How Ruto, Gachagua's Military Planes Compare [PHOTOS]

President William Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, have been making use of the two Kenya Airforce planes that are different in size and capability during their foreign trips.

Gachagua used one of the military planes to fly to Rwanda on Thursday, October 13, the same one he used to fly to Kisumu for the national music festival in September 2022.

Ruto on the other hand flew recently to Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, considered relatively short distances fit for a section of domestic aircraft. Viral Tea takes a look at how the two compare with each other.

Gachagua's Kenya Air Force Plane 

This is a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-103 series plane registered as KAF 304. Gachagua's senior had been using it on a series of trips during his time as the Deputy President.

Kenya Air Force aircraft used to fly DP Rigathi Gachagua to Rwanda on October 13, 2022. /TWITTER

The prototype made its first flight on June 20, 1983, and entered service on October 23, 1984, making it one of the oldest twin turboprop airliners.

Its elegant appearance is highlighted by the High T-tail, which avoids the effects of prop wash, and its elongated engine nacelles (undercarriage) which also accommodate the rear-folding undercarriage.

The plane is 25.89 meters wide - inclusive of the wings and is 7.5 meters high. KAF 304 is 22 meters long. Some aeroplane sites estimate the price of the military aircraft at Ksh300 million.

The 1987 variant is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada (PW121) engines and a 34,500 lb (15,650 kg) takeoff weight (can be modified for a 35,200 lb [15,950 kg] take-off weight).

It has a cruise speed of 498.9km/hr and can carry a maximum of up to 37 people over a range of 2,040km. However, the manufacturers provide room for modification to allow room for more storage.

The Dash 8-103 is part of the series of twin turboprop regional transport passenger aircraft which places its design concept on high performance and low operating costs.

Some regional airlines in the country have the Dash 8-100 series in their fleet while others have the Q400 series which is longer, faster and can carry more than 70 passengers.

Gachagua's plane possesses security features that assure him of his safety during his journey as the aircraft cannot be tracked mid-air.

Ruto's Kenya Air Force Plane

President Ruto flies KAF 308, a Fokker ER 7 Executive Jet, which is estimated to be worth over Ksh2 billion and was acquired in 1995 to boost VVIP transport.

It is faster than Gachagua's aircraft, with a cruise speed of 845km per hour and a range of 3,410km, just 1,000 shy of the Embraer 190, meaning it can do trips from Kenya to South Africa.

The aircraft is customised to the executive style and class fit for a Head of State, and despite holding a maximum capacity of 72 to 85 passengers, it can only carry a maximum capacity of 10.

The narrow-body, twin-engined, medium-range, turbofan regional airliner was made in the Netherlands and it is believed that its cabin crew is trained abroad. The value tag makes it considered one of the most expensive presidential jets in Africa.

Retired President Daniel Arap Moi was the first president of Kenya to use the aircraft on January 26, 1996. He was on a journey to an official function in Uganda.

The Fokker 70 is powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Tay 620 turbofan engines, positioned at either side of the aircraft and mounted on the rear fuselage; each engine is capable of providing up to 61.6 Kilonewtons (kN) of thrust.

The weight varies from 22,673 kilograms when empty to 41,730 kilograms at maximum takeoff weight (MTOW).

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta disembarking from the presidential jet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on February 5, 2022. /PSCU