lounge area—do not exist in South Africa. Travelers must obtain fuel and other services from the same dealers that service the airlines. At most airports, customs clearance is conducted in the main airport terminal. However, small management and charter companies can help travelers coordinate a private flight.

These companies will recommend a port of entry, obtain flyover permissions, approach and landing permissions, warn of any fees, help facilitate customs clearances and arrange for transportation to resorts or hotels. Each port of entry boasts of at least one such company.

Lanseria:
Progress Air 
+27.11.659.2945, www.progressair.co.za 
Progress manages a fleet of medium-range business jets, turboprops and twin-engine piston aircraft for owners, which it then makes available for charter. It provides in-flight catering for business jets, as well as accommodations, safaris, tours and other travel services.

Sefofane 
+27.11.701.3700, www.sefofane.com

Wilderness Safaris

 

(Click image to enlarge)
+27.11.807.1800, www.wilderness-safaris.com
Sefofane charter company closely works with Wilderness Safaris, a safari organizer based in Botswana that advertises heavily in North America and Europe. It specializes in travel to game lodges. The company recently has opened offices at Lanseria to transport people to the smaller game lodges in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Swift Flite Charters
+27.11.701.3298, www.swiftflite.co.za
This aircraft management and charter company is based in Lanseria, but also has an office at JIA. Its fleet includes Learjets, Hawker 800s, Citations and the KingAir 200. The company makes regular trips to area game parks, including MalaMala and Mashatu in Botswana.

ExecuJet
+27.11.516.2332, www.execujet.co.za
This is the one company that operates most like a traditional FBO. It has its own building and lounge (although international flights must still clear customs at the main airport facility). The company charters PC12 and Global Express jets, and is the official maintenance and sales facility for Bombardier aircraft.

Cape Town:
Cape Aviation Business Centre
+27.21.934.2940, www.cabc.co.za
Cape Aviation is the largest general aviation service at Cape Town, with three hangars available to secure aircraft. The company will assist with every detail of handling an aircraft from the moment of touchdown and can assist in coordinating travel details for passengers and crew. This company does not operate a charter business, but it will put you in touch with one: National Airways Corp. in Cape Town.

Durban:
Executive Aerospace
+27.31.408.9600, www.aerospace.co.za
Executive has the largest charter aircraft available, including Boeing 737 and Douglas DC9 jets. Executive also provides back-up service for regional airlines and flies humanitarian aid missions,
so it is usually able to offer a comfortable experience for large groups and can conduct maintenance on larger business jets.

National Airways Corp.
+27.31.571.8302, www.dbn.nac.co.za
National is one of the largest general aviation businesses in South Africa. It has aircraft from twin pistons to turboprops ranging from the KingAir 200 and Hawker 800 to the Learjet 45 and up to a Challenger 604.