■ MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc set to rebound as operating profits hit $83million in 2012.

Following a record USD50million (MAD499million) net loss posted in 2011 which necessitated a USD193million capital injection by the Moroccan government, Royal Air Maroc (AT), says it has generated an operating profit of USD83million (MAD718million) for its most recent 2012 Financial Year with turnover for the year rising 7% to USD1.6billion (EUR1.25billion).

■■ NIGERIA: NAMA strike to lockdown Nigeria's airspace from midnight as negotiations with management break down.

[UPDATE 20 MAY] Employees of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) affiliated to the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), are to proceed with a strike beginning Monday 20 May at 00h01. The walkout has come about as result of an ongoing wage dispute with the organization's management.

► CAMEROON: Nigeria's AeroContractors eyeing late May for inaugural Douala flights.

Nigeria's AeroContractors (AJ) have announced Monday, May 27 as the date for its planned inaugural Lagos - Douala, Cameroon flights, its second international route after Accra, Ghana. According to the carrier, the flights will operate three times weekly.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: NAC acquires South Africa's Piper dealership, Placo.

South Africa's National Airways Corporation (NAC) has announced the acquisition of 100% of the shares held in Placo, South Africa's Piper dealership, from Jeffery A Earle and Laurence M Nestadt.

► SOUTH SUDAN: Imatong Airlines looking to resume ops from July; seeks either an F50 or F27.

Kenyan-based South Sudanese specialists, Imatong Airlines, are to resume charter operations out of the Sudanese capital, Juba, from July 1, the carrier has confirmed to The African Aviation Tribune.

► NIGERIA: FirstNation Airways to tentatively resume 3x daily Lagos - Abuja flights shortly.

Nigerian carrier First Nation Airways (FRN) is to tentatively resume operations with the announcement of three times daily flights between Lagos and Abuja. It is understood that the airline's two Airbus A319s, on lease from the ILFC and due in Lagos in the near future, will be used to service the route.

► ALGERIA: Air Malta to begin 2x weekly Algiers flights from mid June.

As from 17JUN, Air Malta (KM), will launch a new scheduled service to Algeria’s capital, Algiers. The Maltese National Airline will operate two weekly flights every Monday and Thursday and expects to carry 6,000 passengers this summer.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Pakistan's PAKAfrica Aviation eyes majority stake in 1Time Holdings, including Jetworx.

A new potential buyer for bankrupt LCC 1Time (T4), has emerged in the form of PAKAfrica Aviation, a Pakistani aviation group, who have pitched USD1.6million (ZAR15million) for a "controlling stake" in South African firm, 1Time Holdings, owners of the LCC along with its MRO wing, JetWorx.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: ACSA appoints new Managing Director and Financial Director.

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has announced that Mr Bongani Maseko and Ms Maureen Manyama-Matome have been appointed Managing Director and Financial Director, respectively. Cabinet approved the appointment of Mr Maseko on Wednesday, 15 May 2013. 

► ZAMBIA: See Pics of Proflight Zambia's inaugural 737 flight between Lusaka and Livingstone

Proflight Zambia (P0) successfully deployed its B737-200ADV (MCN 23472 | ZS-SMD), leased from South Africa's Star Air (BRH), into active service on May 15 with its first revenue flight being Lusaka to Livingstone.

►► BRAZIL: Ethiopian Airlines to start 787 flights to Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo via Lome from July 2013.

[UPDATE 19 MAY] Having postponed their intended December launch of flights to Brazil via Lome, Togo owing to "inconvenient slot times given the airline" by the Brazilian aviation authorities, Ethiopian Airlines is said to be readying itself for a possible 1 June 2013 service to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil via Lome, Togo.

► NIGERIA: ExecuJet completes MRO check on Hawker 800XP jet as Lagos market sees strong demand.

ExecuJet Africa’s Maintenance Repair Organisation (MRO) facility at Mohammed Murtala International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria, has completed a first base maintenance check on a Hawker 800XP aircraft amidst high demand for the service. The Lagos MRO, an authorised service facility for Bombardier and Hawker Beechcraft, has additional aircraft due in for scheduled base maintenance checks, including another Hawker 800XP and a Bombardier Global Express.

► ALGERIA: Royal Jordanian boosts its Algiers frequencies to four weekly.

Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ), has this month increased its frequencies on its Amman – Algiers route through the addition of a 4th weekly service. The new service operates on Tuesdays.

► UGANDA: Brussels Airlines A330 suffers compressor stalls on climb out of Entebbe; returns to airport safely.

The Aviation Herald writes that on May 12, a Brussels Airlines Airbus A330-200, (MSN 229 | OO-SFY), operating as flight SN465 from Entebbe to Brussels suffered compressor stalls after take off from Entebbe and was forced to return to the Ugandan airport shortly after.

►► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian expecting "pleasant surprise" from Boeing in Addis next week; plans Dubai as first 787 destination from 25 April.

[UPDATE 17 MAY] Believing Boeing will have a "pleasant surprise" in store for the global aviation community next week, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has tentatively scheduled its Boeing 787-8s to resume operations from April 25 with Dubai lined up as the Dreamliner's first potential destination.

►► CHINA: Ethiopian Airlines reduces Beijing to 6x weekly from April 'til June.

[UPDATE 17 MAY] AirlineRoute writes that Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will from 01APR13 to 17JUN13 temporarily reduces its Addis Ababa – Beijing service, with the overall operation dropping to 6 weekly flights instead of the current daily. Boeing 777-200LR aircraft operates this route.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Dudu Myeni reckons SAA will add $100billion+ in spinoff benefit to SA's economy over next 20 years.

South African Airways (SA) claims the downstream economic benefit of its Group operations over the next twenty years will total USD107billion (ZAR1trillion), Acting Chairperson, Ms Duduzile Myeni, has said. The estimate is based on direct and indirect growth in direct and downstream employment creation with a forecast of 88'000 South African jobs across on aggregate through all sectors including tourism, foreign direct investments, goods and services. 

► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA Cargo's future hinges on domestic, regional markets as Emirates et al make their presence felt.

South African Airways Cargo, and air cargo in general in South Africa, is suffering at the hands of a buoyant East African economy, a weak South African Rand and an influx of foreign carriers to countries that were, in the past, reliant on a Johannesburg hub for their international exports.

■ LIBYA: Arabian Gulf Oil Company calls for tenders for Messla Airport upgrade.

The Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO) has issued a tender for the rehabilitation and upgrading of Messla Airport (27°58'29''N, 22°21'30''E) situated 500 km southeast of Benghazi along the Egyptian border. The Messla field was discovered in 1971 and is considered one of the biggest oil fields in the Libyan Sirte basin.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Solenta Aviation attains Flight Safety Foundation's GOLD status; announces further Mozambican investments.

South Africa's Solenta Aviation has recently been awarded GOLD status by the Flight Safety Foundation after holding GREEN status for 3 consecutive years, becoming just the third company in the world to achieve such Safety and Quality recognition. In addition, the operator has announced the acquisition of a stake in CFA Mozambique SA which has now been renamed Solenta Aviation Mozambique.