The UAE's General Civil Aviation Administration (GCAA) has released its final report on the 2009 crash of a Sudanese Boeing 707-330C (MSN 20123/788 | ST-AKW) operated by Azza Air (AZZ) on behalf of Sudan Airways(SD). The aircraft crashed into the desert outside Sharjah International Airport shortly after take off killing 3 passengers and 3 crew. The report blames a combination of poor aircraft maintenance, sloppy inspection standards on behalf of the Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority and inadequate crew training as the causes for the crash.
Dr. Harold Demuren, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has been sacked by Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, with immediate effect.
The Airports of Mauritius Co Ltd. today inaugurated two out of the five new aircraft hangers at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Plaisance, Mauritius, that will be used for long-term aircraft parking. The inauguration comes as tomorrow (Tuesday 12 March), Emirates (EK) will operate a one-off Airbus A380 flight to the island to mark the 45th Anniversary of Mauritius' independence from Britain.
The Nigerian Senate is to embark on a review of all Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) signed with foreign countries with the Open Skies agreement signed with the US also up for scrutiny. The Senate claims that the BASAs have been heavily skewed in favour of other countries' interests at the detriment of Nigeria's and its domestic airlines.
Proflight Zambia (P0) is to resume twice daily Lusaka - Livingstone flights effective 01APR 2013. The service operates using a Jetstream J41.
Sections of the South African travel media have speculated that incumbent South African Airways (SA) CEO Nico Bezuidenhout, who is also the CEO of SAA's LCC wing, Mango, is likely to be confirmed as the carrier's de facto boss.
Algerian national carrier, Air Algérie (AH), is planning new routes to Ndjamena (Chad), Lagos, and Conakry (Guinea) during Winter'13/14 according to the airline's President and Director-General, Mohamed Saleh Bolatif.
As part of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA)'s effort to modernize and prioritize safety, Spanish information technology and defense systems company, Indra Sistemas, has completed the installation and testing of its voice communications system in 13 Nigerian airports.
One
year on from when Abu Dhabi-based carrier, Etihad Airways (EY), signed a
Memorandum of Understanding to acquire a 40 per cent stake in then
struggling Air Seychelles (HM), the Seychellois airline has unofficially
posted a USD1million profit.
Equato-guinean carrier Punto Azul (ZR) is to commence operations with its three Embraer ERJ145s leased from ECC Leasing Company Ltd, a subsidiary of Embraer, and operated by South Africa's National Airways Corp. (NAC). The first Embraer ERJ145 (MSN 145244 | PR-PSQ) was delivered to NAC in late February.
Air Namibia's (SW) has settled its outstanding debt with fuel supplier, South African based Engen. Fuel bills have continuously hurt the Namibian national carrier's coffers with an estimated 40% of revenue going to fuel related expenses alone.
AirlineRoute reports that, as per the 08MAR13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is to extend its Boeing 787 service cancellations until 30APR13 inclusive. Due to aircraft redeployment, a number of routes will also see aircraft changes, scheduled to be in effect until mid-June 2013.
This week (15 March), Turkish construction firms Çetin Group and Kozuva will begin building the new Turkish sponsored air terminal at Mogadishu's Aden Abdulle International Airport, following the signing of a deal in late January.
After having successfully concluded its derelict aircraft disposal operation at Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is now set to move into Abuja's Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport with other regional airports in Kano and Edo states to follow.
Tanzanian based LCC, fastjet (FN), has secured an additional USD23.5million (GBP15.68million) in funding following an agreement with Bergen Global Opportunity Fund, an institutional investment fund managed by Bergen Asset Management, LLC, a New York asset management firm.
FlightSafety International, a global aviation training company, has selected Lanseria, Johannesburg-based National Airways Corporation (NAC) to be a FlightSafety Maintenance Training Centre through which the organization will now offer training for Pratt & Whitney Canada engines in South Africa and the surrounding region.
Following a consultative meeting with President Omar Al Bashir regarding the current state and future of national carrier Sudan Airways (SD), Sudan's Minister of Transport, Roads and Bridges, Dr. Ahmed Babikir Nahar, has made mention of a 3-step government plan aimed at rehabilitating and restructuring the ailing national carrier. Nahar also added that possible punitive steps are to be taken against those fingered in an investigation into the loss of Sudan Airways' valuable landing slot at London's Heathrow airport.