► SOUTH AFRICA: SA Express rolls out Cape Town - George, Joburg - Pietermaritzburg, Kruger/Mpumalanga from November.

SA Express (XZ) is set to commence three new domestic South African flights with effect from November 1: Cape Town - George, Johannesburg (ORTIA) - Kruger/Mpumalanga and Johannesburg (ORTIA) - Pietermaritzburg. With the exception of the Pietermaritzburg flights which operate onboard a Q400, both other routes are operated with a Bombardier CRJ200.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire to roll out new destinations once a third A319, two Q400s arrive in November.

Air Côte d’Ivoire (HF) says it will roll out the new part of its regional expansion programme, set to include new services from Abidjan to Lagos, Kinshasa, N'Djamena, Niamey, Monrovia, Freetown and Bangui, from mid November. The new routes were due to have launched in late August.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Q400 reportedly suffers engine problems on finals into Axum; makes a safe landing.

An Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Bombardier Q400 operating a domestic flight ET128 from Addis Ababa to Axum, Ethiopia, on Wednesday, July 17, reportedly suffered engine problems on its port side shortly before touchdown at Axum's Emperor Yohannes IV Airport.

■ 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.

► MALAWI: Malawi Airlines to launch with a B737-800, Q400; outlines planned network.

Malawi Airlines, successor to the now defunct Air Malawi Ltd, has outlined its planned initial route network and its fleet, which has now been revealed to consist of a Boeing 737-800 and a Bombardier Q400. The aircraft are to be sourced from majority shareholder Ethiopian Airlines (ET).

► NIGERIA: Arik Air signs up for three CRJ1000s, four Q400s from Bombardier.

Nigeria's largest carrier, Arik Air (W3), has signed a firm contract to acquire three CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft and four Q400 NextGen turboprop airliners from Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire to acquire two Q400s as Aga Khan Fund moves to divest.

Aérienne de Participation-Côte d'Ivoire, the holding company for the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), has announced that it is to sell off its 15% shareholding in Ivorian carrier, Air Cote d’Ivoire (HF). The move comes as Air Cote d’Ivoire is planning to boost its capital base from USD4.92million (XAF2.5billion) to USD49.2million (XAF25billion) effective today, Wednesday June 5.

► RWANDA: RwandAir signs up for one dual-class Bombardier Q400NG.

Fresh from their latest fleet upgrade, Rwandan national carrier, RwandAir (WB), has announced the signing of a firm purchase agreement with Canada's Bombardier Aerospace for one Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner. The Q400 will be used to replace the airline's current older Dash8-200 used to ply domestic and close regional routes.

► KENYA: Blue Bird Aviation set to take on two further Bombardier Q400s for cargo ops.

Kenyan cargo carrier Blue Bird Aviation (BBZ) is due to take delivery of two former Augsburg Airways (IQ) Bombardier Q400s to add to its growing fleet of 11 aircraft.

► SOUTH AFRICA: LAM Mozambique boosts Johannesburg - Maputo, Beira, Tete flights; launches Nampula direct.

Mozambique's flag carrier, LAM - Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (TM), will from 28APR13 expand its Johannesburg operations through the addition of 16 weekly flights from Maputo, Beira, Tete and new route, Nampula.

■ 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.

■ 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.

► 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.

► 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.

► 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.
 

■ ZAMBIA: Ethiopian outlines its fleet plans for new Zambian subsidiary, set to launch in late 2013.

Ethiopian Airlines' (ET) CEO Tewolde Gebremariam has outlined the carrier's planned start-up in Zambia, set to begin ops in late 2013. At first glance, the airline's fleet will bare strong similarities to the carrier's West African subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP), in which Ethiopian Airlines currently has a 40% shareholding.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: ASKY Airlines to launch direct Lagos - Abidjan flights from next week.

ASKY Airlines (KP) will next week launch 3x weekly flights between the Ivorian capital, Abidjan, and the Nigerian city of Lagos using their recently delivered Bombardier Q400 aircraft. 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Bombardier appoints SA Express its first Authorized Aircraft Service Facility in Africa; sees strong potential market for C-Series jets.

The first deals of the recently convened African Airlines Association (AFRAA) 44th Annual General Assembly being held in Johannesburg have been announced with Canada's Bombardier selecting South African Express Airways better known as SA Express (XZ) for the company's first Africa-based Authorized Service Facility (ASF) for its CRJ100, CRJ200 and CRJ700 regional jets, as well as its Q400 turboprops and other Dash 8/Q-Series turboprops.