From today (20 December) until late January 2013, we will be away in Zimbabwe for Christmas and for business and as such, news will likely slow to a trickle. But fear not, we will try our utmost to keep you all updated on any developments if and when they occur!
That said, I want to thank all of you who have supported the site, either through simply reading it, retweeting our articles or by contributing links and info.
My particular thanks go to Tom and the boys over at CH-Aviation and Rich and his crew at AirlineRoute all of whom provide us with large quantities of top quality info. I'd also like to thank Bigogwe Masaka, a regular contributor with articles and also input with comments and the like. To Seb at TravelComments and Wereldreizen who help propagate us via Twitter - Big thanks to you too.
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Anyway, I would just like to take a moment to inform you about TAAT and my plan for its future, which, i hope, will involve you all.
I started this site in April because i was tired of reading articles about African aviation that were weeks, if not months old, and often left me wondering about the real state of the industry as a whole. After all, Europe, the US, Asia, Australia and South America all have their own publications, what about Africa? I'm sure there are many of you out there who were left in the same quandary.
With that in mind, I'd like to try encourage you all to contribute to the site, because after all, it is aimed at everyone and anyone either involved or interested in African aviation. While most of the articles do come from primary news sources, they sometimes get it wrong and that's where you come in. The site, and its articles, are as good as their sources, and the more (accurate) sources we have, the better.
Site wise, we are still small with on average 5'100 unique visitors/month though bare in mind
we haven't done any SEO or advertising. Please note that TAAT is, as much as it pains me to say this, NOT a commercial enterprise (hah! i wish! - TAAT's Google ad revenue barely pays for its web url subscription!)
If you are involved in the industry, run an airline (big or small), MRO, ACMI or have worthwhile info/a tip on anything relating to aviation on the continent, please shoot me a line via ivan(at)theafricanaviationtribune.com. The site is about getting Africa informed, for Africa's benefit!
So, Merry Christmas/Joyeux Noël/Buon Natale/Feliz Navidad/С Рождеством/Feliz Natal/Frohe Weihnachten/عيد ميلاد مجيد and here's to a prosperous 2013 to us all!
Regards,
Ivan (aka Ted T. Beefcake (Esq))
Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS), is expected to announce in early 2013 a decision on whether it will purchase a 49.9% minority stake-holding in grounded Ghanaian carrier CTK CiTyLinK (CTQ), following the submission of a Due Diligence report by accounting firm, Ernest & Young, last week.
Nigerian domestic operator, Med-View Airline (VL), has wet-leased its first B737-800 (MSN 1122 | CS-TQU) from Portuguese charter specialists EuroAtlantic Airways to supplement its current fleet of two Boeing 737-400s. 
Ethiopia's growing aviation education sector this last week added 100 new trained and qualified professionals to the growing local and regional market with the Ethiopian Aviation Academy (EAA) graduating 20 Pilots and 72 Cabin Crew and the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) graduating 8 air traffic controllers.
Tanzania's Precision Air on Sunday 23 December 2012, took delivery of its second ATR42-600 (MSN 1003 | 5H-PWI) following a delivery flight routed Toulouse - Brindisi - Luxor - Dar es Salaam. The welcoming ceremony was held at Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International Airport.
Arizona-based US Airways (US)
and fellow Star Alliance member South African Airways (SA) have announced a new
bilateral codeshare agreement after receiving approval from the U.S.
Department of Transportation and the Department of Transport – South
Africa. South African Airways recently signed two other code share deals with two other North American carriers: Air Canada (AC) and JetBlue Airways (B6).
Five years on from the opening of the rehabilitated runway
18L/36R used for domestic flights out of Lagos' Murtala Muhammed International Airport, mobile airfield lighting
has finally been installed there henceforth allowing night time landings which were previously only permitted on runway 18R/36L.
Kenya Airways (KQ) and Rwandan national carrier, RwandAir (WB), are on the cusp of the of forming a strategic partnership with aims of fostering stronger relations in the areas of cargo,
maintenance and flight training between
the two airlines. 
Libyan carrier, Afriqiyah Airlines (8U), last week unveiled a new logo and corporate identity at a ceremony held at the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli. 
Namibia's national carrier, Air Namibia (SW), is set to take delivery of two Airbus A319s (MSN 5366 | V5-ANM) and (MSN 5400 | V5-ANN) following a handing over ceremony in Hamburg, Germany last week.
Celestair Group's Malian subsidiary, Air Mali (I5), as result of the ongoing political and economic crisis in Mali, has suspended operations for nine months effective 24 December 2012.
Malawi's Privatization Commission, the governmental department charged with overseeing the sell off and eventual privatization of national carrier Air Malawi (QM), has announced a shortlist of 5 potential investors for Air Malawi (2012)
Limited, whittled down from the original 11.
A departing Avient Cargo (SMJ) jet's (type/registry unknown) jet blast caused considerable damage to Lagos' Murtala Muhammed's International Airport's recently completed Arrival area by blowing off part of the roof.