■ TANZANIA: Precision Air to post loss during latest Financial Year; asks government for $32mln in funding.

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.

► TANZANIA: Precision Air goes all prop as last 737 is withdrawn from service.

Tanzania's Precision Air (PW) has reportedly retired its last remaining B737-300 (MSN 28573 | 5H-PKS) from service with the aircraft now listed by a US-based leasing firm as being available for either sale or lease immediately. The move effectively leaves the Dar-es-Salaam based carrier with an exclusively turboprop fleet of five ATR42s and five ATR72-500s.

► ZAMBIA: Mukuba Airlines, Zambia's first LCC, set to start ops in coming months with ATR42s, 72s.

Mukuba Airlines, dubbed Zambia's first Budget airline/LCC, is set to start operations in the next few months, in time for the XXth United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly to be jointly held in Livingstone & Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in August this year.

■ NIGERIA: Government finalizes plans to source funding for new national carrier as ATR pitches its turboprops for use in the Aviation Intervention Fund.

After a meeting of the Economic Management Team chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, the Nigerian government is set to finalize plans for funding for the establishment of a national carrier.

► TANZANIA: Precision Air goes daily to Mbeya, ups Kigoma ops while Auric Air starts Musoma flights.

Tanzanian private carrier, Precision Air (PW), has announced, effective 9 February, the launch of daily services between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya (Songwe) Airports, roughly 1 month after flights were resumed there. Additonally, a second Mwanza - Kigoma service has been launched that operates 5x weekly. Auric Air (AUK), an airline based in Mwanza, Tanzania offering both scheduled and air charter services, is to launch 4x weekly Mwanza - Musoma flights effective 15 February.