African Pilot Weekly Magazine 35:2026
Route Connectivity
Gateway Air and ValueJet Strengthen Ogun Air Connectivity with Daily Abuja–Lagos Service
Gateway Air and ValueJet have commenced an Abuja–Lagos–Gateway service connecting Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport with Gateway International Airport in Ogun State, providing another air link into the state’s commercial and industrial corridor.
Gateway Air and ValueJet Strengthen Ogun Air Connectivity with Daily Abuja–Lagos Service
Gateway Air and ValueJet have commenced an Abuja–Lagos–Gateway service connecting Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport with Gateway International Airport in Ogun State, providing another air link into the state’s commercial and industrial corridor.
Route Connectivity
Air Sénégal Adds Boeing 737-800 Gorée to Fleet
Air Sénégal has received a Boeing 737-800NG named Gorée at Blaise Diagne International Airport, a 174-seat aircraft acquired with Senegalese state support that carries Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games branding and flew to Athens to collect the Olympic flame.
Fleet Addition
Boeing: Africa’s Airplane Fleet Will More than Double by 2045 to Meet Rising Air Travel Demand
Boeing forecasts Africa’s commercial aircraft fleet will more than double by 2045, requiring 1,165 new aircraft and 75,000 additional aviation professionals.
Fleet Forecast
Air Cairo Places Order for 15 Airbus A320neo Aircraft
Air Cairo has placed a firm order for 15 Airbus A320neo aircraft, introducing direct aircraft ownership alongside its leased Airbus fleet as the Egyptian carrier targets a fleet of more than 130 aircraft by 2034.
Fleet Order
WECAIR and Alt Academy Sign Strategic Partnership to Launch a Pioneering Pilot Training Program Across Three Continents
WECAIR and South Africa-based Alt Academy have partnered on a pilot training pathway spanning the United States, Europe and Africa and leading to an EASA professional pilot licence.
Training and Skills Development
FlyBy Aviation Academy Signs Agreement with FlyData.io to Fit 35 Aircraft with Flight Data Recorders
FlyBy Aviation Academy will equip 35 aircraft with FlyData.io flight data recorders, adding live tracking, detailed flight analysis and data-based training capabilities.
Spotlight: Technology
SAF Feasibility Study
Nigeria SAF Study Identifies Dangote Co-Processing and Cassava Alcohol-to-Jet Options
Nigeria’s ICAO ACT-SAF feasibility study has identified co-processing at the existing Dangote Refinery and an Alcohol-to-Jet pathway using cassava residues as options for further assessment, with an ICAO-supported Business Implementation Study now following.
Nigeria SAF Study Identifies Dangote Co-Processing and Cassava Alcohol-to-Jet Options
Nigeria’s ICAO ACT-SAF feasibility study has identified co-processing at the existing Dangote Refinery and an Alcohol-to-Jet pathway using cassava residues as options for further assessment, with an ICAO-supported Business Implementation Study now following.
SAF Feasibility Study
Nigeria, Canada Strengthen Cooperation on Migration, Air Transport and Bilateral Relations
Nigeria and Canada have discussed expanding their Air Transport Agreement, which both sides expect would facilitate direct flights between the two countries, at a meeting in Abuja that also addressed Canadian visa processing delays and migration management.
Bilateral Relations
Advertisement
World Bank-Backed Programme Targets Airport and Airspace Upgrades in Somalia
Airport Investment
Somalia is set to receive airport, air navigation and institutional upgrades under the US$160 million first phase of the World Bank-backed Somalia Infrastructure Development for Access and Jobs programme, including runway rehabilitation, airfield lighting, ARFF capability and new ADS-B and VSAT systems.
TAAG Angola Airlines Signs Codeshare Agreement With LATAM Brasil
Codeshare Agreement
TAAG Angola Airlines and LATAM Brasil have signed a codeshare agreement for passenger transport services, integrating the two networks through São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport and opening 57 Brazilian destinations to TAAG customers on a single ticket.
Sonatrach Delivers First Jet A1 Under Sale and Purchase Contract with Sonidep
Fuel Supply Deal
Sonatrach began deliveries of Jet A1 aviation fuel to Niger on 15 August 2026 under an export contract concluded with the Nigerien public company Sonidep, with the fuel supplied from the Adrar refinery, identified as RA1D. The consignment represents the start of supply under the…
Landing Gear Testing
Deutsche Aircraft Begins Flight Testing of New D328eco Landing Gear on Legacy D328 Testbed
Deutsche Aircraft has completed low-speed and high-speed taxi testing and the first five development flights of a new landing gear system on a legacy D328 flying testbed, accumulating more than 15 hours of test time since 5 August 2026 as part of the D328eco certification programme.
Deutsche Aircraft Begins Flight Testing of New D328eco Landing Gear on Legacy D328 Testbed
Deutsche Aircraft has completed low-speed and high-speed taxi testing and the first five development flights of a new landing gear system on a legacy D328 flying testbed, accumulating more than 15 hours of test time since 5 August 2026 as part of the D328eco certification…
Landing Gear Testing
EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering Expands Boeing AHM Agreement for 737 MAX Fleet
EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering has signed an expanded agreement with Boeing at the 2026 El Alamein International Airshow to deploy Boeing Airplane Health Management across EgyptAir’s 737 MAX fleet, extending its existing use on the 787 and 777.
MRO Technology
EGYPTAIR Maintenance & Engineering Achieves AS9110 Certification
EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering has achieved AS9110 certification following audits by AFNOR, with zero audit findings. The certification applies specifically to aerospace maintenance operations and will see the company listed in the global OASIS supplier database.
MRO Certification
NCAA, NAICOM Sign MoU to Strengthen Aviation Insurance Oversight
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and the National Insurance Commission have signed a memorandum of understanding on regulatory oversight of aviation insurance compliance, covering the adequacy of policies procured by operators under the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.
Insurance Oversight
HAVELSAN and Egypt’s AOI Sign Sales Agreement for HAMZA-1 UAV
HAVELSAN and Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization have signed a sales agreement for the HAMZA-1 UAV, moving their joint autonomous-systems programme into a commercial phase.
UAV Sales Agreement
Ghana Funds Accra Airport Infrastructure Through GCAA and GACL Balance Sheets
Ghana’s GCAA and GACL are financing major Accra International Airport infrastructure from their own balance sheets, including a new ATC tower, terminal works, car park and hotels, without direct government funding.
Airport Infrastructure
Airline Technology
Uganda Airlines Becomes First African Carrier to Deploy Amadeus SkyWORKS
Uganda Airlines has become the first African carrier to deploy Amadeus SkyWORKS, adding an integrated flight schedule development platform to support planning, feasibility checking and network expansion.
Uganda Airlines Becomes First African Carrier to Deploy Amadeus SkyWORKS
Uganda Airlines has become the first African carrier to deploy Amadeus SkyWORKS, adding an integrated flight schedule development platform to support planning, feasibility checking and network expansion.
Airline Technology
Armscor and Denel Strengthen Collaboration Ahead of AAD 2026
Military & Defence
Armscor and Denel have committed to closer cooperation following their inaugural joint board meeting, with SANDF requirements and sovereign defence capability central to discussions.
SolitAir Adds Ghana to Its African Freight Network
SolitAir has begun freight services between Al Maktoum International Airport and Accra International Airport, taking the Dubai-based cargo operator’s African network to 21 destinations in 17 countries. The carrier operates seven Boeing 737-800BCF freighters of 20 tonnes capacity each and intends to reach 20 aircraft…
Freight Network
Westbrook Racing by Visit Angola Welcomes TAAG Angola Airlines as Race Partner for E1 Luanda GP
TAAG Angola Airlines has joined Westbrook Racing by Visit Angola as an official Race Partner for the E1 Luanda GP, taking place from 11–13 September 2026.
Airline Partnership
GA-ATS Details Do228 NXT Plans for Africa Ahead of AAD 2026
GA-ATS has outlined Do228 NXT production, delivery, support and partnership plans as it develops opportunities for the multi-role aircraft across Africa.
General Aviation & Lifestyle
ValueJet Begins Boeing 737 Expansion With First Aircraft Delivered in Lagos
ValueJet has taken delivery of Boeing 737-800 5N-CFZ, the first of three 737NG aircraft planned to support domestic capacity and regional expansion.
African Airline
