Veteran flyer chains himself in protest over congested skies

A veteran airline captain has taken the unprecedented action of chaining himself on an aircraft over the continued lack of a safe training ground for young pilots.

Joseph Martin Ririani, the 76-year-old founder of Kenya School of Flying, the first black flying school in Kenya, is decrying the congestion at Wilson Airport. It’s a problem, the captain says, compounded by encroachment on its land over the years.

The incident occurred at Orly Airpak in Kajiado where pilots, engineers and other staff at Kenya School of Flying looked helplessly as their boss chained himself to an aircraft that he has flown for over 50 years.

“The grabbing and proliferation of buildings and other structures along the perimeter of the Wilson Airport is to blame for the rise in the number of air mishaps and fatal accidents,” Captain Ririani says.

The most recent incident at Wilson Airport happened in March last year when there was a mid-air collision between a training aircraft, Cessna 172 and Safarilink passenger aircraft, a Dash 8. A student and his instructor died.

“Nairobi National Park has become a safe haven for students training to be pilots, there are over 5 incidents which are recorded annually, of false landing in case of an engine mishap,” adds Ririani.

Because of this challenge, the old-timer has termed Wilson Airport a risky ground for students and also an inconvenience to flying institutions and parents who are paying extra to accommodate for delays in flying.

Malindi crash

With Wilson Airport no longer being ideal for training, the flying schools have opted for Malindi Airport but according to Captain Ririani, the challenges are almost the same.

“Last Friday, an aircraft developed an engine problem after take-off from Malindi Airport and crashed on three boda boda riders, killing them on the spot and the aircraft burst into flames,” he says.

Joshua Ochanda, a 20-year-old pilot, survived another crash minutes after taking off from Malindi Airport after an engine surge.
“Last year on November 7 in Diani I had an engine surge while I was flying near Chale Island but fortunately I landed on a beach, which is a rare occurrence as the water had subsided,” he recalls.

To address the issue of flying training safety, Ririani and others started Orly Airpak after the government failed to establish a national flying school.

“After sharing our aviation predicament, former Vice President George Saitoti supported the Orly Airpark dream that came true in 2002 and it has been a safe haven for flying students,” he explains.

The airpark is served by one runway dubbed ‘10’ which Captain Ririani reveals has been challenging to students because of crosswinds while taking off or landing.

“Crosswinds can make landings and take-offs more difficult, and can cause structural damage if they are too strong. It is also dangerous for students to be sent on a solo flight,” says Captain John Maingi, flight instructor at Kenya School of Flying.

To address this challenge, Kenya School of Flying constructed a grass runaway dubbed ‘07’, which allows pilots to take off and land into the wind.

“Though runaway 07 is ideal it is shorter as it is only 700 meters and we want to extend it to at least 1200 meters but our efforts have been curtailed by ‘foreign powers’,” says Captain Ririani.

According to Ririani, the problem struck when then chairman of Orly Airpark, Harro Trempenau, perished in an air crash, he (Ririani) was thrown out of the board and flight development was stopped.

“I am the chairman of flying schools in Kenya and they have supported the extension of runway ‘07’ and this will open doors to all 10 flying schools that will be training here because it is safer than Wilson Airport and Malindi Airport,” Ririani insists.

To unlock this deadlock, Ririani has urged the government, especially Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) to intervene and help them develop a runway that is safer for students.

“Orly is the ideal place for Kenyan flying students, we are the nursery of the entire aviation industry, we need everybody’s help.
The challenge here is the majority of the board members are foreigners who have conspired against the flying school,” laments Captain Ririani.

Our efforts to reach the Orly Airpak board of management bore no fruit.