Icarus Jet Lists Seven Planning Areas for Private Flights Into Africa, From Permits to Documents
Why It MattersOperational risk on African private flights sits on the ground rather than in the air, so permit, handling and fuel lead times, not aircraft capability, increasingly decide trip viability.
Icarus Jet, a private jet charter and international trip support provider, has set out seven areas that operators and flight departments should settle before flying privately into Africa. The company says such flights rarely go wrong in the air but on the ground, usually because a permit, handling request or fuel arrangement was left too late.
The first is landing and overflight permits: most African states require landing permits for private and charter flights, and many also require overflight permits. Lead times range from a day or two to more than a week, and some authorities require supporting documents such as insurance certificates and airworthiness papers before approval. The second is ground handling: a handling agent should be booked at every stop, including technical stops, to arrange customs, immigration, parking, catering and often fuel.
Founded in 2011, Icarus Jet operates from offices in Dallas, London and Dubai, and publishes country-level operational guidance for Africa, the Middle East and other regions in a free trip support reference.
