What it takes to own and maintain a helicopter in Kenya

Helicopters, helicopters, whatever you like to call them, are always an exciting phenomenon for young and old.

A helicopter is a rotary-wing aircraft that uses spinning blades or rotors to achieve lift and thrust, enabling it to hover vertically, take off, and land, making it more maneuverable than a regular airplane.

These rotors set it apart from regular fixed-wing aircraft that need a runway to take off and land.

A helicopter can move in many directions: forward, backward, sideways, and even spin on the spot. This is because the helicopter can tilt its rotor blades in different directions.

The first practical helicopter was developed by Igor Sikorsky in 1939 and was called the VS-300, and since then the aviation industry has witnessed an impressive upgrade of helicopters with more advanced capabilities and safety features.

Currently, the African market has Bell 206, Sikorsky UH-60 “Black Hawk” helicopters (famous for participating in World War II), AH-64 “Apache” helicopters, CH-47 “Chinook” helicopters, and the common European Helicopter AS350 helicopters.

In contemporary military operations, helicopters are essential for rapid deployment, search and rescue missions, and close air support. The AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook are typical examples of advanced military helicopters in use today.

In addition to battlefields, helicopters are also widely used in the civilian field. Helicopters also play an important role in emergency medical services and can provide rapid transportation for critically ill patients.

Helicopter ambulances can quickly reach the scene of an accident and transfer patients to hospitals, saving countless lives every year.

The media industry also relies on helicopters for traffic coverage and aerial photography, which provides a unique perspective of city views and events. Likewise, they are used in agriculture for crop spraying and monitoring large tracts of farmland.

Helicopters have come a long way since their inception, playing an important role in military, civilian, and commercial applications. While challenges remain, continued advances promise to increase helicopter efficiency and reduce their environmental impact.

As technology advances, helicopters continue to become a critical asset in meeting the complex demands of modern society.

In Kenya, helicopter owners are mainly concentrated in the hands of the rich, especially politicians and business elites.

Recent statistics from the aviation community indicate that there are more than 340 individuals in Kenya with a net worth of more than Sh1 billion, many of whom own helicopters for personal and commercial use.

In Kenya, there are over 300 registered helicopters, with the number of new registrations increasing steadily each year.

In 2021 alone, 47 new helicopters were registered, driven largely by political activity.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga are some of the famous helicopter owners in Kenya, but the number of people owning helicopters is increasing as young politicians and businessmen are also buying the floating machines.

spend

Owning and operating a helicopter in Kenya requires significant initial purchase costs, maintenance expenses, and operating expenses. Let’s take a deeper look at the costs involved.

Purchase cost

The cost of purchasing a helicopter varies depending on the model and specification. For example, a Eurocopter AS350B3e helicopter costs about 321 million shillings ($2.5 million), while a Bell 407 helicopter costs between $2.5 million and 385 million shillings ($3 million).

maintain

Regular maintenance of helicopters is essential for safety and reliability and can cost between $50,000 and $200,000 per year, depending on the use and age of the helicopter.

fuel

Aviation industry experts agree that helicopters consume a lot of fuel.

Ibrahim Warsam, 45, is a private helicopter pilot who has been flying for many high-profile figures for more than a decade.

“A well-maintained Eurocopter AS350B3e burns about 140 litres of fuel per hour, which equates to about Sh90,000 per hour of flight. We have customers across the counties and fly about five hours a day,” Worsam told our pilot team.

Insurance

Considering the high risk of flying a helicopter, comprehensive insurance cover is essential, which can cost between Sh6.4 million and Sh12 million per year.

He warned: “Not every insurance company is willing to insure helicopters, and remember, spare parts are not cheap.”

Hangar Fees

Helicopters don’t park or store just anywhere. They need a secure hangar to protect them from adverse weather conditions and even human activity.

Many private companies offer hangar services for a fairly high annual fee.

Pilot Salary

For safety reasons, flying a helicopter requires hiring a qualified pilot whose annual salary ranges from Sh6 million to Sh10 million, however, some pilots are hired on short-term contracts and are paid handsomely.

Landing Fees

Kenya’s major cities have helipads at various buildings, including hospitals, and charge landing fees, which vary but can add up over time.

The same service is available at airports and flights across the country.

Next time you see a helicopter landing or taking off, remember that it is a major investment that can only be afforded by wealthy people and businessmen who need to fly quickly to close a deal, get somewhere urgently or for pleasure.