Posted by By Zara Nicholson on
You can have a flip in Africa's biggest private jet for a cool R130 000 an hour - secure in the knowledge that the former Nigerian president's aircraft is a lot more luxurious than the jet President Thabo Mbeki may soon lose.
You can have a flip in Africa's biggest private jet for a cool R130 000 an hour - secure in the knowledge that the former Nigerian president's aircraft is a lot more luxurious than the jet President Thabo Mbeki may soon lose.
The Boeing Super 27, once the private jet of Olusegun Obasanjo, is on show at the International Airshow taking place at the Ysterplaat Airforce Base. Those in the know said Mbeki's state jet did not compare.
Luxuriously decorated in an African-style theme and after "extensive modification and refurbishment", the private jet is now worth close to $30-million.
The Paramount Group, a South African defence and aviation company, bought the jet two years ago and after a year of redecorating it will be ready for flights on Monday.
It is carpeted throughout in brown and cream giraffe skin print, and has walls in a snakeskin finish.
Fur throws are tossed on the cream leather seats and couches and glossy-topped tables bear arrangements of indigenous South African flowers and bowls of biltong, nuts and mango slices.
A double bed occupies a stateroom with its own en-suite shower bathroom. The stateroom also boasts an iPod system, a satellite phone, a 106cm plasma screen and wireless internet connections.
The rest of the plane also has wireless entertainment systems and internet connections and it is also complete with a mini boardroom.
Rugter-Jan van Spaandonk, group executive of Paramount, said that seeing the 1982 aircraft had just 3 500 hours on the clock, their purchase was "like buying a second-hand car that had never been used".
"Typically an engine like this would have had many engine changes but because this was a presidential jet, it's fairly new," Van Spaandonk said.
A feature that sets the jet apart from others of its kind is that it has extra fuel tanks which allow for long non-stop flights. While most Super 27s can manage a distance of 4 500km non-stop, this one can fly 7 000km.
"It can fly from Cape Town to Egypt in one go and that is important for VIP guests so you don't have to stop and refuel," Van Spaandonk said.
A flight to London will require one stop to refuel.
But it's not cheap. At a cost of R130 000 an hour, a return flight between Cape Town and Johannesburg will cost about R500 000. Return from Cape Town to London will ring up to about R2,4-million.
The jet's technical build also allows it to keep in line with noise requirements in other countries and it is able to fly all around the world.
The crew needed for the jet includes three cockpit crew and three cabin crew, who get a rest area. There is also space for three extra cabin crew members for long flights.
The aircraft can take 45 passengers. There are three toilets, and hot meals can be served from the galley. Fortune Air will manage the aircraft, which will be based at Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg.