● ETHIOPIA: IATA boss Tony Tyler to mark Aviation Day Africa in Addis Ababa next month.

Tony Tyler, the Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will visit the Ethiopian capital,  Addis Ababa, next month (16 April) on the occasion of Aviation Day Africa where he and his delegation will meet with executives from Ethiopian Airlines (ET) and officials from the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority.

■ MOROCCO: Bombardier to participate at World Investment Conference in Marrakech.

Bombardier Aerospace, the Canadian aircraft and train manufacturer based in Montréal, has announced its participation in the first ever North African edition of the World Investment Conference, which runs from March 20 to 22, 2013 in Marrakech, Morocco. During the Global Leaders' Panel for Automotive and Aeronautics Industries, Ms. Souad Elmallem, Bombardier's Chief Country Representative for North Africa, will discuss the attractiveness of the North African market for foreign direct investment with other international industry leaders.

■ ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines to acquire Q400, B787 simulators this year.

Ethiopian Airlines' (ET) Aviation Academy is to acquire two new flight simulators for delivery later this year. The Bombardier Q400 simulator is expected in the coming months with a Boeing B787-8 simulator having recently been tendered for.

► ALGERIA: Tassili Airlines looks to buy "at least 5 or 6" new aircraft to aide in network roll out plans.

Algerian carrier Tassili Airlines (SF) has outlined its intended fleet expansion plans to aide in the roll out of its recently-launched domestic network with delivery estimated to be in late 2013/early 2014.

■ NIGERIA: Arik Air to partner Lufthansa Technik, Boeing, Bombardier in rebuilding its MRO Hangar in Lagos.

Nigerian private carrier, Arik Air (W3), will partner Lufthansa Technik, Bombardier and Boeing in rebuilding its aircraft maintenance hangar at Lagos Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

■ ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines MRO certified for both Bombardier Q-Series airframe maintenance and CFM56-3/7 engine overhauls.

Ethiopian Airlines MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) division has upgraded its product and has now been granted approval by the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide full airframe maintenance services for Bombardier’s Q100, Q200 and Q300 turboprop aircraft. Additionally, it has also been certified to provide overhauls for the CFM International CFM56-3 and CFM56-7 engine respectively.

►► NIGERIA: AeroContractors to add "several" Dash 8-400s; to possibly retire B737-500s?

[UPDATE 18 FEBRUARY] CH-Aviation writes that Nigeria's Aero Contractors (AJ), also known as Aero, have announced plans to add several Bombardier Dash 8-400s to their fleet with an ex-Flybe (BE) Q400 (MSN 4079 | 5N- BPU) currently being painted for Aero at Norwich Airport in the UK. 

► NIGERIA: Azman Airlines, JedAir looking to start domestic, regional ops in H1.

Two carriers are looking to start domestic operations in Nigeria shortly: Azman Airlines and Jedair, a former charter airline that has reportedly entered into an ACMI deal with a Canadian firm.

■ MOROCCO: Bombardier's new plant starts production of its first components.

Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier Aerospace, on 7 February announced the start of production of what it described as "simple components" at its transitional facility at Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport in Nouaceur. Production comes after a graduation ceremony was held on 1 February at the Institut des Metiers de l’Aeronautique (IMA), following which 18 aircraft assemblers began manufacturing their first Bombardier components.

■ TANZANIA: Now Canada's AvMax Aircraft Leasing wants their pound of Fastjet flesh.

AvMax Aircraft Leasing has joined the growing list of disgruntled suppliers demanding their money from Fastjet (FN). The Canada-based ACMI firm recently wrote to Fastjet stating it had moved to deregister three of its aircraft previously leased to Fastjet's predecessor, Fly540 Tanzania, over USD2million worth of unpaid leasing and maintenance bills.

► MOZAMBIQUE: See Pics of VistaJet's ongoing Global 6000 Business Jet Africa Tour, set to stop in Maputo next.

Vistajet, the Swiss company luxury jet company specializing in short term leasing, has taken its Bombardier Global 6000 jet on a global roadshow with Africa being the first leg. Thus far, Kumasi, Accra, Abuja, Lagos, Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Luanda, Johannesburg, Cape Town have been visited with Maputo, Kampala, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam still left.

► TOGO: (Pics) ASKY Airlines takes delivery of three Bombardier Q400NGs.

West African regional carrier ASKY Airlines (KP) has taken delivery of three additional Bombardier Q400s at a ceremony held recently in the Togolese capital, Lomé, which is also the carrier's primary hub. The delivery comes almost 3 years ago to the day that the carrier was born.

■ NIGERIA: Bombardier appoints ExecuJet Nigeria as a Line Maintenance Facility for its Business Jets.

Bombardier Aerospace has named ExecuJet Nigeria in Lagos as a Line Maintenance Facility (LMF) for its line of Challenger 300, Challenger 604, Challenger 605, Global 5000, Global 6000, Global Express and Global Express XRS business jets.  The facility will complement ExecuJet’s centre in Lanseria, South Africa, which has been part of Bombardier’s Authorized Service Facility (ASF) network since 2002.

► TANZANIA: Air Tanzania's DHC-8-300 completes repairs in Kigoma; resumes ops to Dar es Salaam.

Air Tanzania (TC) yesterday resumed its Kigoma - Dar es Salaam route after its Bombardier DHC-8-300 (MSN 474 | 5H-MWF) was grounded in Kigoma on its début flight 10 days ago following an in-flight cracked windshield.

► GAMBIA: Binter Canarias launches Las Palmas - Banjul flights.

Binter Canarias (NT), the Gran Canaria-based Spanish regional operator, has announced the launch of twice weekly flights from Las Palmas to Banjul, Gambia, in effect since 11 January. This flight is operated by an Air Nostrum Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft.

■ UGANDA: Air Uganda renews its IOSA certificate; launches new Premium Economy class product.

Celestair's Air Uganda (U7) has passed its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and has had its certificate renewed until 30 September 2013 according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) website. The certificate was awarded to Meridiana Africa Airlines Uganda Ltd t/a Air Uganda.

► KENYA: Bluebird Aviation Q400 rejects takeoff at high speed, closing Wilson Airport Runway 14/32 for 3 hours.

The Aviation Herald is reporting that a Bombardier Q400 (MSN 4009 | 5Y-VVY) belonging to Kenyan cargo carrier Bluebird Aviation (BBZ) went off Nairobi Wilson Airport's runway 14/32 following a rejected take off yesterday.

► TANZANIA: Air Tanzania to resume Kigoma from 10 January with Mbeya, Tabora, Mpanda, Arusha, Zanzibar and Mtwara to follow.

Tanzanian carrier Air Tanzania (TC) is to resume flights between the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam and Kigoma, the regional capital of western Tanzania with daily Bombardier DHC-8-300 operated flights to start 10 January 2013. Additionally, flights to Mbeya are also tentatively planned for 20 January with Tabora, Mpanda, Arusha, Zanzibar and Mtwara to follow in due course.

 

►► KENYA: Rwandair boosts Nairobi with 5 additional flights starting 25 January.

[UPDATE 3 JANUARY] Following the announcement late last year of a new partnership between Kenya Airways (KQ) and Rwandan national carrier, RwandAir (WB), the latter have announced an increase in their weekly frequencies to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, served via Entebbe, Uganda. Effective 25 January, Rwandair will add an extra 5 weekly flights to Nairobi using a Canadair CRJ900.

► MOZAMBIQUE: LAM Mozambique Q400 makes emergency landing in Beira following gear retraction problems.

A Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique  (LAM Mozambique (TM)) Bombardier Q400 operating flight TM205 between Chimoio and Maputo, on Sunday 16 December 2012, was forced to make an emergency landing at Beira airport, following gear retraction problems on take off from Chimoio.