Mauritanian carrier becomes the first in Africa to fly the newest version of the best-selling 737

Mauritania Airlines International today became the first operator in Africa of the new Boeing737-800.

"We are proud to be the first carrier in Africa to operate the 737 MAX," said Mohamed Radhi Bennahi, chief executive officer of Mauritania Airlines International. "The introduction of the 737 MAX into the growing Mauritanian fleet will help to profitably grow our network as we introduce new routes to Europe and the Middle East." 

According to Boeing, the 737 MAX delivers the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market by incorporating the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, the Boeing Sky Interior, large flight deck displays, and other improvements. The efficiency gains have helped make the MAX the fastest selling airplane in Boeing history with more than 4,000 orders to date from 92 customers worldwide. 

"We are delighted that Mauritania Airlines International becomes the first operator of the MAX in Africa and I would like to thank everyone at the airline for their partnership and continued faith in the 737 program," said Marty Bentrott, senior vice president sales for Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Russia & Central Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The 737 MAX will be a great addition to its fleet providing greater efficiency, range and passenger comfort to its operations."

Mauritania Airlines International serves more than 10 destinations across Africa and Europe from its base at Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport in Mauritania's capital city of Nouakchott.
 

UAE carriers stop Tunisian links after terrorist risk.

Initially the Tunisian authorities were reacting to claims that the Emirates action was discriminatory and racial but reports now suggest Tunisia has been made aware of credible intelligence which led to the action by the Gulf carrier.
Last night, Emirates said it was suspending its flights to Tunisia indefinitely shortly after the Tunis government said it had banned UAE carriers. 

“As instructed by the Tunisian authorities, Emirates will stop all its services between Dubai and Tunisia starting from 25 December 2017 until further notice. Affected passengers are advised to contact their travel agent or booking office for assistance,” a statement from Emirates said.

Sources suggest that there were intelligence reports regarding young Tunisian women (under the age of 30) who had returned from Syria or Iraq having been fighting with Daesh and were targeting aviation.
It is understood that Tunisia has withdrawn the ban but recognises the validity of the intelligence following a meeting with the UAE ambassador to Tunis.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash, said on Twitter, “We met with our brothers in Tunisia about security procedures that have been imposed.”

“Here in the UAE, we are proud of our experience in empowering women, we appreciate Tunisian women, respect them and value their pioneering experience, and we see them as the protectors of safety. We will avoid attempts at misinterpretation and misrepresentation.”

Boeing and Royal Air Maroc announce orders for four 787 Dreamliners

The orders, previously listed as unidentified on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website, include two 787s purchased in December 2016 and two purchased this month.

Royal Air Maroc, which has already taken delivery of five 787-8s, will grow its fleet of fuel-efficient 787s to a total of nine airplanes. Royal Air Maroc flies 787s on international routes from Casablanca to North America, South America, the Middle East and Europe, and with the additional airplanes plans to expand service to these areas.

"Today Royal Air Maroc has direct flights to 80 international destinations. Thanks to our unique position as a geographic hub and high quality of service, we bring customers from all over the world to their destinations. With more than 850 flights per month to Africa, Royal Air Maroc has the broadest presence across the continent of any airline," said Abdelhamid Addou, CEO and Chairman of Royal Air Maroc. He added, "Our vision is to be the leading airline in Africa in terms of quality of service, quality of planes and connectivity. Ordering new-generation planes such as the Dreamliner puts our airline on the right track to fulfill our vision."

"Royal Air Maroc's additional 787 orders are a terrific endorsement of the Dreamliner's economic performance, fuel efficiency and unrivalled passenger experience," said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Global Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Expanding the relationship between our companies that began nearly 50 years ago, Boeing is proud to support Royal Air Maroc's growth plans within Africa and further connect Morocco to the world."

Royal Air Maroc is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Its fleet includes more than 56 Boeing airplanes, including 737s, 767-300ERs, 787s and a 747-400. The Casablanca-based carrier operates a domestic network throughout Morocco and serves more than 80 destinations across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America and South America. 

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a family of super-efficient airplanes with new passenger-pleasing features. The 787-9's fuselage is stretched by 20 feet (6 meters) over the 787-8 and can fly 290 passengers up to 14,140 kilometers in a typical two-class configuration. The 787's unparalleled fuel efficiency – reducing fuel use and carbon emissions by 20 percent compared to airplanes it replaces – and range flexibility enable carriers to profitably open new routes and optimize fleet and network performance. To serve passengers, the Dreamliner offers large, dimmable windows, large stow bins, modern LED lighting, higher humidity, a lower cabin altitude, cleaner air and a smoother ride.

Boeing also is a longstanding partner to Morocco, supporting the country's development of its aerospace industry and workforce. Boeing and Safran are joint venture partners in Morocco Aero-Technical Interconnect Systems (MATIS) Aerospace in Casablanca, a high-quality supplier that employs more than 1,000 people building wire bundles and wire harnesses for Boeing and other aerospace companies.

Chinese take over Diamond for a GA jewel in the crown

News of the takeover broke just as employees of the Wiener Neustadt factory were breaking up for their Christmas holidays.
Diamond also had a subsidiary business in London, Ontario, Canada, which Wanfeng had bought a major shareholding a year ago.

In a statement, Diamond’s CEO Christian Dries said: “Diamond is my life’s work. In the interest of a successful long-term future, we needed to find the right partner to continue our good work. Wanfeng and specifically Mr. Bin Chen share my vision of the future of general aviation and are investing for the right reasons, with a long-term strategy and the resources to see their vision through” 

Bin Chen, the new chairman of Diamond Aircraft Industries and chairman of Wanfeng Aviation and president of the Wanfeng Automotive Holding Group said: “Under the 25-year leadership of founder Mr. Christian Dries, the Diamond team has developed a broad range of superb aircraft that have gained worldwide respect for their performance, efficiency, safety and innovation. Based on this excellent foundation, we intend to take Diamond to a long-term leadership position in worldwide general aviation.”

Although producing a series of successful GA programmes, The DA-40, DA-42 Twinstar and more recently the DA-50 and DA62, the company has been focusing on military variants and has been progressing with autonomous aircraft development.

The DA50-V with the largest cabin of any single-engine piston airplane is expected to be certificated during 2018.

First SSJ100 test flight with the Saberlets performed successfully

The saber-like configuration of the tips installed on to the Sukhoi Superjet 100 turned out to be the result of a number of research, engineering  and experimental activities carried out by the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company with the assistance of Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI).

The geometry of the tips was determined with the implementation of the innovative methods of 3D optimization based on numerical computation called Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) – the unique TsAGI know-how used in Russian aviation industry in particular for Sukhoi Superjet 100 program.

The results of research and experiments showed that the installation of the saber-like tips allows to simultaneously improve the take-off and landing performance and decrease the fuel consumption for not less than 3%. The expected improvement of the take-off and landing characteristics will be obvious for the carriers operating the aircraft at regional runways and in hot weather conditions as well as on mountain aerodromes (Hot&High).

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company is consequently implementing the Sukhoi Superjet 100 improvement program aiming at market expansion and the increase of the number of Customers, the current Operators satisfaction level growth and the maintenance of the high competitive level of the product. The wing tips installation being the part of the improvement program will provide the operators with cost cut up to $70 000 per year per one SSJ100», points the President of the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft  Company Alexander Rubtsov.

The end of a full-scale programme of ground and flight tests will result in the certification of the SSJ100 with the horizontal tips – saberlets and they will be offered as an option to the Customers. The installation of the tips is possible not only to new aircraft but to the already delivered aircraft as well.

VASO (Voronezh aircraft manufacturer) is the manufacturer of the saberlets kits, the materials used are certified in Russia as well as abroad.

Mauritanian carrier becomes the first in Africa to fly the newest version of the best-selling 737

"We are proud to be the first carrier in Africa to operate the 737 MAX," said Mohamed Radhi Bennahi, chief executive officer of Mauritania Airlines International. "The introduction of the 737 MAX into the growing Mauritanian fleet will help to profitably grow our network as we introduce new routes to Europe and the Middle East."

 
According to Boeing, the 737 MAX delivers the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market by incorporating the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, the Boeing Sky Interior, large flight deck displays, and other improvements. The efficiency gains have helped make the MAX the fastest selling airplane in Boeing history with more than 4,000 orders to date from 92 customers worldwide. 

"We are delighted that Mauritania Airlines International becomes the first operator of the MAX in Africa and I would like to thank everyone at the airline for their partnership and continued faith in the 737 program," said Marty Bentrott, senior vice president sales for Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Russia & Central Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The 737 MAX will be a great addition to its fleet providing greater efficiency, range and passenger comfort to its operations."

Mauritania Airlines International serves more than 10 destinations across Africa and Europe from its base at Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport in Mauritania's capital city of Nouakchott.
 

GECAS takes delivery of its 394th – and last – Next-Generation 737

With an initial order placed in 1996, GECAS’ NG orderbook accounts for roughly one of every 15 NGs delivered to date. Surpassing other lessor’s skyline orders for the type, GECAS’ placements of NG’s have been leased to 64 operators across 32 countries. Exclusively powered by CFM-56 engines, the narrowbody has served the airline industry for decades and is ideally suited for both commercial passenger and cargo aircraft. 

“An exceptionally valuable asset in our portfolio, the Next-Generation 737 has been incredibly reliable for our customers,” states Declan Kelly, GECAS Executive Vice President, noting “Much of our success since the late 1990’s is in some way attributable to the NG and the relationship we’ve developed with the team at Boeing.”

In addition to new orders, GECAS has also provided new aircraft lease financing on an additional ~270 737NGs to customers around the world.

“The Next-Generation 737 has been an icon of the aviation industry for two decades,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President & CEO Kevin McAllister. “It’s been a workhorse for airlines and lessors alike and we’re proud to have delivered so many of these airplanes to GECAS. We look forward to beginning a new chapter of success together when GECAS takes delivery of its first 737 MAX next year.”

GECAS currently has 170 737 MAX airplanes on order, with the first delivery scheduled for January 2018.

Pilatus obtains PC-24 Type Certificates

Pilatus has obtained type certificates from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US-American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the first ever Swiss business jet.

Certification of the Super Versatile Jet prepares the ground for initial customer deliveries, which will see the PC-24 business jet take off from Central Switzerland for its entry on the global market.

In any project to develop a new aircraft, certification by the aviation authorities is by far the most important milestone, given that it means deliveries to customers may go ahead, generating revenue for the manufacturer. The PC-24 development project was officially announced in 2013, but work on the Super Versatile Jet has in fact been in progress for the past eleven and a half years.

Complex project with a tight schedule

The first PC-24 prototype completed its maiden flight in May 2015. All three prototypes used in the certification programme have flown a total of 2205 hours worldwide so far. Some flight tests were conducted in extreme environments: in icing conditions and very hot temperatures, at altitudes and speeds not usually encountered in everyday operations. Other tests have included bird impacts, structural stress tests, noise tests and general function. All this to prove that customers may depend on this aircraft to operate safely and reliably at all times, in line with statutory requirements. In fact, Pilatus test pilots took the aircraft to the very boundaries of its limits and even beyond, flying it in configurations and maneuvers forbidden to the commercial pilots who will subsequently occupy the cockpit.

Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman at Pilatus, said: “The PC-24 is the first ever Pilatus business jet. Naturally, the requirements associated with obtaining certification for this sort of aircraft are extremely rigorous, and I need hardly mention that we faced some big challenges. In 2013 we announced that the PC-24 would be ready in 2017, and now, shortly before the end of the year, we have achieved exactly that. And all performance data promised to our first 84 customers have been achieved or even exceeded. The PC-24 delivers a maximum speed of 440 knots (815 km/h) compared to the contractually agreed 425 knots (787 km/h) – to cite just one example. That is pure Pilatus, and typical of the qualities which set us apart!”

EgyptAir on cloud nine with latest 737-800 delivery

EgyptAir has received its ninth and final Boeing 737-800NGs on a lease deal from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) and valued at $864 million. All nine were handed over during in the course of the past year.

Capt Sherif Ezzat, chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Airlines said the new addition would seat up to 154 passengers divided into 16 seats for business cabin and 138 for the economy class.
He said that for the first time, the aircraft will feature the Audio/Video on Demand System (AVOD), a refreshed interior and the signature elements of Boeing's innovative Sky Interior with modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals, larger pivoting overhead stowage bins and LED lighting that enhances the sense of spaciousness. 

“The design offers larger, pivoting overhead stowage bins that add to the openness of the cabin. The bins give more passengers room to store a carry-on roll-aboard near their own seat, adding both extra convenience and extra legroom that reaches 48 inches. The business class cabin is also provided by electricity outlets for recharging, personal computers (PCs), and cellular, this is in addition to the personal in-flight entertaining system that offers our customers a variety of recent documentary and newly released movies, as well as radio channels,” Ezzat said

Safwat Musallam, chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company said: "This aircraft is the fleet's 69th aircraft and No. 29 of this type considered one of the best-selling in the Boeing 737 Next Generation," He congratulated Boeing and DAE for the completion of the deal on time.

New Cessna twin turboprop unveiled for cargo and commuter operations

The SkyCourier is a clean-sheet design and is expected to enter service in 2020. It will come in both cargo and commuter options. In its passenger format it will be able to carry 19 passengers.

“With our depth of expertise and proven success in new product development, we were eager to work directly with a world-class company like FedEx Express to jointly develop the Cessna SkyCourier,” said Scott Ernest, president and CEO of Textron Aviation. “The aircraft will fulfill a gap in this market segment with its superior performance and low operating costs in combination with the cabin flexibility, payload capability and efficiency only a clean-sheet design can offer.”
The cargo variant will feature a large cargo door and a flat floor cabin that is sized to handle up to three LD3 shipping containers with an impressive 6,000 pounds of maximum payload capability. The aircraft will also afford a maximum cruise speed of up to 200 ktas and a 900 nautical-mile maximum range.
The 19-passenger variant will include crew and passenger doors for smooth boarding, as well as large cabin windows for great natural light and views. Both configurations will offer single-point pressure refueling to enable faster turnarounds.
When Textron brought Beechcraft and Cessna together, there were drawings of a new twin turboprop from Beechcraft but Textron marketeers argue that the Cessna Caravan platform set the standard in the single-engine utility category for decades say the SkyCourier will build on that proven success in the large-utility category, offering even greater capability and mission flexibility.
Computer graphics from Textron show just how much larger the new SkyCourier is, compared to the Caravan. With its 54’10” length (16.71m) it is almost a metre longer than the Viking Twin Otter 400 with which it will compete
It will be powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC engines providing 1,100 SHP each. It also features McCauley 4-blade Blackmac propellers.

With a 5.000lb payload it will have a 400nm mile “perfect for feeder operations” FedEx said.Textron Aviation and FedEx leadership at today's signing ceremony (from left to right: David L. Cunningham, president and CEO, FedEx Express; David J. Bronczek, president and COO, FedEx Corp.; Scott Donnelly, chairman, president and CEO, Textron Inc.; Scott Ernest, president and CEO, Textron Aviation)

Airbus Foundation and Air Mauritius team up for goodwill flight

The Airbus Foundation and the Air Mauritius Foundation have operated a humanitarian flight comprising 3.5 tonnes of medical equipment on board the airline's latest A350-900 aircraft.

The cargo, which consisted of medical equipment including examination tables, wheelchairs, mattresses and medical beds, will help Mauritian NGOs that provide health care services to the community. Equipment will also be flown to Madagascar in order to ease the tense health care situation in the country.  

The aircraft took off from Toulouse on 25 November flying the goods to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, the home base of Air Mauritius. This is a joint humanitarian initiative facilitated by Aviation sans Frontières, the Airbus Foundation and the Air Mauritius Foundation.  

 

“It is a great honour for us and our Air Mauritius Foundation to be working shoulder to shoulder with the Airbus Foundation and Aviation Sans Frontières to make this humanitarian flight a reality,” said Somas Appavou, Chief Executive Officer of Air Mauritius. “The Air Mauritius Foundation was launched to strengthen our company’s social engagement. Every year, we help thousands of Mauritians in the fields of health, education, sports and culture. This mission is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the power of cooperation in aviation to bring much needed relief to people in the region.” 

 

“I am proud to see that yet another brand new customer aircraft is being delivered with humanitarian goods on board,” said Fabrice Brégier, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft and a Member of the Airbus Foundation’s Board of Directors. “I wish to thank Air Mauritius and all partners involved for their truly tremendous and tireless efforts to conduct this mission.”

 

Air Mauritius has also received its second Airbus A350-900 in Toulouse on November 25, 2017. It has made its first commercial flight from Paris CDG to Mauritius.

 

Bombardier cements Q400 deal with South Africa's Cem Air

At an event in Johannesburg last night, Bombardier confirmed this orderfollowed a letter of intent signed at the Paris Airshow, earlier this year and is valued at $66million at list price.

"CemAir has enjoyed significant growth in the last few years and this has come from our focused approach on selecting the right aircraft for our operation", said Miles van der Molen, the airline’s CEO. "The Q400 is a fantastic performer especially in our environment of high altitudes and hot operating temperatures. It is really an unbeatable turboprop that brings so many jet-like features to ensure a competitive and operational advantage in our market. We see the Q400 as the ideal growth solution for our scheduled and charter operations as we continue to strengthen our relationship with Bombardier. We are working to expand our scheduled operations beyond South Africa and continuing to support new opportunities across the continent."

With these Q400 aircraft, CemAir sees an increase its current fleet of Bombardier aircraft to 17 - including five Q Series turboprops and 12 CRJ Series aircraft. CemAir recently added a used CRJ900 aircraft to its fleet, the first in South Africa.

The company has operating and leasing experience throughout Africa and the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Kenya, Mali, Gabon, Ghana, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Sudan, Zambia, as well as South Africa.

Speaking at the event, Bombardier’s Jean-Paul Boutibou, vice president, sales, Middle-East and Africa said: "The Q400 is the next natural step in the growth of CemAir's fleet as it brings more flexibility to increase the capacity on key routes. The Q400 will open several market opportunities to CemAir on domestic and future regional routes." 

Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens to develop hybrid-electric aircraft power

Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens have formed a partnership which aims at developing a near-term flight demonstrator which will be a significant step forward in hybrid-electric propulsion for commercial aircraft.

The three companies together announced the groundbreaking collaboration, bringing together some of the world’s foremost experts in electrical and propulsion technologies, at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London. 
 
The E-Fan X hybrid-electric technology demonstrator is anticipated to fly in 2020 following a comprehensive ground test campaign, provisionally on a BAe 146 flying testbed, with one of the aircraft’s four gas turbine engines replaced by a two megawatt electric motor. Provisions will be made to replace a second gas turbine with an electric motor once system maturity has been proven.
 
“The E-Fan X is an important next step in our goal of making electric flight a reality in the foreseeable future. The lessons we learned from a long history of electric flight demonstrators, starting with the Cri-Cri, including the e-Genius, E-Star, and culminating most recently with the E-Fan 1.2, as well as the fruits of the E-Aircraft Systems House collaboration with Siemens, will pave the way to a hybrid single-aisle commercial aircraft that is safe, efficient, and cost-effective,” said Paul Eremenko, Airbus’ Chief Technology Officer. “We see hybrid-electric propulsion as a compelling technology for the future of aviation.”
 
The E-Fan X demonstrator will explore the challenges of high-power propulsion systems, such as thermal effects, electric thrust management, altitude and dynamic effects on electric systems and electromagnetic compatibility issues. The objective is to push and mature the technology, performance, safety and reliability enabling quick progress on the hybrid electric technology. The programme also aims at establishing the requirements for future certification of electrically powered aircraft while training a new generation of designers and engineers to bring hybrid-electric commercial aircraft one step closer to reality.
 
As part of the E-Fan X programme, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens will each contribute with their extensive experience and know-how in their respective fields of expertise:
 
-       Airbus will be responsible for overall integration as well as the control architecture of the hybrid-electric propulsion system and batteries, and its integration with flight controls.
-       Rolls-Royce will be responsible for the turbo-shaft engine, two megawatt generator, and power electronics. Along with Airbus, Rolls-Royce will also work on the fan adaptation to the existing nacelle and the Siemens electric motor.
-       Siemens will deliver the two megawatt electric motors and their power electronic control unit, as well as the inverter, DC/DC converter, and power distribution system. This comes on top of the E-Aircraft Systems House collaboration between Airbus and Siemens, launched in 2016, which aims at development and maturation of various electric propulsion system components and their terrestrial demonstraion across various power classes.
 
Paul Stein, Rolls-Royce, Chief Technology Officer, said: “The E-Fan X enables us to build on our wealth of electrical expertise to revolutionise flight and welcome in the third generation of aviation. This is an exciting time for us as this technological advancement will result in Rolls-Royce creating the world’s most powerful flying generator.
 
“Siemens has been driving innovation in core technology fields at full speed,” said Roland Busch, Chief Technology Officer of Siemens. “In April 2016 we opened a new chapter in electric-mobility with the collaboration with Airbus. Building up electric propulsion for aircraft, we are creating new perspectives for our company and also for our customers and society. With the E-Fan X partnership, we now take the next step to demonstrate the technology in the air.”
 
Among the top challenges for today’s aviation sector is to move towards a means of transport with improved environmental performance, that is more efficient and less reliant on fossil fuels. The partners are committed to meeting the EU technical environmental goals of the European Commission’s Flightpath 2050 Vision for Aviation (reduction of CO2 by 60%, reduction of NOx by 90% and noise reduction by 75%). These cannot be achieved with the technologies existing today. Therefore, Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens are investing in and focusing research work in different technology areas including electrification. Electric and hybrid-electric propulsion are seen today as among the most promising technologies for addressing these challenges.

Airlander returns to the skies

All objectives of the planned flight were accomplished and the aircraft is now safely back at its masting site. The Airlander was taken off its mooring mast at 17:20 last night and took off at 17:28. It flew for a total of 180 minutes before landing at 20:15 and was secured safely on the mast at 20:20. 

“It was truly amazing to be back in the air. I loved every minute of the flight and the Airlander itself handled superbly. I am eager to get back into the cockpit and take her flying again,” said chief test pilot, Dave Burns.

Also on board was experimental test Pilot, Simon Davies.

This marks the return to the skies of the world’s largest aircraft, the Airlander 10, and draws a line under the heavy landing it experienced last August.  

The Airlander has now flown three times in addition to a successful flight as HAV-304 during the US Army’s Long Endurance Multi-intelligence Vehicle program in 2012.  There were considerable modifications since it was the HAV-304 and the Hybrid Air Vehicles team have made a number of additional modifications since last August, the main ones visible today being a new more powerful and more manoeuvrable Mobile Mooring Mast (MMM), and the additional “landing feet” of the Auxiliary Landing System (ALS).

Lufthansa Technik sign contract with Mango Airlines

Lufthansa Technik AG and Mango Airlines from South Africa have signed an exclusive contract for the maintenance of CFM56-7B engines, which power the airline's fleet of ten Boeing 737NG aircraft.

Within the framework of the agreement, Lufthansa Technik will provide overhaulservices for the engines at its German locations until 2022.

Mango Airlines' parent company, South African Airways, has been receiving exclusive support from Lufthansa Technik for the CFM56-7B engines of its Boeing 737NG fleet for more than 15 years already.

This new agreement now comprises at least 19 overhaul events over the next five years, with billing on a power-by-the-hour basis.

"We are very pleased to expand our footprint in South Africa by adding Mango Airlines to our customers," said Robert Gaag, Vice President Corporate Sales Europe, Middle East & Africa at Lufthansa Technik. "Lufthansa Technik has a long lasting presence in thisregion and this agreement is a further proof that our services can betailor-made to the different needs of this market."

The newly signed contract with Mango Airlines means that Lufthansa Technik is adding another South African customer to its base and now has long-term maintenance contracts with all major airlines in the country. Besides South African Airways (SAA) and SAA-Technical, its customers also include the airlines Comair and Safair.

Cargolux increases market presence in Africa

Cargolux Airlines has introduced two new destinations in Africa, Douala in Cameroon and Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The first Cargolux cargo plane to Lubumbashi will take off on 15 September, while Douala will be served from 3 October.

Flights to Lubumbashi leaving Luxembourg every Friday night and come in the DRC on Saturday morning at 05:25 at. The return flight via Johannesburg, Nairobi and Stansted in the UK. Arrival in Luxembourg on Sunday at 13:25 (both local time).

The Douala flights lift every Wednesday at 16:15 of Luxembourg and passed over Bamako. You arrive at 01:55 in Cameroon on Thursday. The return flight lands on Friday at 10.55 am in Luxembourg.

Lubumbashi is, after the capital Kinshasa, the second largest city of the DRC and acts as a hub for the mining industry of the country. The city is an important commercial and industrial center known for the production of textiles, food and beverages as well as copper processing. It is also home to one of the largest banks in the country. In Lubumbashi estimated that more than 3 percent of the world's copper and cobalt half its inventory is produced.

Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and the home to the largest port in Central Africa. The town is economically and commercially seen the capital of the country, because that's where most of the country's exports are handled, including oil, cocoa, coffee, fruit, metal and wood. The European countries are the main export and import partner for Cameroon, followed by Asia.

Cargolux looks promising growth potential in the region. With its own feeder services, the company is also capable of fast and efficient connections to Yaounde, the Cameroonian capital and the second largest city to offer. To Cargolux imports are high-tech products, agricultural products and machinery, while especially perishable goods such as fruit and vegetables for European consumers, are exported.

Douala and Lubumbashi be added to the existing 33 destinations Cargolux on the African continent. This extensive network has a long history and Cargolux enjoys the continued loyalty and support of carriers and shippers in this market. The carrier is a proven expert in a number of different shipments of perishable goods such as fruit and flowers to heavy equipment for the oil and gas industry on the continent.

"Africa has been and will always be an important market for Cargolux, and we are pleased to be supporting the trade routes of the continent to Europe, the US and Asia as well as the global Cargolux network," said Jonathan Clark, Regional Director Africa at Cargolux.

Nigeria zones in on drone regulation

Although the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) targets 2018 to publish standards and recommended practices (SARPs) for the certification and operations of drones, interest in their civil and military use in Nigeria has continued to increase.

The level of interest in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)/remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) gained prominence when, in December 2013, Nigeria’s then president, Goodluck Jonathan, unveiled the country’s first indigenous UAV, codenamed GULMA.

It was designed and constructed by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) at the base in Kaduna. 
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony, he congratulated the air force, saying that the achievement marked a turning point in indigenous technological development in Nigeria. He urged the private sector to key into the NAF breakthrough in order to achieve a high level of mass production and the highest and best commercial use of the prototype UAV.

The need for UAVs has increased for Nigeria at a time the nation is diversifying its economy. Drones can be deployed for disaster management, power line survey, telecommunication, weather monitoring, news coverage, oil and gas exploration, aerial imaging and mapping.

“The development of the use of RPA nationwide has emerged with somewhat predictable safety concerns and security threats. Therefore, with the preponderance of these operations, particularly in non-segregated airspace, there has to be proactive safety guidelines,” said Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) spokesman Sam Adurogboye.

He revealed that, by early 2016, some RPA/UAVs had been deployed for commercial and recreational purposes in the country without adequate security clearance, stating that the NCAA had put in place a regulating advisory circular to guide the certification and operations of civil RPA in its airspace.
“No government agency, organisation or individual will launch an RPA/UAV in the Nigerian airspace for any purpose whatsoever without obtaining a requisite permit from the NCAA and the office of the national security adviser (ONSA),” he said.

“In addition, operators must ensure strict compliance with the condition stipulated in their permits and the requirements of Nigeria civil aviation regulations (NCARs).” 

Adurogboye added that violators would be sanctioned according to the dictates of NCARs.
Engineer Ifeanyi Ogochukwu, of the safety directorate of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), said the regulation of drone operations in the country had become an emergency because of the security threat capabilities of the technology.

Another expression of the government’s commitment to UAV regulation occurred on November 21, 2016 when ONSA, in collaboration with the NCAA, held a one-day stakeholder meeting to articulate the use of UAV/RPA in Nigerian airspace. 

Discussions centred on safety implications, risk assessment, oversight, regulations and certification.
NCAA director general, Captain Muhtar Usman, recently took steps to establish an RPA/drones safety team, which will help to develop recommendations to assist his organisation in creating an RPAS registration system in the shortest possible time. This would also help connect an RPAS with its operators in cases where people were not following the rules. 

The RPAS advisory committee, to be overseen by NCAA’s Directorate of General Aviation, is also to help prioritise RPA integration activities, including development of future regulations and policies.
The first regulation for routine RPA use took effect in 2015. According to the NCAA, a new regulation that will put a limit of 25kg as the allowable weight limitation for civil drones in the country will be made public by 2017, providing an important regulatory foundation for allowing additional weight categories in future, to be followed by proposed rule on RPA operations over populated areas.

The announcement by the United States military, in September 2016, for plans to build a $100 million drone base near Nigeria, particularly in Agadez, central Niger, to help the west African country combat militant groups and protect its borders, could be an added emphasis on the importance of strengthening UAV regulation in Nigeria.

Kenya Airways Limited advised on financial restructuring

Global law firm White & Case has advised Kenya Airways Limited on its US$2 billion financial restructuring.

Key features of the restructuring include a reprofiling of payments owed to operating and finance lessors, a conversion of debts into newly issued equity in the company and the provision of a new multi-purpose facility from Kenyan banks. Following the transaction, Kenya Airways has been repositioned for long term growth and is around 90 percent owned by the Government of the Republic of Kenya and a group of 11 local banks.

“Our cross-practice team advised on a significant and multi-faceted transaction involving multiple jurisdictions that ultimately required the agreement of creditors, shareholders, the Kenyan government and other key stakeholders to the business,” said London-based White & Case partner Christian Pilkington, who led the Firm’s deal team. “The leadership and participation of US EXIM Bank was also instrumental to the success of the restructuring.”

“White & Case delivered the combined strength of its experience in African restructurings and aviation finance to successfully execute a complex transaction that ensures the stability of a strategically important national transport resource,” said London-based White & Case partner Justin Benson.

Ethiopian receives second Boeing 787-9

Ethiopian Airlines has taken delivery of its second Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet on November 21, 2017.

In less than a span of a month since Ethiopian took delivery of Africa’s first Ethiopian B 787-9, the 2nd B787-9 aircraft has joined its youngest fleet totaling its operating fleet to 95 among which 21 are from the Dreamliner family.

Gulfstream exceeds G500 and G600 planned performance

Gulfstream Aerospace has announced that during rigorous flight-testing its long-range Gulfstream G500 and Gulfstream G600 offer better performance than originally thought.

As a result, Gulfstream is announcing new performance standards for both aircraft.

Upon entry into service, the G600 will deliver 6,500 nautical miles/12,038 kilometers of range at Mach 0.85, 300 nm/556 km farther than the initially promised range of 6,200 nm/11,482 km. At its high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90, the aircraft will fly 5,100 nm/9,445 km, an increase of 300 nm/556 km over original projections. 

The G500 can fly 5,200 nm/9,630 km at its long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.85, providing operators even greater mission flexibility over the aircraft’s original 5,000-nm/9,260-km range. At its high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90, the G500 will offer 4,400 nm/8,149 km of range, a 600-nm/1,111-km increase over its projected range of 3,800 nm/7,038 km.

 “As we methodically moved through our concurrent flight-test programs, which are going exceptionally well, we recognised we had both the time and ability to enhance G500 and G600 performance and give our customers a business-jet family that’s better than the one we had promised them,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “Extracting more capabilities from our aircraft has become a Gulfstream hallmark, the result of creating and maintaining a culture committed to continuous improvement, listening to our customers and exceeding our promises.” 

To demonstrate its increased range, a fully outfitted G500 set a potential city-pair record between London and Las Vegas, flying 4,690 nm/8,686 km at an average speed of Mach 0.88 with a 32-knot headwind. Now in Las Vegas, both the G500 and G600 — with fully outfitted interiors — will be part of the Gulfstream static display at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition at Henderson Executive Airport. The city-pair record is pending confirmation with the National Aeronautic Association.

Powered by twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PW800-series engines, the G500 and G600 have a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 — the same as Gulfstream’s G650 and flagship G650ER. 

Embraer announces new IFEC supplier for the E-Jets E2s

Embraer has selected Meggitt Polymers & Composites and KID-Systeme as its new inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) system suppliers for the E-Jets E2, the second generation of the E-Jets family of commercial aircraft.

Meggitt will design and produce a high performance radome assembly for in-flight connectivity, while KID-Systeme was selected by Embraer to provide the SKYfi Club – a wireless streaming onboard platform for commercial and executive aircraft.

“To best suit their operating environments, airlines and lessors can choose from the E2's portfolio of in-flight entertainment and connectivity products from multiple suppliers. There are also common smart and modular provisions that accommodate future equipment installation,” explained Rodrigo Silva e Souza, Vice President of Marketing, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “The IFE&C portfolio will include wireless streaming entertainment to personal devices or seat backs, internet via Ka and Ku bands and air-to-ground connectivity, and real-time TV (iPTV).”

Meggitt will design, manufacture, and assemble Embraer’s installation kit, comprised of a radome, skirt seal, adapter plate, and fittings. One of the key benefits to this unique assembly is the tri-band radome capability, allowing each aircraft to be tailored to the customer’s preferred antenna manufacturer.

“From a fledgling commercial radome programme inherited as part of our advanced composites acquisitions in late 2015, I am delighted to have seen the exceptional progress to the creation of a low-risk, convenient, field-proven assembly for airframers and airlines,” said David Horner, Meggitt Polymers & Composites President. “This award makes us an exclusive provider of our unique kit of parts to one of the most progressive aircraft manufacturers in the world, and we are challenging our industry’s market leaders.”

KID-Systeme’s SKYfi Club has been selected by Embraer as a catalogue line-fit option for the E2’s airline customers that will be able to choose KID-Systeme’s streaming solution. SKYfi Club streams content to passengers’ personal electronic devices, giving them access to the entertainment options available, such as: movies, e-books, and magazines. The technology is based on the trusted ALNA (Airline Network Architecture) connectivity platform, already present in over 650 aircraft. The mature system provides a scalable and modular architecture adaptable to customer needs. It enables a wide range of additional services such as internet access, and data services. Additionally, SKYfi can be complemented by SKYpower, KID-Systeme’s in-seat power and cabin power management system.

“KID-Systeme is honored and delighted about this selection, which recognizes our continuous effort in focusing on value-adding innovations, high quality products, and first class customer service,” said Peter Schetschine, Managing Director of KID.

This past April, Embraer announced that Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) will also provide inflight entertainment and connectivity for the E-Jets E2.

Trump shift the emphasis in east Africa

US President Donald Trump has approved a mission proposal from the Pentagon that will allow the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) to provide additional support for the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Somali Government forces as they strive to defeat Islamist al-Shabaab – a fundamentalist Salafist jihadist terrorist organisation that has pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda.
The president signed a directive designating part of southern Somalia as an “area of active hostilities” for the next six months. This will allow AFRICOM greater freedom of action in its operations in this area, including more aggressive air strikes.
President Trump is understood to have reacted to a request by General Thomas Waldhauser, the head of AFRICOM, who reportedly requested additional authority in giving the command greater flexibility, autonomy and timeliness when making decisions to prosecute targets, allowing commanders to conduct operations without having to consult the White House for each mission.
US Forces are also expected to step up the scope, scale and intensity of their operations against Al Shabaab, moving further away from the Obama administration’s policy of only allowing defensive operations, and missions in support of AMISOM. Some see this as an indication that the US has finally overcome its reluctance to intervene in Somalia, following the 1993 battle of Mogadishu (immortalised in the book and movie ‘Black Hawk Down’), which saw the loss of multiple UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and 19 US dead, and a humiliating early withdrawal by the remaining US force in March 1994.

Boeing has launched its third major business unit when Boeing Global Services

Boeing has launched its third major business unit when Boeing Global Services began operating alongside Commercial Airplanes and Defense, Space & Security.

This new dedicated services business focuses on the needs of government, space and commercial customers worldwide.  

Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg announced the formation of Global Services in November 2016 to expand Boeing's share of a global—and growing—commercial and government services market worth an estimated $2.6 trillion over the next decade.

"Aerospace services represents one of our biggest growth opportunities for the future," said Muilenburg. "Standing up Global Services will accelerate our capabilities across all Boeing services and support areas—from our traditional parts, modifications and upgrades business to strengthening our data analytics and information-based offerings. Our services expertise, the global reach of our business, and our strong customer partnerships have us well positioned to compete and win in this important sector." 

Boeing has been working since November to fully define and structure the integrated new business, which combines key capabilities of the company's former Commercial Aviation Services and Global Services & Support groups. Led by President and CEO Stan Deal, Global Services will bring innovative service solutions to customers in four key capability areas: Supply Chain, Engineering, Modifications & Maintenance, Digital Aviation & Analytics, and Training & Professional Services. 

"We've been talking with our customers over the past few months as we've prepared for this transition, and tomorrow they can begin to see the value of this dedicated services unit that allows us to deliver agile, cost-competitive solutions so they can reduce costs, drive efficiency and ultimately optimise their operations," said Deal.