African Pilot Weekly Magazine 36:2026
Training and Skills Development
Airbus and ALT Academy Sign MoU to Advance Aircraft Maintenance Training in Africa
Airbus and ALT Academy have signed an MoU at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo 2026 to explore cooperation in aircraft maintenance training, with course content, accreditation and enrolment still to be announced.
Airbus and ALT Academy Sign MoU to Advance Aircraft Maintenance Training in Africa
Airbus and ALT Academy have signed an MoU at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo 2026 to explore cooperation in aircraft maintenance training, with course content, accreditation and enrolment still to be announced.
Training and Skills Development
Airbus, Wits University and ISAE-SUPAERO Sign Agreement to Boost South Africa’s Aerospace Capabilities
Airbus Southern Africa, the University of the Witwatersrand and ISAE-SUPAERO have signed a four-year MoU to align aerospace engineering curricula, exchange faculty between Johannesburg and Toulouse and open French Master’s programmes to Wits students.
Training and Skills Development
Senegal Identifies Potential SAF Feedstocks in Feasibility Study
ANACIM has received the report of Senegal’s sustainable aviation fuel feasibility study, carried out under the ICAO ACT-SAF project, which identifies sugarcane molasses, typha, cashew apple, neem and jatropha as potential feedstocks.
SAF Feasibility Study
Acron Aviation and EGYPTAIR sign agreement for Reality7e A320neo Full Flight Simulator
EGYPTAIR will add a second A320neo full flight simulator in Cairo under an agreement with Acron Aviation, expanding A320-family pilot training capacity.
Simulator Training
Nigeria Receives Five New Military Helicopters
The Nigerian Air Force has received three Leonardo AW109 Trekkers at Lagos and two Airbus H125s, the AW109s being the first of 10 ordered, with the remaining seven expected before the end of 2026.
Defence Fleet
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
Helicopter
Airbus H125 Brings Working Capability to Africa’s Demanding Missions
The Airbus H125 has become the utility helicopter of choice for African operators, with over 500 aircraft operating across southern Africa. Excelling in high-altitude, high-temperature environments, the H125 delivers exceptional external-load capacity of 1,400 kg and proven versatility across firefighting, emergency medical transport, wildlife conservation and law enforcement. Its multi-mission flexibility and regional support infrastructure make it ideal for operators requiring maximum capability without compromise.
Airbus H125 Brings Working Capability to Africa’s Demanding Missions
The Airbus H125 has become the utility helicopter of choice for African operators, with over 500 aircraft operating across southern Africa. Excelling in high-altitude, high-temperature environments, the H125 delivers exceptional external-load capacity of 1,400 kg and proven versatility across firefighting, emergency medical transport, wildlife conservation…
Helicopter
ExecuJet MRO Services to Showcase MRO Capabilities at AAD 2026
ExecuJet MRO Services will showcase its civil and military aircraft maintenance capabilities at AAD 2026, including its ongoing support for the South African Air Force.
General Aviation & Lifestyle
Tenders
Tanzania Invites Air Service and Ground Handling Licence Applications
TCAA has invited applications for Air Services Licences and Ground Handling Services Licences, to be submitted through the Civil Aviation Services Portal by 30 September 2026 for a Licensing Board meeting tentatively set for 6 November.
Safety Advisory
TCAA Advises Tanzanian Operators to Review Contingency Plans for El Niño
TCAA has asked air operators, airport operators and air navigation service providers to review their emergency preparedness and contingency plans, following a Tanzania Meteorological Authority advisory on the likely influence of El Niño in 2026.
Airport PPP Tender
Seven Consortia Pre-Qualify for Hurghada International Airport PPP Tender
Seven of ten consortia have been pre-qualified to bid for the management, operation and development of Hurghada International Airport under a public-private partnership, with a request for proposals to follow.
Regulatory Update
TCAA Publishes 2026 Revised Edition of Tanzania’s Civil Aviation Regulations
The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority has published the 2026 Revised Edition of the Civil Aviation Regulations, consolidating the principal regulations with all amendments made up to 31 July 2026 under Government Notice No. 246A.
Helicopter Support
An Inside Look into Bell in East Africa
Bell sets out the maintenance, avionics, parts and component overhaul support available to East African helicopter operators through Africair Helicopter Support Ltd., its authorised Customer Service Facility in Ruiru, Kenya.
Togo Begins Niamtougou Airport Rehabilitation and Modernisation Programme
ASECNA has published AIP Supplement 113/A/26GO covering rehabilitation and modernisation work at Niamtougou Airport in Togo, including a 500-metre runway extension, a 1,200 by 30 metre pavement for uncrewed aircraft and reinforcement of existing pavements.
Airport Rehabilitation
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Defence Fleet
Bell Commemorates First Production AH-1Z Aircraft for Nigeria
Bell has marked the start of production of the first AH-1Z Viper for the Nigerian Air Force with a beam signing at Amarillo, Texas, under an FMS contract for 12 aircraft due to be completed in early 2029.
Conakry’s Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport Handles 545,330 Passengers in First Half of 2026
Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport in Conakry handled 545,330 passengers in the first half of 2026, up 22.18%, with domestic traffic up 63.98% and freight and mail up 20.85% to 4,973 tonnes.
Airport Traffic
Kenya Commissions New Air Traffic Control Tower at Kisumu International Airport
President William Ruto has commissioned a new eight-storey air traffic control tower at Kisumu International Airport, replacing a colonial-era facility that had been in use for 53 years.
Airport Infrastructure
Oumar Keïta Takes Over as Director General of Guinea’s Civil Aviation Authority
Lieutenant Colonel Oumar Keïta has taken over as Director General of the Guinean Civil Aviation Authority (AGAC) from Sékou Oumar Thiam, pledging continuity and a more modern, performance-focused institution.
Leadership Change
Kenya Advances Development of Itembe Airstrip in Bomet
President William Ruto has inspected development works at Itembe Airstrip in Bomet East Constituency, where a one-kilometre runway is being built under Phase One, with extension to 1.2 kilometres and a terminal building planned under Phase Two.
Airport Development
Airbus U030 Flexrotor Brings Persistent Surveillance to Remote African Operations
The Airbus U030 Flexrotor offers African defence forces, coast guards and border authorities a new approach to persistent surveillance across remote regions. Combining vertical take-off with fixed-wing endurance.
Airbus U030 Flexrotor Brings Persistent Surveillance to Remote African Operations
The Airbus U030 Flexrotor offers African defence forces, coast guards and border authorities a new approach to persistent surveillance across remote regions. Combining vertical take-off with fixed-wing endurance.
Drones,
Market Movements
African Airlines’ Performance Updates by AFRAA, August 2026
AFRAA’s August 2026 update reports an 8.8% year-on-year rise in seat capacity across Africa and a 10.5% rise on intra-African routes, alongside regulatory developments in Ghana, West Africa, South Africa and Kenya.
Guinea and Türkiye Discuss Transport Cooperation
Guinea’s Minister of Transport, Ousmane Gaoual Diallo, and Türkiye’s Ambassador, R. Cem Örnekol, have discussed cooperation in road, rail, air and maritime transport, and Türkiye has sought Guinea’s support at the ICAO Extraordinary Assembly.
Bilateral Relations
Etihad Airways and Swissport Expand Global Ground Handling and Cargo Partnership
Etihad Airways and Swissport have signed an MoU to expand their ground handling and cargo partnership from 30 to 40 airports across Africa, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.
Ground Handling Deal
AviAssist Launches Unique Drone Risk Assessment Course
AviAssist has launched a four-day SORA 2.5 training course aimed at professionals responsible for risk assessment in complex drone operations.
Drone Risk Assessment
Flightlink Adds Four New Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX Aircraft to Connect East Africa’s Premier Safari Destinations
Flightlink is adding four Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX aircraft through 2027 as it expands capacity and safari connectivity between Tanzania and Kenya.
General Aviation & Lifestyle
