The daily increasing demand and expansion we experience in agriculture helicopters utilization, specifically in crop spraying, together with extensive game work and other agriculture helicopter utilizations, Safomar Aviation in partnership with Arnold Du Plessis have established a company to actively promote and develop the use of helicopters in a divergent number of specialist applications. The company is named Safomar Aviation Enterprises (PTY) LTD.

Arnold is a keen aviator (Fixed and Rotary wings pilot), a farmer and an entrepreneur involved in a hoist of businesses.
The synergy between the two parties hosts expertise, product and market knowledge, technical competencies, the most suitable platforms and systems to provide for the growth in the agriculture helicopters utilization. Arnold du Plessis, who holds a 50% share in  trading company with Safomar Aviation holding the remaining shares in Safomar Aviation Enterprises.

It was ascertained that there are very few crop spraying helicopter pilots and very little cadre of crop spraying instructors in South Africa hence the shortage in both presents a limiting factor in growing this industry and cater for the increasing demand.

Suitable and reliable equipment was required to provide for optimization of such operations, such include the platforms, approved crop spraying equipment and agriculture GPS which also had to be economically affordable.

Safomar Aviation Enterprises (SAE) was therefore established to provide solutions to these challenges.

Recognizing the features, characteristic, high power and manoeuvrability, low acquisition, low operating cost and high reliability, the company has embarked on initially utilize the Enstrom 280FX turbocharged piston engine helicopter. The company exploits the exemplary training potential of the Enstrom 28/280 helicopter crop spraying capabilities of this highly agile and robust platform.  Three helicopters are already equipped with Isolair crop spraying systems that have been integrated with the dedicated DynaNav crop- spraying GPS system that are all represented by Safomar Aviation in Southern Africa.

The fourth helicopter will be utilized for training and as a spare aircraft whilst the others are undergoing maintenance.
Safomar Aviation Enterprises will provide flexibility to the customers with “tailor made” solutions to suit any requirement or structure set by each customer. Such can be by way of sale, lease, lease to purchase and operations e.g. providing the spraying or flight services by way of contracting to the customers.

Safomar Aviation Enterprises is also reviewing options of integrating sensor payloads on both 280 and 480 airframes for a multitude of geospatial and surveillance roles.  With their proven safety record, unsurpassed handling qualities and low cost of ownership the helicopters are deemed ideal for paramilitary and commercial sensor operations.  

The company is planning to grow and expand the platforms to include the Enstrom 480B turbine and the MD 500 helicopters to cater for different requirements, capacity and operations.

The company is currently in final negotiations to team up with a training organization and an AOC (Air Operation Certificate) for crop spraying through which pilots will be trained for agriculture; crop spraying, game work and other applications. Air Operations services shall be provided through this AOC in the Sub-Sahara continent.

MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY APPLICATION OF MD HELICOPTERS
As the proud distributor of MD helicopters in sub-Saharan Africa, the Safomar Group in association with the Global Strategy and Business Development and Africa Sales Director, Mr William Solano, have pleasure in introducing especially the 500 Series of MD helicopters for targeted commercial, law-enforcement as well as military applications. 

Agility, high cruising speed, load capacity, low cost of ownership and exemplary hot-and-high performance make especially the MD530 ideally suited for African operations.  These can range from corporate transport, game management, paramilitary duties, law-enforcement to fully-fledged military operations as a highly versatile and battle-proven light attack helicopter. 

Sadly, the growing instability across our continent calls for more decisive action against a host of insurgency threats.  Coupled to the demands for massively increased investments in social spending, the MD range of helicopters offers regional governments as well as commercial operators a turn-key solution to augment their airborne capabilities to address pressing safety and security challenges in a very cost-effective manner. 

Linked to our commitment to ensure that equipment will never be delivered without empowering our clients to receive and operate new equipment efficiently, Safomar in association with MD Helicopters is ready to present its expertise to prospective clients for the development of turnkey equipment and support solutions that will present an optimal value proposition to mitigate identified challenges or opportunities.