► 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.

■ SINGAPORE: Singapore signs Open Skies treaties with Tanzania, Sierra Leone.

Singapore has  announced the signing of Open Skies Treaties with Sierra Leone and Tanzania respectively on the sidelines of the ongoing 38th session of the General Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) being held in the Canadian city of Montreal from 24 September to 30 September.

► KENYA: Kenya Airways' LCC, Jambo Jet, to launch in 1Q 2014 - Naikuni.

Dr Titus Naikuni, the Managing Director of Kenya Airways (KQ), has announced that his airline's Low Cost subsidiary, Jambo Jet, will be operational during the first quarter of 2014. The news comes after Willem Hondius, a former executive with Dutch LCC Transavia, was recently appointed CEO of the startup.

► 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.

► RÉUNION: Air Austral's Ewa Airlines due to launch from October 29 as A380 talks go on (and on).

Réunion-based airline, Air Austral (UU), has set October 29 as the launch date for its new regional startup, Ewa Airlines, which will serve the Indian Ocean region as well as Mozambique and Tanzania with an ATR72-500.

► FLEET UPDATE BULLETIN: Canadian Airways Congo, Sudan Airways, CEIBA Intercontinental, Westair Bénin, Kush Air, Petro Air.

The following is a fleet update bulletin for aircraft that are in use, have been in use or will be in use for these listed airlines: Canadian Airways Congo, Sudan Airways, CEIBA Intercontinental, Westair Bénin, Kush Air, Petro Air.

► KENYA: Astral Aviation signs lease deal with Atlas Air Worldwide for one B747-400F due shortly.

Kenyan cargo carrier, Astral Aviation (8V), has signed a deal with US-based ACMI specialists Atlas Air Worldwide for the lease of one B747-400(F), Astral's first widebody freighter, for use in expanding its Africa-Europe cargo operations.

■ LIBYA: LYCAA awards Italy's ENAV, TechnoSky, ATC overhaul and upgrade contracts.

The Libyan Civil Aviation Authority (مصلحة الطيران المدني‎ - LYCAA) has awarded L'Ente Nazionale di Assistenza al Volo (ENAV), the Italian state-owned company specializing in air navigation services together with its subsidiary Techno Sky, two contracts for the supply of consultancy, technical and training services to assist in the modernisation of the LYCAA's systems and its organisational and regulatory processes.

■ 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".

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire's November regional expansion plans outlined.

Referencing our previous report, AirlineRoute has outlined Air Cote d'Ivoire's (HF) revised regional traffic expansion plans, set to come into effect from mid-November. Various changes to its existing timetable are also to be effected.

► MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc outlines planned Summer 2014 network additions.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) will,  in Summer 2014, be adding four new European services to its network beginning March 30, 2014. Among the planned services are flights to Montpellier, Venice. Flights will use a combination of B737NGs and Embraer E190s.

■ 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.

► NIGER: Air Force's two Diamond DA42s' upgrade to be footed by the US Navy.

The US Navy will reportedly foot the bill for an upgrade to the Nigerien Air Forces' fleet of two Diamond Aircraft DA42 surveillance aircraft, (MSN ? | 5U-MRX) & (MSN ? | 5U-MRZ), used for border surveillance missions to inhibit smuggling and to protect critical infrastructures.

► SHARJAH: LCC Air Arabia looks to West African market for possible expansion.

Adel Ali, the CEO of Sharjah-based LCC, Air Arabia (G9), has pointed to the underserved, underexploited West African market as his airline's next point of focus. Mr Ali made the announcement during a recent 2013 Dubai Airfinance Conference briefing.

■ AIRBUS: Airbus releases its 2013-32 Global Market Forecast.

As aviation becomes increasingly accessible in all parts of the world, future Journeys will increasingly be made by air particularly to and from emerging markets. According to European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus' latest Global Market Forecast (GMF) in the next 20 years (2013-2032), air traffic will grow at 4.7 per cent annually requiring over 29,220 new passenger and freighter aircraft valued at nearly USD4.4 trillion. Some 28'350 of these are passenger aircraft valued at USD4.1 trillion. Of these, some 10'400 will replace existing aircraft with more efficient ones. With today’s fleet of 17'740 aircraft, it means that by 2032, the worldwide fleet will double to nearly 36'560 aircraft. 

► CAMEROON: Camair-Co to bid for one of Air India's B777-200LRs?

Cameroon's national carrier, Camair-Co (QC), has reportedly set its sights on acquiring one of Air India's five B777-200(LR)s that were recently put up for sale. Abu-Dhabi-based megacarrier, Etihad (EY), has also expressed an interest in the jets.

■ ANGOLA: Menongue International Airport to come online before 2014 - Ceitas.

Manuel Ceitas, the CEO of Angola's airport and air traffic authority (Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Navegação Aérea - ENANA), says that Comandante Kuenha International Airport, situated in the near-central Angolan town of Menongue in Cuando Cubango Province, could become operational before the end of this year given that its rehabilitation and expansion works are almost complete after nearly 6 years of work.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): International Trans Air Business deploys its B737-200M into service to Kinshasa.

Lubumbashi-based carrier, International Trans Air Business (ITAB), deployed its B737-200(M) (MSN 21959 | ZS-PVU) into service on September 10 with its maiden flight being to the Congolese capital, Kinshasa.

■ NIGERIA: Canada's FLYGT signs AFIRS contract with an unnamed Nigerian operator.

Canada's FLYHT Aerospace Solutions has announced the signing of a contract with an undisclosed Nigerian airline for the installation of its Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) 220.