Times Aerospace

C&L Aviation Group recently opened up a new warehouse in Johannesburg, it’s first step in Africa. The provider of services, maintenance, and operator supporting support in the corporate and regional aviation industry, used Aviation AFRICA Summit & Exhibition 2024 as a platform to talk about its new facility and expansion into the region. “The new warehouse is strategically located between the two major airports in Johannesburg and is a convenient shipping hub for customers in the African region,” said TIMOTHY SEMETSING, regional sales manager, Africa. “The facility will support our established sales team in Africa and will initially house inventories for ERJ 135/145, and ATR 42/72, which will expand into other aircraft types as demand dictates.” Martin Cooper, senior vice president, sales, added: “All the airlines that we've talked to in the region are very excited. This new warehouse location allows us to more quickly support our customers in Africa. “It was pretty evident that Africa was always going to be a good market for us, because of the aircraft types that fly here and the aircraft types that we support. We realised that none of our competitors have an inventory here like we offer. And, it's a very unserved market when it comes to inventory, so we feel we have an advantage in a continent we strongly believe in.” Cooper said the warehouse should become fully operational next month. #events #africa #avaf24 #aviationafrica #shippinghub #aviationafrica

According to Raphael Haddad, president Jetcraft Commercial, around 35% of the 65 aircraft transactions Jetcraft has made in the last few years have ended up in Africa. We have sold quite a few Dash 8 Q400s that one way or another have found their way into the African market, as well as at least two CRJ 200s. We’re also leasing aircraft to our African customers,” Haddad told African Aerospace. “The opportunities we see in Africa are tremendous, particularly for turboprop regional aircraft such as the Dash 8 and the ATR72-500,” he continued. Access to finance is one of the big challenges, with Haddad citing that while some companies are very credit worthy, others that want to acquire aircraft struggle to secure funding. “Any customer no matter where they are based has to have a robust business plan with financial statements. But there are African lending institutions to help with this. Two of the main ones we direct customers to are here in South Africa because they have a mandate to support funding African airlines.” Haddad also noted that in terms of regions, Jetcraft Commercial is seeing increasing demand in East Africa, South Africa, as well as West Africa, predominantly Nigeria. “Although the challenge with the latter is the issue of blocked funding.” Looking ahead, Jetcraft will continue to focus on growing its presence on the African continent. “It offers an excellent market for second hand aircraft. There’s strong demand for narrowbodies. We just need to overcome the challenge of supply chain issues.” #aircraft #jets #africa #aviationafrica #avaf24 #aviationindustry

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has partnered with Morafiq_AD, a leader in innovative airport services, to launch a new Home Check-In service for its passengers in Abu Dhabi. This service offers customers the convenience of checking in their luggage and collecting their boarding passes from the comfort of their homes, significantly enhancing the travel experience by saving time and reducing wait times at the airport. The innovative service promises a smooth journey from start to finish, enabling travellers to complete their check-in process, receive their boarding passes, and hand over their luggage to dedicated Morafiq staff before departure to the airport. Adel Al Ali, Group chief executive officer, Air Arabia said, "The launch of the Home Check-In service in partnership with Morafiq Aviation Services reinforces our commitment to providing innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of our customers. As we continue to invest in value-added products, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’s passengers will now benefit from convenient and streamlined services that significantly enhance their travel experience and save time.” Titten C Yohannan Yohannan, chairman and CEO at OACIS EMEA, stated, “We are delighted to introduce Home Check-in Services for Air Arabia Abu Dhabi customers through our wholly owned brand, Morafiq Aviation Services. This partnership with Air Arabia underscores our dedication to improving the travel experience in Abu Dhabi. We look forward to the benefits this collaboration will bring, including enhanced travel flexibility, safety, and peace of mind for our valued travellers.” #technology #airportservices #airlinesandairplanes #aviationindustry

Airbus is strengthening its presence in Africa by opening a new customer support centre in Johannesburg. Serving as a hub for customers in the region, the new office will provide tailored support and enhance operational efficiency. By supporting the growth of the local aviation industry, Airbus aims to empower airlines and reinforce their autonomy. This will not only benefit airlines but the entire industry and local workforce. “With the rapid expansion of the latest generation aircraft on the continent, Africa requires additional dedicated support and skills to meet the increasing demand for intra-African and international connectivity,” said Laurent NEGRE, vice-president: customer services Africa and Middle East at Airbus. “We are proud to open this new office to increase our proximity to customers while continuing to support the development of solutions for Africa, in Africa, and by Africa.” #airbus #customersupport #events #avaf24 #aviationindustry

Boeing has forecast that it expects Africa’s commercial aircraft fleet to more than double by 2043. This is as Africa’s young and growing population seeks new opportunities to travel. Boeing’s 2024 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) shows it expects deliveries of more than 800 new single-aisle jets will account for most of this growth, as predicted by the company’s long-term demand forecast for commercial airplanes and services. According to the CMO, passenger air traffic in Africa will increase 6.4% annually ─ more than tripling the region’s air traffic by 2043. This growth rate ranks Africa as the third highest among the ten regions tracked by Boeing. “As demand for air travel rises, African airlines will need more single-aisle aircraft to efficiently serve many routes in the continent’s largest aviation markets, including Europe, the Middle East and within Africa," said Shahab Matin, Boeing managing director of commercial marketing for Middle East and Africa. “This growth will build on Boeing’s nearly eight decades of partnership with African carriers, as more than 60 airlines currently operate around 500 Boeing airplanes.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/dH-ik-ic #events #avaf24 #aviationafrica #commercialaviation #aircraft #aviationindustry

Air Traffic and Navigation Services SOC (ATNS) and Global Air Navigation Services L.L.C. (GANS) have signed a strategic agreement to collaborate in various areas of Air Traffic Management (ATM). The agreement was signed on the side-lines of this year's Aviation AFRICA Summit & Exhibition in Sandton, South Africa. The collaboration between ATNS and GANS will focus on the following; Talent Attraction and Retention; Training Services; Technology and Innovation; Lesson Learning and Collaboration on Commercial Opportunities. This partnership marks a significant milestone for both companies as they leverage their combined expertise and resources to advance the field of Air Traffic Management. The agreement underscores their commitment to excellence, innovation, and the continuous improvement of ATM services. With passenger volumes projected to soar from 2.4 billion today to 12.4 billion by 2050, collaboration is the key to unlocking capacity and growth which will deliver a safe, efficient and sustainable aviation industry. “We are excited to partner with GANS to address the evolving challenges and opportunities in Air Traffic Management,” said Nozipho M., CEO of ATNS. “This collaboration will enable us to drive operational excellence, technological innovation, and enhance our overall service offerings.” “ATNS shares our vision for the future of Air Traffic Management and together, we will achieve great things,” said Yahya Al Hammadi, CEO of GANS. “Our combined efforts will lead to significant advancements in the industry and create new commercial opportunities for both companies.” #avaf24 #aviationafrica #southafrica #newpartnership #navigationservices #airtraffic #atm #events #summitandexhibition #aviationindustry

Alcinda Pereira, the first woman to lead African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA), told the Aviation AFRICA Summit & Exhibition of the importance of business aviation saying ‘a business jet is not a luxury, it is a tool to get you from A to B'. AfBAA is delighted to be a partner the Aviation Africa summit and the exhibition this year, and to have the opportunity over the next two days to have a voice and to debate about the industry,” said Pereira. “While commercial aviation plays a huge part in the industry, business aviation should not be overlooked,” she said. “I hope that I can assure you that the executive aviation plays a cultural role in Africa, both in terms of connectivity and the economy development of the region. Executive aviation provides a fast and efficient way to travel between countries and regions on our continent. This is especially in this diverse continent, where land transportation options may be very limited. We only have to look at the continent connectivity maps to see for yourself the gaps. “As an example, we have a mining investor - a corporation in Durban, South Africa - that would like to fly and to visit and do business in a potential site in the Copper Belt in Zambia. The fastest way commercially can be between 18 to 35 hours! It is actually just a two/three-hour flight. This is a good example how a business jet can step in and bridge that gap,” said Pereira. “We can transport everyone from A to B in a few hours, people. That makes the difference. The distance is just 1000 nautical miles, and a mid-sized jet like the Challenger 3500 will be a very good option. You can literally be back to loved ones, or back to doing business the same day, whereas the commercial route is the longest way. We need to stop looking at a business jet as a luxury, but as a tool that gets you from A to B.” Pereira, co-founder of Angola’s successful BESTFLY, went on to say African governments needs to work together. “As the AfBAA campaign says, no plane, no game, and this is the message to African governments too. We would like to see all 54 countries in Africa to come together with a plan. We need to plan for new infrastructures at the airports, new facilities, which we are already starting to see – this is so important, especially within the business aviation section.” “BestFly has an FBO with a full service for 12 years now -I mean a VIP terminal with all the services with customs, immigration and police. This is a full service that is very difficult to find in Africa, but we managed to do it in Angola because we had the support of our government, which is very important,” said Pereira. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dHbsc-dm #avaf24 #aviationafrica #events #afbaa24 #aviationindustry

CPaT Global LLC, a provider of distance learning for the airline and aviation industry, has been awarded a new contract with newly established Libyan Airline, Berniq Airways. CPaT will provide Berniq Airways with customized Aircraft Systems courses for their Airbus A320 CEO and A320 NEO fleets, along with a full suite of Aircraft Procedural Trainers. In addition to pilot training materials, CPaT will deliver a comprehensive range of Cabin Crew Training products, including Aircraft Systems for Cabin Crew (for both the Airbus A320 and A320 NEO), Cabin Crew Safety and General Subject Courses, and 3D Cabin Trainers. “We are excited to partner with Berniq Airways and support their training needs with our tailored Airbus A320 CEO and A320 NEO courses,” said Captain Gregory Darrow, VP of Sales. “By providing both Airbus pilot training materials and a comprehensive range of cabin crew products, we aim to enhance the quality and effectiveness of their training programmes as they grow their operations.” Berniq Airways, based in Benghazi City, Libya, is on a mission to excel, representing hope and prosperity for Libya. The company's name reflects its vision of providing high-quality aviation services while staying connected to Libyan heritage and civilisation. Captain Alsanussi Alghazali, flight operations manager of Berniq Airways. "We're excited to partner with CPaT Global to expand our training with customised, unlimited, and easily accessible courses. We are dedicated to continually improving and embracing new technologies to enhance our teams." #avaf24 #aviationafrica #southafrica #events #aviationindustry

Hon Barbara Creecy, minister of transport, Republic of South Africa has emphasised the need for a common aviation strategy in Africa. Speaking during a tour of the exhibition floor at Aviation AFRICA Summit & Exhibition, she referenced recent disruptions to services as a result of air traffic control failures that resulted in passenger delays. “Passengers at King Phalo and George airports in particular faced extensive delays, for which we apologise. We are now in the process of updating all flight procedures over the next 18 months to make sure we are fully compliant with international regulations,” Creecy said. “Passenger safety must not be compromised, even if we are facing difficulties.” Commenting on the challenges faced across the industry, Creecy said that connectivity and the cost of fuel are both significant hurdles that need to be overcome. “The purpose of these gatherings is to address these challenges, so both here in South Africa and next year when Aviation Africa will go to Kigali I hope we can move forward on a common strategy for Africa in place.” Creecy then turned her attention to the need to appoint a permanent CEO for South Africa’s flag carrier, South African Airways. “The South African cabinet has taken a decision that they wish to have a national flag carrier. Appointing a permanent CEO and having full time leadership is key to taking the airline forward.” Addressing the need to ensure that the next generation of South Africa’s aviation professionals is up to speed, Creecy noted that the Department of Transport has already implemented significant training programmes, including for pilots, air traffic controllers and safety officials. “The purpose of these programme is to ensure that some of the highly skilled professions within the aviation industry are made available to marginalised South Africans. It’s critical there is bursary support for these training schemes to ensure that the opportunity is open to all.” Looking ahead, Creecy said that the focus for growth now is to think about all the value streams for aviation, including the aerotropolis concept, which will be key to growing the industry. “ACSA plans to upgrade and expand our airports, which is very important given the anticipated growth in air passenger traffic. There are also plenty of exciting innovations in technology at the moment that we need to explore and we all know that to meet net zero commitments by 2050 we must find an alternative liquid aviation fuel with a lower carbon footprint. We also believe that South Africa is ideally placed to participate in the green hydrogen value chain.” https://lnkd.in/dZZTmUaU #avaf24 #aviationafrica #events #airtransport #southafrica #aviationindustry

With more than 1200 delegates expected to attend this year’s Aviation Africa 2024, the summit officially opened today, September 16. Under the theme Bridging Skies and Leveraging Growth, Alan Peaford, MBE the conference chair, began proceedings remembering the late Nick Fadugba (former Chair of AfBAA) and the role he played in promoting aviation development throughout Africa. Peaford also underlined that Africa represents the last frontier for aviation development. However, he warned that challenges remain in realising aviation’s full potential on the continent with ongoing protectionism practices and in some cases impotent government transport strategies hindering growth. “Operating costs in Africa are among the highest in the world and airport monopolies continue to blight the industry,” he said. “It’s time to prove actions speak louder than words.” With 34 African countries represented at the event, it is a truly pan-African summit continued Peaford, as he underlined that the message from Aviation Africa is clear. “We must tell how it is. We need to be honest, not say one thing and do another.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/dxTq7R9P #avaf24 #aviationafrica #southafrica SACAA #afbaa24 #aviationindustry