Scibe Airlift

Scibe Airlift was an airline from Zaire (today known as Democratic Republic of the Congo), with its base at N'Djili Airport, Kinshasa.[3]

Scibe Airlift
IATA ICAO Callsign
ZM SBZ SCIBE AIRLIFT
Founded1976 (as SBZ Cargo)
Ceased operations1998
Operating basesN'djili Airport
Fleet sizemax. 15 aircraft (in 1987)
HeadquartersKinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (originally Zaire)
Key peopleJeannot Bemba Saolona, President
Jose Numes, Chief Pilot[1][2]

History

The airline started activities in November 1976 as SBZ Cargo with a single Vickers Viscount. Due to problems concerning the national airline, Air Zaire, Scibe Airlift became the first passenger airline in the country. After covering the whole country, it bought a Boeing 707, which allowed for serving Europe. In the early 1990s Scibe Airlift was at its height, serving a multitude of destinations and leasing its aircraft out to European airlines. In 1992, it operated a DC-10-30 on its Kinshasa-Brussels route.

The political instability of the country and the poor financial management of the company brought it to an end. Scibe Airlift ceased its operations on 29 September 1998 when its last aircraft was stored at London Southend Airport.[4]

Accidents and incidents
  • On 13 December 1992 a Fokker F-27-400M operated by Scibe Airlift Cargo crashed with 37 fatalities about 10 km (6.3 mls) from Goma
  • On 18 January 1994 a Learjet 24D operated by Scibe Airlift Cargo ran out of fuel and crashed on approach on a repositioning flight from Cotonou Airport (COO/DBBB), Benin to Kinshasa-N'djili Airport (FIH/FZAA) killing two crew.[5]
  • The 1996 Air Africa crash killed an estimated 297, mostly on the ground. It was a lease from Scibe.[2][6]

Historical fleet

Further reading
  • J Rupert, "Zaïre reportedly selling arms to Angolan ex-rebels", The Washington Post, 21 March 1997.
  • "Chaos am Himmel ueber Afrika", Die Zeit, May 1996. (in German)
  • Ben R. Guttery (1998). Encyclopedia of African airlines (illustrated ed.). p. 43. ISBN 978-0-7864-0495-7.
gollark: No.
gollark: Also, I'm not old enough.
gollark: Our electoral system is awful (first past the post) so this would not do much.
gollark: To this day, the government continues to do the thing.
gollark: I once had an issue with the government here doing a thing, so I contacted my local politician to complain about them doing the thing, by email. About a week later, I got back, *by letter*, a response from some other politician which was tangentially related to the thing but did not address any of my concerns.

References
  1. World Airline Directory Flight International 23–29 March 1994, page 116
  2. The logistics of sanctions busting: the airborne component, Johan Peleman, page 303 Archived 2007-03-07 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. pp. 58–59.
  4. Boeing 707-329C (20200/828)
  5. Flight International, 18–24 January 1994, page 38
  6. "Le Crash d’un Avian cargo sur un marche au Zaïre fait pres de 250 morts", Le Monde, 10 January 1996.
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