Like the early aviators discovering wild Africa from the open cockpit of a biplane, we’ve always dreamed of exploring the continent’s expansive wilderness from the air. In 2009, that dream became a reality when we began pioneering cross-border flying safaris throughout East Africa, and from there, Scenic Air Safaris was born.
At our core, we are adventurous pilots who love our flying machines and a group of innovative aviation professionals with an unquenchable passion for boundless travel. For more than a decade, Scenic Air Safaris has developed an exceptional reputation for providing timeless and authentic flying safaris and superior air charter services throughout East and Southern Africa. And through this experience, we have developed an unrivalled record for world-class safety and dependability.
Today, we have injected these same motivations and passions into our bespoke, executive-class charter company, Execufly Africa.
Capt. Torben Rune
Simon Penfold
Capt. Murtaza Walijee
Daljeet Bhambra
Jeni Stow
Capt. Aaron Ralph D’Cruz
Capt. Sanjay Patel
Capt. Kimaru Boit
Sharlet Tandi
Veena Kaleha
Japheth Oduor
Warren Ojwang
Christine Munene
Victor Opido
Capt. Torben Rune
Managing Director
A committed wildlife conservationist and private pilot for the past 30 years, Torben has vast experience within International Tourism. He studied Marketing and Business Studies in South Africa, returning to Kenya where he managed Southern Cross Safaris as a partner and Managing Director for over 20years. Now the Managing Director of Scenic Air Safaris of which Torben is a founding partner to one of Kenya’s most iconic aviation companies.
Torben is also a trustee of the Satao Community and WildlifeTrust, the Chairman of the George Adamson Wildlife Trust, and a past founder trustee of the East African Whale Shark Trust.
Simon Penfold
Sales Director
Simon has aviation in his blood. His father, an East African Airways pilot in the 1960s led the way for Simon’s passion in all things aviation. Having studied Airline & Tourism management in Glasgow, Scotland, he then worked in a management role for KLM & Kenya Airways based in the UK, before heading home to Kenya where he served as General Manager of Southern Cross Safaris (Nairobi). Moving onto Scenic Air Safaris to join Torben and Murtaza, Simon oversees sales and marketing for both Execufly Africa and Scenic Air Safaris.
Simon also sits on the executive committee of the Kenya Association of Air Operators.
Capt. Murtaza Walijee
Pilot
Our chief pilot and director of operations is credited with over 9000hrs of bush flying experience across East and southern Africa. He is Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) qualified as well as a certified flight training instructor with an instrument rating. Responsible for the advancement of our inflight experiences, Murtaza knows very well indeed what it takes to fly notable people, celebrities and executive passengers, being the pilot of choice for many.
A great story-teller with a trove of incredible experiences, relishes the challenges of ‘bush flying’, but is also responsible for and in particular, flying and guiding wing safaris with Scenic Air Safaris.
Daljeet Bhambra
Assistant to MD
Daljeet is our coordinator, and she ensures all bases are covered across the board, all the time. No mean feat, but with over eleven years in the aviation industry, her experience in key roles across a wide spectrum of functions, gives her the expertise to deliver.
Passionate about nature and conservation, Daljeet’s efforts were recognised by the Kenya Wildlife Service and she is now an honorary warden as well as an accomplished and semi-professional wildlife photographer. When not organising in the world of business aviation, you can find Daljeet in art galleries, off-roading and behind her telephoto lens in Kenya’s national parks.
Jeni Stow
Flight Operations Manager
With over 28 years of sound flight operations experience, Jeni earned her ‘colours’ in far-off remote destinations; Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia and of course in her home country, Kenya, where she directed humanitarian aviation relief operations for both fixed-wing and helicopter operations.
Educated both in Kenya and the United Kingdom, Jeni returned home to East Africa to follow her passion for aviation. When not directing aircraft, pilots and ground support crews, Jeni chairs the Kenya Amateur Dramatics Society, but also sings, acts and dances in her spare time.
An avid safari lover and conservation activist, we are proud to have her wealth of experience onboard.
Capt. Aaron Ralph D’Cruz
Pilot
With over 4,300 hrs of bush flying experience across Africa, Aaron’s happy place is undeniably in the sky. Having started his aviation career as an aircraft engineer, Aaron realised he would much prefer fly them rather than fix them.
An accomplished pilot with many facets, he has flown humanitarian relief for the United Nations in Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad and he is also a certified jump pilot, dropping Skydivers over the Kenya coast.
Whenever Aaron is not in the sky, he loves travelling and exploring new destinations with his wife. He plays the guitar and the drums and is an avid sportsman.
Capt. Sanjay Patel
Pilot
Sanjay gained his commercial pilot’s licence and invaluable flying experience the hard way; flying through Canadian snowstorms, freezing rain and brilliant sunshine (sometimes all in one day) in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Such extreme flying conditions taught Sanjay many unique skills as a bush pilot, and he returned home to continue his dream of flying in Africa.
Sanjay is an active member and guide for the ‘Save Our Pride’ conservation initiative, providing vital funding for conservation projects inside Nairobi National Park. working closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service. Sanjay is an excellent guide and his eye for spotting wildlife from the air is legendary.
Capt. Kimaru Boit
Pilot
“Kim” as he likes to be known is a well-seasoned pilot with over 4,100hrs to his credit. After completing his commercial pilot training in South Africa, over the years Kim gained valuable experience flying special missions in Somalia, South Sudan and the Comoros islands for World Food Program and other humanitarian organisations. Kim is also no stranger to flying VIPs, having flown many notable celebrities around Kenya and Tanzania.
With this very jovial manner, and whilst on the ground, Kim actively mentors junior pilots, has been a driver and navigator in motorsport competitions, is an avid New Zealand All Blacks Rugby fan, and coaches the sport at Next Gen multisport academy.
Sharlet Tandi
Personal Flight Coordinator
Being a personal flight coordinator takes organisation and that is where Sharlet’s strength is legendary.
With many years spent working within the aviation industry, coupled with a Bachelor of Business Management, (with marketing) and a Diploma in Cabin Crew and Air Ticketing, Sharlet has good experience in handling the sales and operations function at Execufly Africa. Sufficit to say, you are in very capable hands.
Veena Kaleha
Personal Flight Coordinator
A graduate of the Kenya Institute of Management, Veena brings nine years of invaluable frontline experience to the Execufly Africa sales team based in Vipingo.
Personalised travel planning for individuals, couples and groups is Veena’s forte, coupled with solid operations support experience to ensure prompt and effective customer service delivery to our members.
Japheth Oduor
Ground Operations
Japheth is a dispatch and flight operations officer, responsible for ensuring aircraft are refuelled, clean, loaded up and ready to go. Passionate about aviation from a young age, ‘Javvy’ is happiest when at the airport and around aircraft. He graduated from Aerosafe Africa and has experience working with some well known air operators in Kenya.
Warren Ojwang
Ground Operations
Warren is a ground and flight operations officer, responsible for pushing and pulling aircraft into position on the tarmac and ensuring aircraft are refuelled, cleaned, loaded up and ready to go. A graduate from the Capital Connect Training School, Warren now has three years of experience and is a passionate future aviator who’s dream, since childhood, is to become a professional pilot.
Christine Munene
Flight Tracking and Operations
Christine is our flight tracker. A graduate from the East African School of Aviation, Christine specialized in flight operations and later joined the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to complete her aviation training. Now responsible for tracking all our aircraft through a real time satellite tracking system, a critical function that enables us to determine accurate arrival and departure details. When not in the office, Christine enjoys exploring new destinations.
Victor Opido
Ground Operations
Victor is in flight operations and passionate about flying and adventure. A graduate of Aerosafe Africa with a Diploma in Flight Operations, Victor is hands on with passenger meet and greet, check in, ground operations and cargo handling. He is now studying an Aviation Business Leeadership Management course, part time at Mebban international Institute and hopes to be a future Aviation business leader.
Capt. Torben Rune
Simon Penfold
Capt. Murtaza Walijee
Vikram Kanji
Severin Schulte
Sebastian Severin Schulte
Aslam Khan
Sejal Patel
Capt. Torben Rune
Managing Director
A committed wildlife conservationist and private pilot for the past 30 years, Torben has vast experience within International Tourism. He studied Marketing and Business Studies in South Africa, returning to Kenya where he managed Southern Cross Safaris as a partner and Managing Director for over 20years. Now the Managing Director of Scenic Air Safaris of which Torben is a founding partner to one of Kenya’s most iconic aviation companies.
Torben is also a trustee of the Satao Community and WildlifeTrust, the Chairman of the George Adamson Wildlife Trust, and a past founder trustee of the East African Whale Shark Trust.
Simon Penfold
Sales Director
Simon has aviation in his blood. His father, an East African Airways pilot in the 1960s led the way for Simon’s passion in all things aviation. Having studied Airline & Tourism management in Glasgow, Scotland, he then worked in a management role for KLM & Kenya Airways based in the UK, before heading home to Kenya where he served as General Manager of Southern Cross Safaris (Nairobi). Moving onto Scenic Air Safaris to join Torben and Murtaza, Simon oversees sales and marketing for both Execufly Africa and Scenic Air Safaris.
Simon also sits on the executive committee of the Kenya Association of Air Operators.
Capt. Murtaza Walijee
Pilot
Our chief pilot and director of operations is credited with over 9000hrs of bush flying experience across East and southern Africa. He is Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) qualified as well as a certified flight training instructor with an instrument rating. Responsible for the advancement of our inflight experiences, Murtaza knows very well indeed what it takes to fly notable people, celebrities and executive passengers, being the pilot of choice for many.
A great story-teller with a trove of incredible experiences, relishes the challenges of ‘bush flying’, but is also responsible for and in particular, flying and guiding wing safaris with Scenic Air Safaris.
Vikram Kanji
Director
An advocate of the High Court in Kenya, Notary Public, Commissioner for Oaths and a Certified Public Secretary of Kenya, Vikram has led a colourful career in law both in Kenya and in the United Kingdom. Vikram has also served as Honorary Consul for the countries of Sweden and Norway and is appointed to the board of several limited companies as non-executive director and company secretary.
Severin Schulte
Director
From a young age, Severin often traveled from Germany to Kenya with his family and thus developed an extraordinary love for the country and its people. After studying business administration in Cologne, he took over the management of Severin Kenya in addition to other tourism investments as an entrepreneur. With almost 50 years of business experience in Kenya now the Chairman of Severin Sea Lodge / Severin Safari Camp and founding partner of Scenic Air Safaris.
A special desire of Severin is supporting young people from the local communities to get a better education. He is trustee of the German charity Skills for Kenya e.V. and runs the Severin Craftsman Training Center near Mombasa.
Sebastian Severin Schulte
Director
Just like his father and grandfather before, fascination and a deep love for Africa and its people, enabled Sebastian Severin Schulte to follow in the footsteps of forefathers in Africa. After establishing two companies in his native Germany, he decided to step into the footsteps of his family to further develop the family tourism business.
Today Sebastian is the managing director of the 4* hotel Severin Sea Lodge at Bamburi Beach near Mombasa and the luxurious Severin Safari Camp in Tsavo West National Park. Sebastian also serves as the managing director of the German travel agency Severin Travel Africa that is specialized in tailor-made trips to Eastern and Southern Africa. Sebastian is also the first chairman of the German association; Skills for Kenya e.V. which supports young Kenyans in professional education, to give them better access to their professional future.
Aslam Khan
Director
The Kenya Airforce is where Aslam first trained to fly in 1970. Seven years later he embarked on an adventurous and illustrious aviation career flying Fokker F27’s, DC9’s, Boeing 707’s and the Airbus A310-300 for Kenya Airways. Goals achieved, Aslam started Aircraft Leasing Services (ALS) becoming the first air operator to introduce Cessna Caravans to Kenyan Skies. Today ALS operates 40 aircraft ranging from Embraer 145 jets, Dash8-100/200/300 series, Beech 1900D and Cessna Grand Caravans.
A founding partner of Safarilink Aviation, now regarded as the leading small tourist airline in Kenya. Also a founding partner of Scenic Air Safaris, now the leading executive air charter company in Kenya. His latest venture, Fly ALS is Kenya’s newest domestic tourism airline. Actively involved in Rallying for over 50 years, Aslam is an accomplished driver having won the Kenya Rally Championships and the Himalayan Rally 1981/2/3 . Aslam has also been nominated as Motor Sports Personality of the year in 1982 and 2002 .
Sejal Patel
Director
An Architect by profession with offices in London, Lisbon and Nairobi and a conservationist at heart. Sejal designed and built two very crucial and prominent buildings, the ALS Terminal at Wilson Airport and our Hangar One base in Vipingo.
Sejal’s first introduction to aviation, back in 2002, saw her as co-founder of ALS Europe Ltd with Aslam Khan. Leveraging her London real estate portfolio to secure the purchase of key strategic aircraft assets – from storage in the Arizona desert – Sejal and Aslam purchased a small ‘starter’ fleet of aircraft which were then leased to both public and private sector companies in East Africa, catapulting ALS towards a meteoric rise in African aviation.
Sejal joined Scenic Air Safaris as a founding partner and continues to be actively involved in architecture, real estate development, aviation and tourism in East Africa.
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