Africa

GE Aviation has been selected by Boeing to provide the common core system (CCS) and the enhanced airborne flight recorder (EAFR) for the Boeing 777X aircraft

The airline has commenced operations to three new freighter destinations including Lagos, Accra and Guangzhou.

Emirates and the Lions, one of South Africa's top rugby teams, has announced a five-year sponsorship agreement.

Fastjet has completed the sale of a pair of ATR 72-500s formerly operated by Fly540 Ghana and Angola, to Elix Assets.

The acting South African Airlines (SAA) chief executive officer Nico Bezuidenhout has announced the airline's 90-Day Action Plan.

The Nigerian Air Force has taken delivery of a pair of VIP-configured AgustaWestland AW101 Mk 641 helicopters. The first was delivered to Nigeria as NAF280 on 30 September 2014, and the second (as NAF281) on 21 November 2014.

Mauritania's latest ISR aircraft is a Basler BT-67 – the turboprop-powered conversion of the 1935-vintage Douglas DC-3/C-47 Dakota!

Proflight Zambia has achieved silver status under the internationally recognised Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) audit system, which gives it recognition as meeting international standards and paves the way for IOSA standards.

The Republic of Djibouti has received a Xian MA-60 twin turboprop transport, which it has put into service in the VIP, personnel transport and cargo transport roles. According to some sources the aircraft will be the first of a pair of MA-60s for the Djibouti air force.

With the importance of oil and gas within Africa, the region will be interested to hear Airbus Helicopters is working together with Helicopter Operators to develop a Flight Crew Operating Manual (FCOM) for EC225 aircraft that are utilised for oil and gas missions, marking the first such source document created in the rotorcraft sector.

The Tunisian Air Force's HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicoptersare set to be replaced by 12 Sikorsky S70 Black Hawks – but it remains unclear whether these will be donated or sold to Tunisia by the USA.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced an outlook for improved industry profitability in its Economic Performance of the Air Transport Industry report.

In what is described as a new era of cooperation between the two national flag carriers, SAA will introduce the daily link from March 29, 2015, which will complement Etihad Airways’ existing flights between the two cities to offer a combined double-daily frequency on the route.

Jeppesen has recently introduced a new Electronic Flight Folder service to enhance flight-planning operations for airlines.

South African Airways (SAA), Boeing and SkyNRG are collaborating to make sustainable aviation biofuel from a new type of tobacco plant.

Flydubai has announced the addition of a flight to Hargeisa in Somaliland.

South African Airways (SAA) and Etihad Airways have today announced a major expansion of their strategic partnership, marking a new era of cooperation between the two national flag carriers.

Paramount Group's AHRLAC has reached a milestone of 50 hours of successful incident free test flying, with 55 flights made since July at the airport north of Pretoria, South Africa.

Both lower oil prices and an overall strengthening of worldwide GDP growth are the main drivers behind the improved profitability.

Qatar Airways has continued its expansion into Africa with the launch of services to its twelfth new destination this year, the Eritrean capital Asmara.

Air France and Air Austral have signed a codeshare agreement to facilitate travel for customers between Europe and the Indian Ocean and vice versa, beyond Paris-Charles de Gaulle and St. Denis de la Reunion.

An Air France Boeing 777-300 equipped with the latest long-haul cabin classes takes off for Africa for the first time, providing an exclusive presentation of Air France's new products and services in the centre of Libreville.

The first ever Sharia-compliant transaction in Africa's aviation sector has been completed between a Bahrain investment bank and Ethiopian Airlines.

Embraer and Boeing have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for creating a joint biofuels research centre for the purpose of developing and maturing the knowledge and technologies that make it possible to establish a sustainable biofuels chain for aviation.

Tenerife has taken on an active role in enhancing air connectivity to the island and Turismo de Tenerife, the official agency on the island responsible for promoting the island internationally as a premier leisure destination has highlighted air connectivity as one of key priorities within the growth strategy.