Unnamed military sources in Ethiopia state that the country has pioneered its own indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or drone. The UAVs have allegedly already performed a geophysical survey of Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam, a massive hydroelectric installation under construction on the Blue Nile.
Centrafricair o/a Karinou Airlines (KRN), a private carrier based out of the Central African Republic, is to boost its fleet with the arrival of a Boeing 737-300 due in April which will join its current lone Boeing 737-200ADV (MSN 23109 | TL-AEG) formerly with Lebanon's Med Airways.
Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has awarded a contract to US based airfield lighting specialists ADB Airfield Solutions to upgrade the AGL – Airfield Ground Lighting at Cape Town International Airport. The contract comes after ACSA awarded ADB a double contract in December 2012 to install a CAT III Normarc ILS at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport's runway 21L in addition to installing added taxiway centreline lighting to support the airport’s move to a CAT III airfield.
Tanzania's Precision Air (PW) has announced the appointment of Ms Sauda S. Rajab to the position of Group Managing Director & CEO following the expiry of incumbent Alphonse Kioko's contract.
Sudan’s Transport Minister, Ahmed Babiker Nahar has signed a preliminary deal with Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer, Antonov, for the purchase of five Antonov aircraft for onward placement in Sudan Airways (SD). The move was precipitated by Sudan Airways' inability to access Western aircraft owing to US trade sanctions against Khartoum.
airberlin(AB), Europe’s seventh largest airline, and Air Seychelles (HM), the national airline of the Seychelles, today signed a codeshare agreement which will see Air Seychelles’ HM code placed on four of airberlin’s daily return services between Abu Dhabi 
and Berlin, Düsseldorf complementing the island carrier’s existing 26 weekly codeshare connections with Etihad Airways (AY) to Frankfurt, Munich and Düsseldorf.
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.
Mauritian national carrier, Air Mauritius (MK), is beginning to reap the rewards of its envisioned 7 Step Recovery Plan amid reports that it has posted a USD9.6million (EUR6.4million) profit for Q3 (October-December) of its 2012/2013 Financial Year. However, overall results combined for Q1, Q2, Q3 show the carrier still made a substantive pre-tax loss of USD3.33million (EUR2.5 million).
South Africa's Comair Ltd, the owners of LCC Kulula (MN) the BA Comair franchise, has posted an after-tax profit of USD8.97million (ZAR79million) for H2 (July - December 2012) as revenue influx grew 20% on the same period in 2011.
Malawi's beleaguered national carrier, Air Malawi (QM), has officially ceased flights with 243 employees also having been laid off, as the airline is liquidated in preparation for the founding of a new privatized venture, Air Malawi 2012.
Tunisian national airline, Tunisair (TU), has announced it will start 3x weekly Tunis - Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso flights with a stop in Bamako, Mali effective 30 March 2013. Flights will operate with an Airbus A320. The new route is part of Tunisair's new model of targeting under served emerging markets in Sub Saharan Africa, with twenty new routes planned for in the coming 5 years.
South Africa's loss making parastatal, South African Airways (SA), is to renegotiate its deal with Airbus Industrie SAS signed 11 years ago for 20 Airbus A320s. The cash strapped national carrier is said to be looking to lease the aircraft, as opposed to buying them, thereby allowing SAA to recuperate pre-delivery payments it made to purchase the aircraft, bringing in some much needed liquidity into the struggling airline.
According to AirlineRoute, as per the 14FEB13 GDS timetable and inventory display, South African
Airways (SA) is to adjust its operational aircraft in service to Lagos and
Luanda, effective 31MAR13. The Airbus A340-300 aircraft will replace the A340-600 in service in the routes currently.
The Nigerien Government has announced the formation of a new national carrier, Niger Airways, in which Turkish Airlines (TK) will be a strategic partner. Amongst the carrier's first priorities will be the operation of flights between Niamey and the country's secondary cities - Agadez, Arlit, Dosso and Zinder in particular - and regional capitals.
South Africa's KwaZulu/Natal MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Mike Mabuyakhulu, says that negotiations have been opened with Air Seychelles (HM) over the possible start of flights from Seychelles to the Indian Ocean city of Durban. Additionally, direct flights to India are also said to have been discussed with “a number” of airlines, as Durban is home to the largest population of Indians outside of India itself.
Following on from its increased Khartoum operations, Etihad Airways(EY), the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will now upgrade its Lagos service to daily to meet growing demand from passengers travelling to and from Nigeria. Beginning 31 March a new Thursday service will be introduced on board an Airbus A330-200 bringing total weekly frequencies up to 7 (i.e. daily).
CEO Christophe Allard, has denied media reports that Congolese carrier Korongo Airlines (ZC) is in financial trouble following the sale its sole BAe 146-200 (MSN 2196 | OO-DJJ) to an undisclosed American buyer last week.