Rwanda and Burundi have signed an Open Skies Bilateral Air Services Agreement with for provision for carriers from both countries to have unlimited frequencies to each other's air
space. The move is in line with the East African Community's (EAC) efforts to liberalize its airspace through the elimination, between member states, of all the economic restrictions in the aviation sub sector related to capacity, frequencies, city pairs, cabotage, and designation of airlines. 
The Nigerian government's Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON)'s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi has confirmed the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer (Mr Hugh Fraser) and a new Chief Financial Officer to Aero (AJ), also known as AeroContractors. Mr Fraser is understood to have been in the position since May.
Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is set to dry-lease a former Brussels Airlines (SN) B737-400 (MSN 28493 | ET-AQV) from global leaser, the Aviation Capital Group, following its conversion into a B737-400(F) freighter.
Owing to the precarious political and social situation in Egypt, the following countries and airlines have issued advisories regarding their current and future operations into the North African country: Belgium, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovenia, the UAE, the United Kingdom, the US.
Ghanaian domestic carrier, Africa World Airlines (AW), has added an additional 5x weekly frequencies to its current daily Accra - Tamale service. The maiden morning flight for the route was yesterday, Monday August 19. All flights operate on-board an ERJ145.
The regional director of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Martin Kobler, has officially inaugurated new air traffic control equipment for the international airport at its headquarters in Bunia, in the eastern Ituri region of Orientale Province of the DRC.
Egal International Airport, the airport that serves Hargeisa, the capital of the self-proclaimed autonomous region of Somaliland, has reopened following the successful completion of USD4.6million in renovation and upgrade work to its runway, aprons and taxiways.
Libya's Ministry of Transport has reportedly announced the temporary closure of Tripoli International Airport with effect from October until December owing to critical runway repair and upgrade work. This has yet to be confirmed by either the Libyan Airports Authority or any Libyan carriers.
Lagos-based startup, Discovery Air, is reportedly in the process of acquiring two 737s as part of efforts to launch operations. However, as
of this posting, it is unclear as to whether or not the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority has granted the carrier its Air Operators
Certificate.
The Tanzanian Airports Authority says it requires USD20billion to develop and construct Kajunguti International Airport, located in the north eastern province of Kagera, as a means of boosting the region's profile in the great Lakes region. Kagera forms part of Tanzania's border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, and lies across Lake Victoria from Kenya.
Tanzania's Precision Air (PW) will this year post a heavy loss, the airline’s board chairman, Mr Michael Shirima, has announced. In addition, the airline has reportedly asked the government, among various other undisclosed financial institutions, for TZS51.2billion (USD32million) in funding to help cover bank loans and instalments for its TZS218billion (USD136million) order with ATR which includes four ATR42-600s and one ATR72-600.
The Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation, Abdel Aziz Fadel, has confirmed that all airports in the country are operating normally though the imposition of a curfew in Cairo has resulted in national carrier Egyptair (MS) asking passengers to be at Cairo International Airport at least 4 hours before the scheduled departure time of any international flights and 90 minutes before departure for domestic flights. He added the main road to Cairo airport was open and is closely monitored by police checkpoints and armed patrols.
The Aviation Herald reports that a Sudanese Mid Airlines (7Y) Fokker 50 (MSN 20130 | ST-ARG) that was preparing for departure from Khartoum International Airport enroute to El Obeid as flight 7Y450, on August 6, suffered a serious incident when the starboard side prop slammed into a ground power unit while taxiing.
Ghanaian startup, Pison Airways, is reportedly aiming to launch operations in December of this year and like fellow entrant Eagle Atlantic Airways (EAB), it too is hoping to fill the void left by the demise of Ghana Airways (GH) and Ghana International (G0), albeit on regional and international routes.
South Africa's Comair Ltd is set to deploy its first B737-800 (MSN 30403 | ZS - ?) to its British Airways franchise. The aircraft had previously seen service with India's Jet Airways (9W).
The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has issued a tender for the provision of ground-handling services at the country's airports excepting Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International Airport which the body claims, already has adequate licence holders awaiting to be concessioned by the Tanzania Airports Authority,
[UPDATE AUGUST 15] On Friday, August 9, an Ethiopian Air Force Antonov AN-12 military transport (MCN ? | 1513) crashed on landing at Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport killing four of the six persons aboard. The other two are said to have sustained serious injuries and are recovering at a Mogadishu hospital run by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), a regional peacekeeping force.
South African Express (XZ) has been granted traffic rights to serve Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique out of Durban following its application in October 2012.
Angola's airport and air traffic authority Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Navegação Aérea (ENANA) is on track to complete USD90million in upgrades to Yuri Gagarin International Airport in the south-western Angolan port of Namibe. According to the governor of Namibe province, Rui Falcão, operations are scheduled to resume with effect from September 6. Angolan carrier TAAG (DT) had been the airport's sole dedicated carrier prior to the start of construction.
South Africa-based PAKAfrica Aviation has reportedly acquired a 49% stake in Zimbabwe's Central Air Transport Services (ZO) and intends to use the acquisition, in conjunction with a proposed ZAR15million (USD1.5million) buy out of defunct South African LCC, 1time (T6), to establish a regional hub out of Harare.
Air Uganda (U7) and RwandAir (WB) yesterday signed a code-share agreement which, effective immediately, covers the Entebbe - Kigali route and will provide travellers with an increased choice of flights between the two cities. The signing ceremony took place at Kigali International Airport and was officiated by Mr. Cornwell Muleya, the CEO of Air Uganda and Mr. John Mirenge , the CEO of RwandAir.
AirlineRoute reports that as per the August 9 GDS timetable/inventory display, Egyptair (MS) has outlined the following changes to its Winter 2013/14 operation effective from October 27 on.
Kaduna-based Chanchangi Airlines (5B) has reportedly taken delivery of a B737-500 (MSN ? | 5N-BQZ) on wet-lease from an unnamed South African leaser. The aircraft reportedly arrived in Abuja on Saturday August 10.
Angola's parliament has introduced the first legislation aimed at bringing its Aviation Law up to international and ICAO standard with the separation of the yet-to-be-named Accident's investigations bureau from the country's civil aviation authority (Instituto Nacional da Aviação Civil - INAVIC) which currently falls under the Angolan Ministry of Transport.
Ghana's latest start up, Eagle Atlantic Airlines (EAB), has taken delivery of its first McDonnell Douglas MD82 (MSN 49119 | YR-OTN) which is on lease from Romanian leasers, Ten Airways (OTJ). As previously reported, following the reception of its AOC from the Ghanaian Civil Aviation Authority last week, Eagle Atlantic intends to serve Abidjan, Monrovia and Freetown before expanded further into the region.
South African Minister of Public Enterprises, Malusi Gigaba, says he has directed the board of state-owned aerospace and defence technology conglomerate, Denel, to develop a long term Africa-centric growth strategy which will involve Denel Aviation collaborating with fellow parastatals, SAA Technical and SA Express Technical. The move falls in line with the Ministry's goal of developing Denel into a global player in the defence industry and to become a preferred supplier and prime contractor for the Department of Defence’s large programmes as well as for the African Continent.
fastjet (FN) says one of its three Airbus A319s was temporarily grounded in Tanzania following a birdstrike on August 8. The incident resulted in some flights between Dar es Salaam and Mwanza being cancelled.
Air Namibia has announced that owing to mandatory maintenance checks on its fleet of four Embraer ERJ135s, effective August 12-31 the following schedule changes have been made:
Air Mauritius (MK) has selected DW International's GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) RAIM/RNP Prediction Service Web-based User Interface (GRPS Web User Interface). Air Mauritius will be using the GRPS Web User Interface to support its Performance-based Navigation (PBN) operations, including Basic-RNP 1 as now required for Hong Kong International Airport.
Kenya Airways (KQ) has suffered USD4million in losses owing to the recent outbreak of fire at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, CEO Dr Titus Naikuni has said. Despite the erection of tents to process international flights five days after the fire, passengers are still facing long delays and cancellations.
With the impending relaunch of its Johannesburg - Miami via Cape Town flights, South Africa's Global Airways (QG) has appointed Fuelstream Inc. as their US Representative. Fuelstream will evaluate and recommend ground handling companies, caterers, crew transportation and services, coordinate with cargo handlers, and serve as Global's GSA for cargo in Miami. It will also work with the Aviation Department on gate assignments and ticket counters, and with all government authorities (TSA, Customs & Immigration and the local police) to ensure compliance.
Ethiopian Airlines (ET) are set to launch Lomé, Togo as their second cargo hub outside Addis Ababa with effect from August 15. In addition to a connection to the carrier's Ethiopian primary hub, Lomé will also serve Europe via Liege, Belgium with a twice weekly MD-11F Freighter. Lomé is already the hub or its West African passenger subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP).
After the recent signing of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement between the two countries, the Seychellois Ministry of Home Affairs and Transport has announced tentative plans by Sri Lanka's national carrier, SriLankan Airlines (UL) to commence services between Colombo, Mahé and possibly Nairobi in October 2013.
Following on from our previous post, Ghana's Eagle Atlantic Airlines (EAB) has now received its Air Operator's Certificate from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), with plans now afoot to commence regional services, Dr Emmanuel Osei-Acheampong, Eagle Atlantic's Chief Executive Officer, has announced.
Jetcraft Corporation, a new and pre-owned business aircraft sales, acquisitions and trades company, has announced the acquisition of the aircraft brokerage activities of ExecuJet Aircraft Trading (EAT), the business aircraft sales division of ExecuJet Aviation Group, of Zurich, Switzerland.
With the recent launch of its first regional flights to Lilongwe, Malawi, Proflight Zambia (P0) is mulling adding three further international destinations to its growing network by mid-2014, effectively making Lusaka a regional hub for air travel.
Air Nigeria (VK) could make a return to the skies, albeit under new ownership and management, the current CEO of the airline, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, has stated. Speaking on the tenth anniversary of the founding of his group of companies, Global Fleet, Mr Ibrahim said his board of directors would meet over the coming week to discuss the future of the airline, which ceased operations in September 2012.
Kampala is moving ahead with plans to resurrect defunct national carrier, Uganda Airlines (QU), following reports that government has already outlined its intended fleet requirements for twelve aircraft needed to service regional and international routes.
Ethiopian Airlines' West African subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP), is reportedly considering turning Kumasi, Ghana into a secondary hub through the launch of direct flights to various West African capital cities and commercial centres. The move comes as domestic Ghanaian carrier Starbow Airlines (S9) is also planning a resumption and expansion of its regional services.
A Russian Mil Mi-8MTV (MSN 95642 | RA-25497) helicopter leased from Krasnodar-based firm, PANH Helicopters, by the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP) enroute to South Sudan, on the morning of Wednesday 31 July, crashed in a locality called Chefe Donsa, near the town of Debre Zeyit, about 50 km outside Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. All four occupants onboard survived though three sustained serious injuries.
The Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa has reportedly dismissed a complaint brought by South African Airways (SA) against local rival LCC Kulula (MN) over the latter's use of the South African flag and slogan "The Most South African Airways" in an advertising campaign launched in March this year.
Just over a year since its inception, The African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA), is set to launch a series of four annual regional and national symposia, the first of which takes place in Marrakech, Morocco, on 26 – 27 September 2013.