South African helicopter operator BAC Helicopters is playing a crucial role in fighting the current locust plagues afflicting Kenya. These are part of a much wider series of swarms that are endangering harvests over a large area, ranging from the Arabian Gulf (more usually known as the Persian Gulf) to East Africa.

The company deployed two Bell 206L-4 LongRanger helicopters from South Africa to Kenya during the second half of May. On arrival in Kenya, the BAC crews (a pilot and an engineer for each helicopter) underwent the compulsory quarantine period before starting operations.

According to Bell Helicopter, the manufacturer of the 206L-4, the South African company had bought three of these machines not long before the Kenyan contract was awarded. “The Bell 206, and newer light aircraft like the Bell 505 have shown time and again that they can be trusted to operate in high temperatures and with heavy payloads, providing a capable defence wherever the swarms may be present,” highlighted Bell Africa and Middle East MD Sameer Rehman.

The BAC machines are deployed in north-western Kenya, in Marsabit and Turkana counties, around Lake Turkana. The their mission is to survey these areas, locate and map locust swarms, and transfer this information to spray aircraft. The sprayers can then target the specific areas where the swarms are located.

To fulfil their mission, the two helicopters are both fitted with FDC (now Aerometals) inlet barrier filters to protect their engines by preventing the ingestion of dust, other foreign objects and the locusts themselves. They are also both equipped with specialised agricultural survey equipment and satellite tracking systems.

In early July, the operator reinforced its detachment in Kenya with a third helicopter, this time an Airbus AS350-B2. This machine, however, is equipped as a spray aircraft and is, in fact, the first spray equipped helicopter to be operated in Kenya. The South African company was the first to demonstrate this capability to the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture.

“BAC Helicopters is proud to be contributing to this Humanitarian Aid effort in East Africa; food security is vital to the sustainability and prosperity of the region,” affirmed the company. “Through our professional service delivery, we are confident that we have made a positive impact in this noble cause.”