■ SENEGAL: South Africa pledges to develop Dakar as a regional hub; to help set up new MRO facility.

With the recent conclusion of President Jacob Zuma's state visit to the West African country, South Africa has pledged to help Senegal develop Dakar as a West African hub, with particular emphasis on exploiting the city's new airport, Blaise Diagne International, set to be completed in late 2014.

■ MAURITANIA: Mauritania Airlines International signs B737 MRO contract with Sabena technics.

Mauritania Airlines International (L6), the national carrier of Mauritania, has outsourced its maintenance support and spare-part requirements for its fleet of two B737-500s and a single B737-700 to Belgian MRO specialists, Sabena technics, until 2018.

■ NIGERIA: AJW Aviation signs PBH contract with Nigeria's Skypower Express Airways.

AJW Aviation, a British complete aircraft spares support specialist, has been selected by African airline Skypower Express Airways Nigeria Limited to provide power-by-the-hour support to its B737-300F, (MSN 24209 | 5N-BMA).

■ MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius upgrades its MRO management software.

Ottawa-based aviation maintenance management software provider, Mxi Technologies, has announced that Air Mauritius (MK) has gone live with an upgrade to Maintenix version 8 (v8) in support of the organization’s objectives for real-time access to information, superior customer service, and streamlined internal processes.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Gigaba seeks greater cooperation between Denel Aviation, SAA Technical & SAExpress Technical.

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.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Eleven BA-Comair B737s suffer mass grounding over expired parts.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) on Friday, August 2, reportedly grounded eleven of British Airways-Comair's aircraft after they were found to be flying with components whose life-cycle expired in August 2012.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Eurocopter authorizes Denel Aviation to provide MRO services to Super Pumas.

Eurocopter has expanded its partnership with South Africa’s Denel Aviation on helicopter repair and maintenance. Under the new contract with the European helicopter manufacturer, Denel Aviation has received authorization to offer its repairs and servicing capabilities on Super-Puma helicopters in Southern Africa.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Bombardier sets up a Regional Support Office and Parts Depot in Johannesburg.

Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier Aerospace, has opened a new Regional Support Office (RSO) and parts depot in Johannesburg, South Africa. The office and depot will anchor regional support capabilities for Bombardier business and commercial aircraft customers in Africa. Both the Johannesburg RSO and parts depot are co-located at Bombardier’s Business Aircraft Authorized Service Facility (ASF) at ExecuJet South Africa’s facility at Johannesburg's Lanseria Airport. It will be the 11th parts facility in Bombardier’s network.

■ ETHIOPIA: Bombardier appoints Ethiopian Airlines MRO an Authorized Service Facility for commercial aircraft.

Bombardier Aerospace has named Ethiopian Airlines (ET) as an Authorized Service Facility (ASF) for commercial aircraft. Bombardier has signed a Letter of Intent to authorize the airline to perform line and heavy maintenance on Q400 and Q400 NextGen turboprop aircraft. The agreement is expected to take effect by late August.

► ROMANIA: Ghana's Starbow Airlines awards BAe 146 MRO contract to Aerostar.

Romanian MRO outfit, Aerostar S.A., has won a contract from Starbow Airlines (S9) of Ghana to carry out ‘C’ checks on its fleet of four BAe 146 regional jetliners. The first aircraft, a BAe 146-300 (MSN E3123 | 9G-SBB), arrived at Aerostar’s Bacau facility on May 31 and departed on schedule on 2 July. 

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways renegotiates its MRO contracts in bid to cut costs.

Fresh from announcing its latest Financial Year results which entailed a USD92million loss, Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced further cost cutting measures aimed at returning the struggling carrier to the black within the next two years with news that it has renegotiated its aircraft MRO (Maintenance Repair Overhaul) contracts to its benefit.

► TUNISIA: (Media) Syphax Airlines takes delivery of its first A330.

Tunisian private carrier, Syphax Airlines (FS), has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-200 (MCN 345 | F-WJKG) at a ceremony held on Friday in the Tunisian capital, Tunis.

■ TANZANIA: Direct Maintenance's stations in Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro approved for EASA Part 145.

Dutch-based line maintenance provider, Direct Maintenance, has announced that its two Tanzanian line stations at Dar es Salaam (DAR) and Kilimanjaro (JRO) have been approved for line maintenance under the company's EASA Part-145 approval. Following an initial start during 2012 for launch customer Qatar Airways (QR), both stations were recently added to the EASA approval thereby offering the same capability to a larger customer base.

■ NIGERIA: US-based Flight Source International, AvonHeli Systems planning to establish MRO facility in Nigeria.

US-based Flight Source International, in cooperation with Nigeria’s Avon Heli System West Africa Limited, is planning to establish a helicopter and aircraft MRO hangar facility in Nigeria, Avon CEO, Mr. Ajayi Aremu, has said.

► NIGERIA: ExecuJet completes MRO check on Hawker 800XP jet as Lagos market sees strong demand.

ExecuJet Africa’s Maintenance Repair Organisation (MRO) facility at Mohammed Murtala International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria, has completed a first base maintenance check on a Hawker 800XP aircraft amidst high demand for the service. The Lagos MRO, an authorised service facility for Bombardier and Hawker Beechcraft, has additional aircraft due in for scheduled base maintenance checks, including another Hawker 800XP and a Bombardier Global Express.

■ EGYPT: Air Arabia Egypt selects AJW Aviation for its A320 "power-by-the-hour" support.

AJW Aviation has been chosen by Air Arabia Egypt (E5), Egypt’s only low-cost carrier, to provide "power-by-the-hour" support and leased inventory for two of its A320 aircraft.

■ NIGERIA: ECOWAS considering setting up an MRO facility in West Africa.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is carrying out feasibility studies for the possible construction of an aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility to serve the region, the organization's Regional Director in charge of Air Transport, Dr. Paul Antoine Marie Ganemtore, has said.

► LIBYA: Afriqiyah awards A330 engine MRO contract to AFI KLM E&M.

AFI KLM E&M and Afriqiyah Airways (8U) have signed an agreement covering support for the CF6-80E1 engines equipping the Libyan carrier's two Airbus A330-200s. This exclusive, longterm contract is for “Time & Materials” engine repairs. Afriqiyah Airways will shortly be taking delivery of three new A330-200s, the first by the end of this year, and the other two in 2014, and these will be automatically included in the scope of the contract.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: ExecuJet extends Cape Town MRO capabilities to include Q300 support.

ExecuJet Africa, part of the ExecuJet Aviation Group, is expanding the support capabilities at its Cape Town International Airport facility to cover the Bombardier Dash 8-Q300 aircraft, due to growing demand in the region.

■ MOROCCO: Aerotechnic Industries expands scope to now include overhaul of Boeing 737NG airframes; secures RAM contract.

During a ceremony attended by Mr Driss Benhima, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Air Maroc (RAM) Group, and Mr Franck Terner, President, Air France Industries, the two partners officially announced a new phase in the development of their Aerotechnic Industries (ATI) joint venture. Set up in 2009, the 50/50 joint venture between the two groups is now extending the scope of its activities to the overhauling of Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) airframes.