■ 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.

► KENYA: Astral Aviation outlines B747-400F plans; to codeshare with Emirates SkyCargo on Joburg - Nairobi flights.

Nairobi-based cargo operator, Astral Aviation (8V), and ANA Aviation Services have announced a new strategic partnership in Africa following the delivery of a B747-400F (MSN 29261 | N408MC), on wet-lease from ACMI specialists, Atlas Air (5Y), on September 27.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Airlink resumes Skukuza ops from June 2014; rebuffs SA Express' recent route launch announcement.

South Africa's Airlink (4Z) has delayed the launch of flights to Skukuza from the previously announced March, to June 2, 2014. According to the carrier, it will commence direct daily flights between Johannesburg and Skukuza as well as Cape Town and Skukuza from Monday 2 June 2014 using an Embraer 135.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: LCC Skywise battles on with AOC Certification process.

South African startup, Skywise (SWZ), will likely miss a deferred October launch date after the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) revealed that, to date, the airline had completed 3 of the 5 steps necessary to obtain its Air Operators Certificate.

► BOTSWANA: Kalahari Airways eyes flights to New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong via its Gaborone hub.

Denis Coghlan, the chief executive officer of the ambitious Botswana-based startup, Kalahari Airways, has outlined his longterm vision for the company in which he sees the establishment of Gaborone as a regional hub for flights to Hong Kong and the United States in addition to London.

► 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.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SA Express posts $65'000 profit for FY2012/13; plans fleet acquisition in 2H 2014.

SA Express (XZ) has reported a small net profit of ZAR650'000 (USD64'930) on the back of a 14% rise in revenue for its 2012/13 Financial Year, airline CEO Inati Ntshanga announced at the airline's AGM on Wednesday, September 25, in Johannesburg. Turnover also rose by ZAR270million, from ZARR2.021billion in 2012 to ZAR2.295billion in 2013.

► SOUTH AFRICA: DoT redtape forces Fastjet to suspend launch of Dar es Salaam - Johannesburg flights.

fastjet (FN) has announced that its first international flight between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg, previously scheduled to take place on Friday 27 September 2013, has been temporarily postponed owing to what it claims are "unexpected administrative delays caused by  a very late request for additional documentation by the South African Department of Transport".

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Litson & Associates appointed Argus Int'l strategic partner for African market.

Cincinnati-based specialized aviation services firm, Argus International, Inc. has appointed Cape Town-based Litson & Associates as its latest global strategic partner. Litson & Associates will support Argus' elite charter ratings and due diligence program by performing audits to Platinum, IS-BAO, and IOSA standards, and will also deliver other safety related services throughout Africa.

► SOUTH AFRICA: FlySafair outlines its tentative schedule; operational launch due in mid-October.

In spite of a pending legal application by both Comair Ltd and Skywise to block its launch, nascent South African Low Cost Carrier FlySafair (FA) has outlined its initial timetable for multiple daily Johannesburg - Cape Town flights, now tentatively scheduled to launch on October 17. Flights will be operated by a fleet of B737-400s. Reservations are now open.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Denel establishes Spaceteq, a new satellite & space engineering unit within Denel Dynamics.

South African state owned aerospace and defence technology conglomerate, Denel SOC,  has announced the formation of Spaceteq, a new business unit within Denel Dynamics, set to focus on the satellite and  space engineering sector. The initiative is inline with the South African government's Departments of Science & Technology (DST) and Trade & Industry (DTI) call to exploit high-technology manufacturing niches, among which is satellite production.

► CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Trans Air Congo adds a fourth B737-300 on lease from Star Air.

The Republic of Congo's Trans Air Congo - TAC (Q8) has bolstered its operations with the addition of yet another South African B737-300, (MSN 27346 | ZS-VDP), on lease from Johannesburg-based ACMI specialists, Star Air (BRH).

● OPINION: The Legal Basis of the Court Application against FlySafair by Rob Baker.

In the interests of stirring more debate and offering a more broadly-based platform for the flow of information, ideas and opinions here on The African Aviation Tribune, I have introduced a new section to offer African aviation professionals, insiders, analysts and spectators a chance to voice their opinions, ideas and points of view on any subject pertaining to the field of Aviation in Africa.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Imperial Logistics accuses SAA Cargo of anti-competitive practices.

South African logistics and freight specialists, Imperial Logistics, has joined the growing list of South African private firms taking action against state-backed carriers with a request to the Competition Commission of South Africa to initiate a market inquiry into alleged anti-competitive behaviour by South African Airways' (SA) freight division, SAA Cargo, in the domestic overnight express airfreight market.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: mango to boost recruitment of black cadet-pilots as demand dictates.

South African LCC, mango (JE), and regional operator, South African Express (XZ), have announced that, leveraging an existing SAX Cadet Pilot scheme, the airlines will cooperate to see cadet pilots from disadvantaged or previously disenfranchised backgrounds absorbed into mango’s pilot body as per growth requirements. The initiative forms part of Mango’s greater transformation and social engagement programme.

► SPAIN: Arik Air flight to Heathrow diverts to Mallorca after pregnant passenger suffers severe pains, bleeding.

Arik Air (W3) flight W3101 from Lagos, Nigeria to London Heathrow, Untied Kingdom, was on Sunday, September 15, forced to divert to Palma Mallorca Airport, Spain, after a pregnant passenger required urgent medical attention while onboard.

► MOZAMBIQUE: Qatar Airways granted rights to Johannesburg - Maputo from late October.

Qatar Airways (QR) has tentatively been granted local traffic rights on the Johannesburg - Maputo, Mozambique sectors of its 3x weekly flights between Doha, Qatar and the Southern African nations with effect from October 27, 2013.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair, SkyWise launch legal bid to block FlySafair's launch.

Following through with its threats of legal action, Comair Ltd and now startup, SkyWise, have dragged the Air Services Licensing Council (ASLC) to court in a bid to block the launch of the Safair's nascent low cost subsidiary, FlySafair (FA), due to commence flights between Cape Town and Johannesburg later this year.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: New $41mln Somerset East mini-Aerotropolis to be completed next year.

The town of Somerset East in the province of the Eastern Cape in South Africa will next year begin operating a new ZAR413million (USD40.9million) regional airport aimed at boosting the region's connectivity and economic profile.

► BOTSWANA: Kalahari Airways turns to crowdfunding for 747s to operate London Gatwick flights.

Kalahari Airways is a Botswana-based startup that intends to offer flights from Cape Town, South Africa to London Gatwick via Gaborone Botswana using three B747-400s.