$688,731,000,000

This project is ‘shovel ready’. The project company (PC), led by a group of seasoned professionals with many decades of experience in airline, hospitality and travel industries senior management, will operate a fleet of modern luxury flying boats (seaplanes) between Alexandria (Egypt) and Cape Town (South Africa). The aircraft will operate between luxury lodges, camps and hotels situated at water’s edge of rivers, lakes and bays in secluded and remote locales along the route, avoiding major airports altogether. The PC will bring high-end and premium mid-market travellers to all countries along the route and only 20,500 passengers a year will suffice to meet the financial targets in the business plan. Several African governments have informally stated their support for the project and will welcome the service. Existing airframes will be equipped with modern turboprop engines, state-of-the-art systems and titanium structural improvements, achieving modification to FAA Transport Category standards, under a program conducted by a US aviation engineering company with 60+ years of experience. The PC operation may be expanded both within Africa and by adding similar routes in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, across India and South-East Asia and to Central and South America. US$155 million is sought as a mix of debt and equity financing, whereof more than 30% has already been offered to the PC by a funder seeking risk-sharing partner(s).