Organized at Khartoum by H & H, under contract to Yemen Transporting Corporation in 1983, TAAT begins charter and contract cargo operations with 30 workers and 1 Douglas DC-8-55Fs. The aircraft launches revenue services to destinations in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. Emphasis is placed on the transport of livestock. Neither traffic nor financial figures are released by the privately owned concern, 75% shareholding of which is in the hands of M. H. Gangari.
A second DC-8-55F is acquired in 1985. Services are maintained by the Jet Traders until 1988, when they are replaced in September by a single Boeing 707-349C christened Juba. A B-707-338C arrives in early 1989, followed later in the year by a B-707-321C leased from Sudan Airways, Ltd.
The year 1990 is disastrous for the company as it loses two Stratofreighters. The leased unit crashes into a mountain near Athens during the first quarter on its very first flight for TAAT. Just after landing at Khartoum on July 14, Juba suffers the collapse of its landing gear, which in turn leads to the damaging of the No. 2 and No. 4 engines. There are no fatalities. The B-707-338C now operates all of the carrier’s services.
The last Stratofreighter is sold to Grumman Aerospace Corporation in early 1992 for conversion into a J-STARS platform for the USAF. It is replaced with two leased Stratofreighters, plus three Antonov An-26s.
Destinations visited in 1993-1994 include Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, Athens, Cairo, Doha, Harare, Jeddah, London (LGW and STN), Malta, Nairobi, Port Sudan, and Sharjah. In February of the latter year, a B-707-351C is leased as the Antonovs are withdrawn.
Flights continue in 1995 and a new corporate livery is unveiled in 1996 when the company is renamed United Arabian Airlines, Ltd.
Capt. Mustafa H. Y. Kordofani remains managing director of the renamed concern and continues to oversee a 230-person workforce.
In addition to 3 Antonov An-26s and 1 An-12, the fleet includes 1 each owned Boeing 707-349C and B-707-351C, plus 1 leased B-707-321C. Destinations visited during the remainder of the year and in 1997 include Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, Athens, Cairo, Doha, Harare, Jeddah, London (LGW and STN), Malta, Nairobi, Port Sudan, and Sharjah.
The company reverts to its original name in 1998 and operations continue apace without headline or incident during the next year. Repainting of the company’s aircraft proves haphazard; the An-12 simply has its “United Arabian Airlines” titles painted over in gray and new “Trans Arabian Transport” titles applied over the top.
Following a missed approach to the airport at Mwanza, Tanzania, on a February 3, 2000 ferry flight, the captain of the carrier’s B-707-321C turns to recover. During this maneuver, the aircraft hits the surface of Lake Victoria, where it remains afloat approximately 3 km. short of the runway. Later, the Stratofreighter is towed to shore and beached. Investigators will later determine that the pilot’s altimeter had been incorrectly reading 400-ft. higher than actuality.
World History
