Africa is one of the largest continents on earth and has the second largest population of all continents. Most of the inhabitants live in the densely populated regions near the coast. The interior of Africa, on the other hand, is often rather sparsely populated. Large deserts, savannahs and rainforests characterize the interior of the continent. To reach these regions, as special mission and light transport aircraft like the Do228 NXT is the perfect choice for operators.
Excelling on unpaved runways
With limited infrastructure or long distances in some regions, most airports in Africa also have either short or unpaved runways. Over 80% of all African airports fall into one of these two categories. Only a very limited number of aircraft types can reach them – and the Do228 NXT is one of them.
This allows important missions and transport connections, which would not be possible without an aircraft with STOL capability and the ability to land on unpaved runways. The Do228 NXT can perform STOL landings on runways with a length of just 400 m. The aircraft's gravel protection also allows gravel runways to be used as landing strips.
A robust aircraft for a challenging enviroment
Africa also presents various climatic challenges that aircraft must be able to withstand. In addition to the usual high temperatures, the rainy seasons with heavy rainfalls and strong winds, for example in coastal regions, are also a challenge. The Do228 NXT is suitable for a wide range of weather conditions and can also withstand them. The robust construction of the aircraft also ensures that it is more maintenance friendly than other aircraft – a characteristic that African operators in greatly appreciate.
Successfully in service in Africa
The Do228 is manufactured in Germany for over 40 years and was already in service on all continents - including Africa. Current Do228 operators are for example located in Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, Niger or South. Furthermore, the Do228 has already been successfully deployed in other countries, such as Cape Verde, Tanzania or Gabon.
This shows that the Do228 NXT is a viable option in large countries to connect inland locations, supporting humanitarian aid, medevac, cargo, but also in costal state for maritime surveillance missions.
The largest African operator, KASAS Limited, operates a fleet of 13 aircraft, which are mainly used for passenger and cargo transportation. From Kenya, it reaches many regions in East and Central Africa.
