Africa

The giant order for Rafale fighter jets for the UAE heads the TATV Newsround programme this week as Jon Lake explains how the signals were all there at the Dubai Airshow and what this latest contract means for French-UAE relations … as well as the prospects for the delayed F-35 purchase.

The African Aviation Industry Group (AAIG) held its annual Aeropolitical Forum on 18 November 2021.

Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province, the setting of an ongoing jihadist insurgency since 2017, has seen a wide range of private and government forces carrying out air operations. Now the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) is weighing in as well.

Gulfstream Aerospace has announced performance accomplishments for its next-generation Gulfstream G500 and Gulfstream G600.

The Zimbabwean government has allocated USD4.1 million for the recapitalisation of Air Zimbabwe.

AFRAA Secretary General, Abdérahmane Berthé said the Omicron variant is now detected in several regions of the world, yet the travel bans seem to be targeted at Africa.

Ethiopian Airlines has partnered with CarTrawler launching car hire and transfer services for its passengers globally.

APOC, a aircraft, engines and landing gears trading, leasing, company has appointed Pete Allwood as new vice president, business development – EMEA.

Taking on an emergency airline contract abroad and modernising its helicopter fleet at home has seen Angolan operator, Bestfly, expanding its roles.

ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia, that has facilities across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, is developing a purpose- built MRO facility at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang.

Zela Aviation has entered a strategic partnership with Tanzania’s Precision Air.

Diamond Aircraft has achieved two major EASA and FAA certification milestones.

Zela Aviation is in cooperation with leading Kenyan low-cost airline, Jambojet, operating a fleet of De Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q400 aircraft.

In the heart of the equatorial forest of Central Africa, Simb Airlines is taking its first tentative steps in the business aviation market.

AJW Group, which has offices across, Africa, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, has appointed Tony Whitty as director of aircraft and engine procurement.

IATA has released October 2021 data for global air cargo markets showing that demand continued to be well above pre-crisis levels.

Ethiopian Airlines has won ‘Best African Airline’ at the 2021 Business Traveller Awards.

Emirates will resume its passenger operations between Dubai and Nigeria from 5 December 2021.

Inmarsat is celebrating the fifth anniversary of GX Aviation, its most successful passenger inflight broadband service to date.

UK based World Mobile is launching its unique hybrid mobile network supported by low altitude platform balloons in Zanzibar, as it plans to roll-out its innovative service providing reliable mobile internet to more people at lower cost throughout the African continent.

United Airlines has inaugurated flights between Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport and Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

Panasonic Avionics has been named the winner of the 2021 Popular Science Best of What’s New Award in its Aerospace category.

Captain Sandy Benoiton has taken over as Air Seychelles acting CEO at one of the most difficult times in history. He talked to Anuradha Deenapanray Chappard about the airline’s development strategy and its fight against Covid-19.

Qatar’s joint Hawk Training Squadron with the UK’s RAF has been formally stood up and TATV’s Defence Editor Jon Lake was at RAF Leeming to meet the architects of this new partnership between the Royal Air Force and the Qatari Emiri Air Force.

Initial findings from a world-first study of the impact of 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on both engines of a commercial jet have provided promising early results.