Tanzanian operator Keys Aviation is widening its mission profile by transporting politicians into rural areas in Tanzania in the run up to the country's general election in October. It is not the first time that chief pilot William Silaa has been involved in political campaigns; in 1997 he provided transportation in Kenya and in 2002 supported a candidate for the Kenyan presidency who narrowly missed out on gaining office. On the previous occasions he flew rotorcraft such as a Squirrel, EC135 and LongRanger.

“We have been flying politicians to different rural areas so that they can introduce themselves to the people. It is mainly the opposition parties trying to say that they are better than the ruling party. It is giving people in local areas an education about their rights and what they should do for change in the country in the future,” he says. “All of the politicians are excited to use the aircraft. In Tanzania this is a new thing. I first did it during the 2010 general election for the president who is in power now, Jakaya Kikwete.

“A helicopter in a rural area is a new piece of equipment. Nobody knows it and everybody gets excited about it. So when we land, the politician has a free audience and it gets everyone's attention. You draw the crowd so quickly and in a short space of time. If you go around by the usual method and call meetings, it can be difficult to get people to come. With the helicopter they come without being told.”

Keys Aviation performs its mountain rescue missions on an ad hoc basis so there have been no clashes between the two projects. “If someone loses their stamina while climbing the mountain, we fly up and bring them down to the hospital,” he continues. “While we were doing the political work the mountain rescue services were not required.”

The company performs mountain rescue work at Kilimanjaro using a JetRanger, and Silaa recently came to the aid of two American walkers who encountered difficulties at 15,000 ft.