Textron Aviation Delivering Caravans for Botswana Ops

Textron Aviation has begun shipments of 10 Cessna Grand Caravan EX turboprop singles that will be used for charter, cargo and logistics services in Botswana. The aircraft will go to Tuareg Aviation over the next eight months and will be flown by Mack Air between a network of independently owned bush safari lodges in the Okavango Delta and Kalahari Plains regions of Botswana. They will replace part of Mack Air’s existing fleet, which currently also includes Grand Caravan turboprops.

“Our business relies on versatile aircraft that not only operate in harsh environments, but also transport our passengers comfortably, along with the necessary cargo required to sustain our clients’ safari lodges,” said Mike Weyl of Mack Air Charter. “The Caravan platform has served us well.”

Textron Aviation’s South African channel partner Absolute Aviation will support the aircraft at a new maintenance facility in Maun, Botswana. The new Absolute Aviation Maun facility is an addition to its aircraft parts business established earlier this year.

The Caravan is certified in 100 countries and the fleet of more than 2,600 aircraft has amassed 20 million flight hours worldwide in a wide range of missions.