Hidden gems in former Zaïre
Two Boeings and a Tristar are on display outside Kinshasa
by Jan Koppen
|
Parc de la vallée de la N’Sele is a national park located in the western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the commune of Maluku, approximately 90 min from the city centre Kinshasa. Not only does it offer this conservation but it also provides a space o relaxation and entertainment.
With its 10.000 hectares the park host various animals such as donkeys, giraffes, black buffaloes, Impala, zebras, Sitatunga antelopes, monkeys, lions and other species of herbivores. In addition there are a lot of activities around the park. Cycling, kayaking, hiking or riding the Zip line. The park has opened it’s doors to the public since the June 02, 2018. As a prominent landmark a total of three aircraft are placed on top of a hill near the entrance of the parc. They will be converted into a bar, a restaurant and an hotel. Fresh Air Hewa Bora Airways, Swahili for “Fresh Air“, was the national airline of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The entire fleet of the airline was blacklisted in European airspace. In 2011, the airline’s Air Operator’s Certificate was suspended, following a fatal crash with a Boeing 727 on a domestic flight between Kinshasa and Kisangani in 2011. From 2007, Hewa Bora's Lockheed L-1011 TriStar (9Q-CHC, c/n. 1209), was stored at Kinshasa’s N’Djili Airport. Last year, the aircraft has been cut into three pieces and transported to the Parc de la Vallée de la Nsele. Lockheed L-1011 9Q-CHC history file: This Lockheed Tristar 500 made its first flight on April 23, 1981, before being delivered new to Air Canada as C-GAGI. After 11 years of faithful service with the canadian national airline she found employment with Delta Airlines in 1992. Her registration became N767DA. In April 2000 she was withdrawn from use and ferried to Victorville for long term storage. After two years she was re-activated again. In may 2002 she got a new lease of live with the Hewa Bora Airways from the DRC. Her last service for the african operator was on January 28, 2007. It soon appeared her service life was over and after a couple of years being stored at Kinshasa she was cut in three pieces and transport to her final resting place of top of a hill near the entrance of Parc de la Vallee de la N'sele. 
Hewa Bora 9Q-CHC is seen here lifting off from Brussel’s runway 07R for a non stop service to Kinshasa as flight ALX101.
Photo credit: Philippe Bleus, Brussel, August 08, 2004. 
Photo credit: Andrea Davidova, Brussel August 03, 2005.
Boeing 737-200 CQ-CNK history file:
The date is January 01, 1999. Lignes Aeriennes Congolaises Boeing 737-289C 9Q-CNK reported an emergency landed at Kilimanjaro following a number one engine failure. The aircraft was ferried to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport on March 3, 1999 and stored there because of insufficient financial resources to carry out a D-check. In December, 2000 the aircraft was seen parked in a hangar, still out of service. This ‘tin mouse’ was manufactured in 1974 and served Air Zaire for more than 22 years. In June 1997 she was sold to Lignes Aeriennes Congolaises. Presently ’this ‘baby Boeing’ is displayed in Parc de la Vallee de la N'sele, outside Kinshasa, DRC. 
Photo credit: First Gen. Kodak. Lome-Tokoin, Togo, February 1990.
Boeing 727-100 9Q-CGB history file:
Boeing 727-22C 9Q-CGB, which was manufactured in 1967 and enjoyed a long and various career. After 23 years of faithful service with first owner United Airlines as N7420U she was sold in February 1979 to Air Canada. They were just one of the dozen employers this 727 worked for. After Air Canada she operated respectively for Interstate Airlines who converted her into a freighter, Kallita Air, American International Airways, Kitty Hawk Air Cargo, Express.net Airlines, Northern Air Cargo and Westcan International. In June 2009 she was bought by aircraft broker Proffesional Maintenance Service, who in their turned sold the 727 to Gomair of the DRC. In July 2009 she was registrated 9Q-CGB and her new base became Kinshasa. A couple of years she was withdrawn from use and stored at Kinshasa International. More thans fifty years after she rolled-off the Renton production line, she was finally transported to her final resting place still wearing her former Westcan uniform. 
Photo credit: Kevin Wachter, Edmonton Int'l., August 2008.
|
Former Hewa Bora Lockheed Tristar 500 9Q-CHC c/n. 1209 on top of a hill in Parc de la Vallee de la Nsele, 50km outside Kinshasa, DRC. Before HBA she operated for Delta Airlines and Air Cananda.
Photo credit: An van den Poel. 
Photo credit: An van den Poel
Photo credit: An van den Poel
Photo credit: An van den poel
Photo credit: An van den poel
Photo credit: An van den Poel
The 727 at Parc de la Vallee de la Nsele outside Kinshasa, DRC, is 9Q-CGB 727-22C c/n. 19195 ex Gomair, Westcan, Northern Air Cargo, Express.net, Kitty Hawk, American Intl., Kalitta, Interstate, Air Canada and started with United in May 1967.
Photo credit: An van den Poel 
This 727 has its base in Goma. The cargo jets fly mainly produce from the fertile area around Goma to Kinshasa where she was photographed a couple of years ago.
|