Over four years after its first aircraft of the type arrived in Bujumbura, Air Burundi may deploy the MA-60 into commercial service after the Burundian civil aviation authority granted the aircraft its Validation of Type Certificate (VTC), reports ch-aviation.
Two new domestic airports are set to open in Ghana, as part of the government's plan to ensure each of the country's ten regions has an airport, reports ch-aviation.
ATR has consolidated its position in 2016 as the preferred choice of regional airlines. The modern ATR -600s ranked first among all regional aircraft sales of the year, with orders for 36 aircraft (34 ATR 72-600s and 2 ATR 42-600s). ATR confirms its leading position in the segment of 50-to-90-seat aircraft with a market share above 35% since 2010.
The new flight will, according to Emirates, give customers “greater flexibility and choice” when planning their travel and also underscores Emirates’ “commitment to Kenya and confidence in the route”. The airline first launched services in October 1995 and this has become one of its busiest air corridors in and out of Africa over the past 20 years.
The airline has agreed to initially acquire five E-Jets - three E170s and two E190s, from ECC Leasing, a wholly-owned Embraer subsidiary. It will start to receive the aircraft in the first half of this year with a further eight E190s joining the Airlink fleet subject to formalisation of lease deals.
Airways College, a pilot training school located in France, has signed a framework contract with Institut National Polytechnique Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB), Ivory Coast.
Nextant Aerospace, builders of the 400XTi, has announced that its chairman, Kenneth C. “Kenn” Ricci, will receive the Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award at the Living Legends of Aviation 14th Annual Awards, to be held in Beverly Hills, California, on Friday, January 20, 2017.
Japan's optical and precision electronics manufacturer Olympus Corporation will later this month open a regional HQ, for the Middle East and Africa, complete with a training centre, in Dubai.
Kenyan no frills airline, Jambojet has leased a brand-new Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 next generation aircraft from Abu Dhabi Aviation in a bid to improve its network-wide operations.
Demand for international tourism remained robust in 2016 despite challenges. International tourist arrivals grew by 3.9% to reach a total of 1,235 million, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Some 46 million more tourists (overnight visitors) travelled internationally last year compared to 2015.
Aviation Africa, which takes place in Kigali, Rwanda on 22-23 February 2017, has announced the first aircraft to be displayed at the event will be a Gulfstream G280 from Savannah-based Gulfstream Aerospace.
Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi, founding chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), has been elected Vice Chairman of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) Governing Board.
