Air company CemAir says Grahamstown’s airstrip is adequate for the scheduled service that it is confident will be airborne by March 2015.
Air company CemAir says Grahamstown’s airstrip is adequate for the scheduled service that it is confident will be airborne by March 2015.
“The airport as it stands is adequate,” CemAir CEO Miles van der Molen told Grocott’s Mail this week. Van der Molen said concerns about the condition of the landing lights at the Cradock road airfield were not a concern because the Grahamstown-Joburg trip would initially be a daytime service.
“It depends on the success of the flights,” Van der Molen said.
“Other municipal airports have very similar levels of infrastructure.” CemAir operates regular flights between Joburg and popular holiday destinations Margate and Plettenberg Bay.
Van der Molen says the ebb and flow of Grahamstown’s population is factored into the business model for the Grahamstown operation.
“Apart from the general interest that’s been expressed from institutions such as the courts, game lodges and the leisure industry, our chief market is Grahamstown’s educational establishments,” Van der Molen said on Wednesday 3 December.
“Like all our destinations, Grahamstown is seasonal and we plan to come up with a schedule that best suits those establishments’ needs.” He said the return fare would range between R3 500 and R4 500 including VAT and taxes.
“The B1900s we use cost more per seat than the craft used by bigger commercial airlines,” he said.
“We’re selling convenience, and the time and the cost of the trip to PE.” Not only would there be an unaccompanied minor service, but pets would also be allowed to fly, he said.
News last week about the proposed new service between Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport and Grahamstown has drawn considerable interest across the country. In the space of a few days, around 35 000 people interacted with the story on Grocott’s Mail’s digital platforms.
Members of the public will be able to question Van der Molen directly at a public meeting in Grahamstown at the Graham Hotel at 4pm on Monday 8 December. He says plans for the airport have been developing over a number of years.
“Because we’re not a start-up, we’re able to establish ourselves relatively quickly where there’s existing infrastructure,” he said.
“We’re merely expanding an existing service.” The relatively relaxed national air-traffic regulatory framework also makes March a realistic target for take-off, Van der Molen said. The launch would be targeted for “a natural travel event” such as the end of term, Van der Molen said. Local partners in the operation include Tony Gunton, of Go Travel; the Grahamstown Flying Club; and David Davies of Izenzo Consulting.
Izenzo is the group behind moves to develop housing on the present site of the golf course, and which has nearly completed the new golf course in Belmont Valley.
“We need the community behind us to help us make this work,” Van der Molen said.
“In Margate and Plettenberg Bay this was a game changer. You won’t believe how much change was driven by introducing this service there.”
Van der Molen said people doing business in Joburg now chose to commute from those centres, for lifestyle reasons. He said the airports had provided employment opportunities in the restaurants, and handling logistics such as passenger flow and baggage. It would also give the flight school a boost, he said. However, there would be no big changes to existing infrastructure. “We need to understand the drivers for the business before we undertake a major upgrade,” he said.
“For now we aim to keep the structure simple.” On their website CemAir describes itself as a specialist aircraft leasing company. Citing extensive experience throughout Africa and the Middle East, they boast “first world aviation standards in some of the most challenging operating environments on earth”.
Van der Molen has been CemAir CEO since 2008. According to his LinkedIn profile he has a BCom from Wits and an MBA from Wits Business School. Asked to confirm the suitability of the Grahamstown facility for the planned operation, the Grahamstown Flying Club said in a written response, "The Beechcraft 1900 and 200 Series aircraft have landed at Grahamstown airfield for many years.
In our discussions with Cemair they have advised their Series 1900 aircraft are able to operate out of the airfield.”
Clarifying their relationship to the venture, the club’s Ron Weissenberg said, “The GFC is not a partner of Cemair as we are a non-commercial community aviation club serving the interests of the Makana aviation community. We are obliged as leaseholders to collect landing and parking fees from all visiting aircraft.” Weissenberg said in terms of upgrading the facilities at the airfield, the Club has limited funds.
“These are utilised to maintain the infrastructure as funds permit,” he wrote.
“As publicised extensively, the Makana Municipality is cash strapped currently. The Parks Department nevertheless does an admirable job in grass cutting and maintaining the airfield fencing.
“We look forward to being a part of the stakeholder meeting process.”
