New addition to IDC’s aviation fleet |15 December 2014

The Islands Development Company (IDC) has bought a Dornier 228 aircraft which will give a boost to the company’s mandate of providing flights to the outer islands.

The aircraft, bought from Summer Set Charters in South Africa, was flown in and officially delivered to the company on December 11, 2014 by two South African pilots, Captain Christiaan Kriel and First Officer Riaan Scheffer.

The Dornier 228 is a twin-engine STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) utility aircraft with a capacity for 18 passengers or a cargo carrier with a maximum payload of 1900kg.

The aircraft can operate at a maximum cruise speed of 200Kts (TAS) or 370km/hr and a single engine cruise speed of 160Kts (TAS) or 296km/hr.

It has a maximum endurance of seven hours flight time and a range of 1400NM (2592KM) and it is an ideal aircraft for landing on short runways.

The aircraft has been fully re-furbished and equipped to meet the requirements of the local civil aviation agency and will undergo further inspection by the air worthiness department of the agency before starting operation here in Seychelles.

The company’s aircraft engineers have already been trained and are now equipped to work with the new type of aircraft.
The pilots will be trained locally by qualified South African instructors and examiners.

With the new addition, IDC will be operating a total of four aircrafts which are being used to provide flights between the outer islands of Seychelles.

The latest aircraft will allow IDC aviation to fly to islands such as Remire, Marie-Louise, Platte, Astove, and Coetivy with more passengers.