Filair

Filair was a Congolese regional airline headquartered in Kinshasa and operating from N'Dolo Airport. The available historical record does not identify a precise founding year, but it describes the company as being founded and owned by Danny Philemotte, a Belgian pilot. Its business was centered on regional passenger connectivity within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, serving destinations such as Boma, Idiofa, Kikwit, Matadi, and Muanda. The airline's fleet history included aircraft from several generations and manufacturers. Aircraft associated with Filair included the Antonov An-24B and the Let L-410 UVP-E Turbolet. Former fleet listings also include the Douglas DC-6A, Douglas DC-7C, Lockheed L-188CF Electra, Lockheed L-188PF Electra, Vickers Viscount, Convair 580, and Boeing 707. The available material does not provide enough detail to establish when each aircraft type entered or left service, how many aircraft were operated, or whether all listed types were used for scheduled passenger operations. Filair's record includes several serious aircraft losses. In 1988, Vickers Viscount 9Q-CTS was written off while landing at Tshikapa Airport. In July 1994, Lockheed L-188PF Electra 9Q-CGD was written off in Angola. The most consequential incident occurred on 25 August 2010, when Let L-410 9Q-CCN crashed. Twenty people died, including Danny Philemotte. The reported cause was loss of control and imbalance of the aircraft. The crash is the principal event through which the airline is documented in contemporary aviation references. Filair was included on the European Union list of banned air carriers. The restriction applied in the context of airlines regulated by the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The reference material does not state when the ban took effect, whether it was ever lifted, or whether Filair continued operating after the 2010 accident. It also does not provide verified information about a successor, a sale, liquidation, or a formal corporate shutdown. For that reason, the airline's current status remains uncertain.

• 2010

  Let L-410 crash

  [1]Filairen.wikipedia.org

  Let L-410 9Q-CCN crashed on 25 August, killing 20 people, including founder and owner Danny Philemotte.

• 1994

  Lockheed Electra written off in Angola

  [1]Filairen.wikipedia.org

  Filair Lockheed L-188PF Electra 9Q-CGD was written off in Angola in July.

• 1988

  Vickers Viscount written off at Tshikapa

  [1]Filairen.wikipedia.org

  Filair Vickers Viscount 9Q-CTS was written off after an accident while landing at Tshikapa Airport.

A small Congolese regional airline focused on domestic and short-range passenger connectivity.

• Passenger air transport

  Domestic and regional passenger flights

  Filair's principal offering was regional passenger air service in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its listed destinations included Boma, Idiofa, Kikwit, Matadi, and Muanda, with operations based at N'Dolo Airport in Kinshasa. The available sources do not specify schedules, fares, cabin classes, or cargo services.

1. 1Filairen.wikipedia.org