Angolan aircraft operator Bestfly and Ethiopian-based Krimson Aviation have partnered on a new joint venture, BFK Aviation. The new venture aims to serve the growing business aviation sector in Africa.
Bestfly, which has experience in serving the oil and gas industry in Angola, said it will provide BFK Aviation partners with “aircraft operational know-how”. Meanwhile, Addis Ababa-headquartered flight support, charter, and aviation consultancy Krimson Aviation will provide ground support and maintenance services.
Krimson Aviation and Bestfly, under the leadership of Dawit Lemma and Nuno Pereira respectively, have been focused on growing the business aviation sector across Africa. The firms said the decision to start a new joint venture was driven by the intent to support the growth of business aviation in emerging markets.
“We want to harness this very specific knowledge and understanding to support stakeholders in nations that want to maximise the sector’s benefits but are still at the early stages of development,” says Lemma, CEO, Krimson Aviation.
The first partnership agreement of the new venture has already been signed, with Georgetown, Guyana-based operator, Xen Aviation. BFK Aviation will support Xen Aviation’s flight and ground services.
“We’re excited for what the future holds for us, BFK and the business aviation sector in our region,” said Ronaldo Alphonso, MD, Xen Aviation. “Working with BFK Aviation will add value to our existing operations and support the development of new standard operating procedures.”
The signing of the partnership follows the Guyana Energy Expo, held in Georgetown in February this year. The firms said there has been rapid growth in the oil and gas sectors in the region, which is driving the increased demand for rotary and fixed-wing operations too.
Meanwhile, read the interview with Lemma, published in Corporate Jet Investor Quarterly, here.
Image: (From left to right) Nuno Pereira and Morry Davis of Bestfly sign BFK Aviation’s first partnership deal with Xen Aviation’s Ronaldo Alphonso.
