 | | Jamie Roberts
Founder and Managing Director of Tropic Air
Born in 1963 in Nakuru, Kenya, Jamie was brought up on the shores of Lake Baringo with his five siblings. He enjoyed an amazing childhood growing up in a natural environment, learning to appreciate the flora and fauna that Africa’s wild areas have to offer. Shortly after school, Jamie worked in crop spraying for ten years and obtained his private and commercial pilots licence. In 1993 Jamie moved to Nanyuki and established Tropic Air just as tourism was growing in the prime areas of Laikipia, Samburu and Meru National Park. Jamie’s vision was to make Nanyuki airfield the hub for air charters serving northern Kenya. Jamie also saw that Nanyuki was the ideal link between northern Kenya and Kenya’s other famous tourism destinations areas in Kenya – the Masai Mara, Amboseli and the Indian Ocean Coast. Jamie has dedicated himself to building Tropic Air into one of Kenya’s leading air charter operations with a fine reputation. Jamie’s passion is flying, guiding and taking people on fantastic air safaris. With his vast knowledge of the continent and his many years of flying experience, Jamie is among the safest, most charismatic pilot/guides in Africa. Jamie has over 6800 hours of flying time and continues to fly passengers on a daily basis. | | | | |  | | Rick Stewart
Director and Chief Fixed Wing Pilot
Kenya-born Rick became a pilot in 1973. He has worked for Cessna Aircraft and Raythian and has flown humanitarian flights in Sudan. He holds a Kenyan and American Airline transport licence and has gained 20,000 hours flying throughout Africa. Rick Joined Tropic Air in 2001 when it had only three aircraft and has stayed with the company since. ‘To work with Tropic Air gives me a great sense of achievement. It’s a pleasure meeting people who are enthusiastic about going to far-off destinations away from the normal,’ says Rick.
| | | | |  | | Kyle Lucas
Fixed wing Pilot
Born in 1985 in Mombasa, Kenya, Kyle began his flying career in Durban, South Africa where he completed his Private Pilot’s License aged 17 and his Commercial license at 24. Kyle has a total flying time of 1,000 hours. He joined Tropic Air in 2009 and brings great energy and enthusiasm. He says, ‘When I was six, my uncle gave me a toy aeroplane that ignited a passion for flying. Working for Tropic Air gives me the chance to fly to unique destinations around East Africa. Each trip I make builds my passion for flying even more…’
| | | | |  | | Hamish Rendall
Fixed Wing Pilot
Hamish was born in New Zealand in 1980 and spent his early years in Pakistan, Italy and Thailand. He learned to fly in South Island, New Zealand. From 2004 he worked in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, where his passion for flying in Africa began. After a brief stint in Uganda he was recruited by Tropic Air in 2006. Hamish currently has 3,800 flying hours. He loves the outdoors and his multicultural upbringing allows him to really enjoy the diverse clientele visiting Kenya.
| | | | |  | | Charlie Stachan
Fixed Wing Pilot
Charlie was born in South Africa in 1977 and has been working on and off in East Africa for the past 14 years. He joined Tropic Air in December 2010 after spending two and a half years flying for Manda Air Services on the North Kenya coast. Charlie has flown in South Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Alaska and is fluent in Zulu, Xhosa, Sotha, Swahili, English and Afrikaans - enough languages to communicate freely from Southern Sudan to Cape Town. He has 1,200 hours of flying expereince to date. Charlie says 'Tropic Air is a magnificent company with a very strong team that prioritize customer safety and satisfaction. With Tropic Air, you arrive as a stranger, leave as a friend and come back as family!' | | | | |  | | Patrick Irwin
Chief Engineer
Patrick was born in Mombasa in 1960 and began his career in aeronautical engineering in 1977 with an apprenticeship at Safari Air at Wilson Airport. From there he continued his career with several other aviation companies including Geosurvey International, Air Kenya. Sky Trails, Fly 540 and now Tropic Air. During this time he has obtained engineering licenses from aviation authorities in the USA, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Patrick joined Tropic Air in December 2010 and brings 33 years of knowledge and experience to the company. | | | | |  | | Joseph Ngunza
Operations Manager
Born in Mutomo District, Kenya in 1968, Joseph has a long background in aviation. His first job was with Roy D Ndisi Air Charters, Mombasa as an aircraft attendant where he trained as an Operations Officer. He also worked for the United Nations, the European Union and for the Kenya government, airlifting troop battalions to peacekeeping operations. Joseph joined Tropic Air in 2001 as Operations Officer. He says, ‘The eagerness of clients to fly with us all the time gives me the passion to work for Tropic Air…’
|  | | Liz Wangare
Operations Officer
Liz was born and brought up in Nairobi. She joined the tourism industry at the age of 23 and has gone on to work for a number of aviation companies, including Air Kenya, East African Safari Air, Phoenix Aviation and Fly540. Liz joined Tropic Air at the beginning of March 2011 bringing a wealth of experience to the role. Liz loves working with people from different cultural backgrounds and highlights this as one of the main reasons for joining Tropic Air. | | | | | | | | |
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