Tropic Air Kenya

Tropic Air Kenya is an air charter and helicopter company based at Nanyuki Airfield in Kenya. It offers private flights, heli safaris, aerial filming, conservation flying, search and rescue and aircraft maintenance. The company says its reach now covers 12 African countries and more than 9 million square kilometres.

Tropic Air set up its base at Nanyuki in the early 1990s, when low-impact tourism lodges and camps were starting to appear in northern Kenya. It grew into the second busiest air charter company in Kenya. It added helicopters in 2006 and began heli safaris.

The fleet includes Cessna fixed wing aircraft, such as the Caravan, and Squirrel AS 350 B3 helicopters. The company also shows an Airbus H130. It says it is the only commercial air operator with both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft north of Nairobi, so it is often the first to be called in an emergency. The team has just 10 pilots.

Services include private charter flights, heli safaris and film and photography support. Utility support, wildlife conservation work, search and rescue, and casevac flights are also offered. The company supports remote and hard to reach places.

Tropic Air has been an Approved Maintenance Organization certified by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority for 16 years. Its hangar at Nanyuki offers base and line maintenance for fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. It also does structural repairs, avionics and exterior paint jobs. The team has 25 engineers, mechanics and tech-records staff. About 20 aircraft and helicopter types are within its approved scope of work, and it serves third party customers as well as its own fleet.

The company says it creates direct and permanent jobs for over 50 people. It supports conservation flying in remote parts of northern Kenya, including wildlife tracking, translocation and anti-poaching missions. It is the first port of call for wilderness medical emergencies and mountain rescues on Mount Kenya. It is also the title sponsor of the 10to4 mountain bike event and offers internships to aircraft engineering students.

Nanyuki Airfield has free and secure aircraft parking, and fuel is sold there by Flamex. The operations team handles quotes and bookings for charters and safaris.

Services

• Private charter flights
• Heli safaris
• Film and photography flights
• Utility support
• Wildlife conservation flying
• Search and rescue
• Casevac flights
• Aircraft maintenance
• Aircraft painting