Magazine Issue

African Aerospace: July - September 2025

VOL. 13 NO. 3 July 14, 2025
African Aerospace Issue 3 2025

Allan Kilavuka, the dynamic CEO of Kenya Airways, is our cover interview, as he puts his carrier on firmer footings.

This issue also features a 12-page special report on the aviation ambitions of Aviation Africa Summit 2025 host Rwanda, while we also examine China’s growing role in the continent’s defence arena.

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Air Transport

Allan Kilavuka
article

Allan's Key To Restoring Pride

Aug 08, 2025
Having overseen Kenya Airways’ first profit for a decade, chief executive Allan Kilavuka is turning his attention to securing long-term financial sustainability. Graham Dunn reports from Nairobi.
Image: ACSA
article

Mpofu's Breath Of Fresh Airports

Aug 31, 2025
Inside ACSA CEO Mpumi Mpofu’s vision for Africa’s smartest airport network.
article

Engelbrecht Plans A Smooth Link To Expansion

Aug 31, 2025
After 30 years at the helm, Airlink’s founding CEO Rodger Foster retired at the end of March, passing the baton to his chief financial officer, de Villiers Engelbrecht.
Ibom Air
article

Can Regional Airlines Resolve Nigeria's Domestic Difficulties?

Aug 14, 2025
Nigeria’s airline scene has traditionally been difficult for smaller companies to navigate. Now, new backers are appearing in an attempt to stabilise the situation.
Air Côte d'Ivoire signing ceremony
article

Air Côte D'Ivoire Closer To African Gateway

Aug 31, 2025
Air Côte d'Ivoire is pursuing its expansion strategy with the launch of its intercontinental flights at the end of the year.
Sky Mali
article

Regional Ambition Achieved For Sky Mali

Aug 31, 2025
Sky Mali has launched its new Bamako–Niamey route via Gao, marking a strategic turning point in its regional connectivity development plan.
An Air Austral Boeing
article

Three Pillars That Can Aid Air Austral's Recovery

Aug 31, 2025
Hugues Marchessaux, new chairman of the board of Air Austral, shared the latest news on the airline during the opening of the business lounge at La Réunion–Roland Garros Airport in April.
Kwame Bekoe
article

AfriSAF Seeks To Bring Sustainable Aviation Fuel To Africa

Aug 31, 2025
Kwame Bekoe is literally going down into the weeds to devise a business that could one day lead to sustainable aviation fuel production in Africa.

Country Focus - Rwanda

Silas Udahemuka
article

Rwandan President Sees Sees Aviation As Enabler For Vision 2050

Aug 31, 2025
Rwanda’s civil aviation players are strongly aligned behind the country’s bold vision to achieve social and economic progress. It puts airline, airport and aviation services development at the heart of the mission.
Patrick Nkulikiyimfura
article

Academy Boost To Aviation Training In Rwanda

Aug 31, 2025
The opening of the Centre of Excellence in Aviation Skills in 2028 will usher in a new era of aviation training in Rwanda.
RwandAir
article

Qatar Alliance Key To Rwandair's Transition

Aug 31, 2025
RwandAir is playing a strong role in delivering travellers to the country and increasingly to points across Africa via its Kigali hub.
Kigali International Airport
article

Rwanda's New Kigali International Airport Scheduled To Open In 2028

Aug 06, 2025
A new greenfield airport is under construction - designed to deliver an African hub for eight million passengers annually.

Airports

Presidency of the Gabonese Republic
article

Andem Lays The Foundation For Gabon Transformation

Aug 19, 2025
The Gabonese authorities have officially launched the construction of the new Andem International Airport and “Libreville 2”, a modern eco-urban administrative city.

Defense

China's Chengdu J-10
article

China Sees Africa As Key Place To Sell Arms

Aug 12, 2025
China’s aerospace industry is attempting to spread its tentacles all over Africa, even if money for most governments is tight. That’s not a problem though for Beijing, because underwriting deals by taking a share of the customer’s natural minerals instead can always be an option. Alan Warnes reports.
USAF/Senior Airman Christopher Quail
article

Tunisia's Small Air Force Has A Big Role To Play

Aug 31, 2025
Despite its relatively large size and strategically important location in northern Africa, the Tunisian Republic Air Force (TRAF) is one of the smallest air arms in the region. 
Sam J Basch
article

Denel Buoyed By Brazil

Aug 31, 2025
South Africa’s state-owned Denel Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Brazil’s Embraer to cooperate on the C-390 Millennium aircraft, possibly signalling a future airlifter acquisition.

General Aviation

Westair
article

Namibia’s Westair Signs With Airbus For H225 H-Care

Aug 31, 2025
The Namibian branch of Italian-based international aviation services provider Westair Helicopters has contracted Airbus Helicopters to provide multi H-Care-In-Services for its new fleet of three Airbus H225 helicopters working on offshore energy projects in Namibia.
Autel Robotics
article

South Africa Uses Drones For Border Control

Aug 04, 2025
The South African government has launched a new border surveillance project which uses drones to detect criminal activities and coordinate security responses.

Technology

Robot with paper airplane
article

Can We Safely Navigate AI-r Traffic Control?

Aug 31, 2025
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Air Traffic Management (ATM) holds the promise of addressing many of the structural problems in the provision of ATM across Africa.

Events

Kigali Convention Centre
article

Aviation Africa Heads For Rwanda

Aug 31, 2025
The ninth Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition takes place in Kigali in September and looks set to be the biggest yet.

People

Captain Edom Tamunotonye Tawo
article

Marcelle Nethersole Speaks To Captain Edom Tamunotonye Tawo

Aug 30, 2025
Marcelle Nethersole speaks to Captain Edom Tamunotonye TawoC, from Etam Avitat Services in Nigeria