Times Aerospace - Africa and the Middle East

The final aerospace and defence podcast for the Middle East and Africa for this year closes on a positive note.Kenya’s Aberdair Aviation which has been delivering ACMI charter operations for almost two decades is expanding its business with a new base in the Democratic Republic of Congo.The airline’s CEO Adrian Wilcox talks to Alan Peaford about his fleet plans and the strategy of multi-AOCs from Kenya, Ghana and now Kinshasa with Tanzania and Uganda in the pipeline.Steve Nichols takes a look at JSSI, the company that brought power-by-the-hour to the business aviation world and talks to Pascale Barhouch the new head of business development based in DubaiDemand for engine maintenance saw MTU opening a new office in Dubai just ahead of the March lockdown. MRO editor, Chuck Grieve asks Sami Ben-Kraiem, vice-president marketing and sales, for MTU in Middle East & Southeast Asia whether they regretted the timing of the investment – and discovers that there is strong demand for narrowbody services in the region and MTU expects double digit growth for CFM56 and V2500 shop visits.The news round-up for the region includes plans for a fleet of unmanned freighters to serve Saudi Arabia with hopes for manufacturing to move to the region.

Tourism provides an enormous boost for a number of countries in Africa and the Middle East. In Africa, safaris have been the lifeblood for the GDPs of countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Namibia.The coronavirus pandemic put a stop to that. So what happens to an airline that almost exclusively has a business model that focuses on serving tourists. The CEO of Kenya’s Safarilink, Alex Avedi explains the impact the virus had on the boutique airline to African Aerospace correspondent Edward Njeru. He also outlines the strategy going forward and plans for new aircraft to fuel the growth when tourists return.Another airline looking to the future is the UAE’s flagcarrier Etihad Airways. Guest experience and delivery vice president, Linda Celestino explains how passengers may have different expectations on their return to travel – and how the cabins could change.We also hear from Boeing’s president for the Middle East & Turkey, Bernie Dunn, on how Al Ain aerostructure manufacturer Strata has grown to become a Tier One supplier to the US airframer.

As Dassault rolls out its first new business jet of a generation, which legitimately can claim to be a game changer, we hear how the 6X took its place in Falcon familyBut while business aviation is looking at new horizons, the airline business has been in survival mode – or as Akbar Al Baker, the CEO of Qatar Airways group says it is about doing the right thing.Qatar kept flying throughout global lockdowns and in this piece he explains just how that was done.We also get to talk to French company Moment who have a now portable wireless IFE system and have been selected by Air Senegal to introduce this to its fleet.This plus all the news for the aerospace industry across the Middle East and Africa

With encouraging news around the world regarding approvals of different Covid-19 vaccines, attention swings to distribution of the vital cargo.The UAE has already developed airside warehousing to act to as a hub for the distribution. But what about Africa?We talk to Sanjeev Ghadia, the CEO of Africa’s largest cargo carrier, Astral Aviation and the chair of AFRAA’s cargo committee and vice chair of industry body TIACA, about the situation across the continent.Astral has been one of the few airlines in the world to have seen positive growth during the pandemic and Ghadia also explains why he believes Africa’s airlines need to pay attention to the cargo markets as a pathway to growth and recovery and beyond.In the programme we also talk to Rolls-Royce head of aftermarket technology, Dr Ian Mitchell about a new approach with technology to keep next-gen engines performing. The innovation could have an impact on the MRO industry and Chuck Grieve finds out why.This plus all the region’s aerospace news from the Times Aerospace newsdesk.

As IATA holds its AGM there are clear signs of change. CEO Alexandre de Juniac is stepping down and will be succeeded by the loquacious former IAG chief Willie Walsh who takes no time to take off the diplomatic gloves and point figures at misguided governments. In this week’s podcast we hear from both of them as they lay out future direction IATA will take.While airlines have been seen to be bearing the brunt of the travel collapse, CANSO reports that air navigation service providers have lost more than $9 billion so far since the start of the pandemic.We talk to Ryyan Tarabzoni , the CEO of Saudi Arabia’s air navigation provider SANS about solutions.Five BAE-146 jets are being brought into the fleet of Uganda’s Zone Four International as the Entebbe flight services operator swings toward approval for commercial freight flights around central and east Africa and beyond. We meet Kaires “K” Odom, the founder and CEO of the airline and hear about his plans for the future.When it comes to the future, planning is a nightmare right now. Especially if you are in the MRO business.Rapidly changing circumstances such as we’re seeing at the moment play havoc with the kind of scheduling that airlines and MROs are used to, forcing them to adopt ‘duck and weave’ tactics that could well become another of these ‘new normals’ that we hear about every day. Our MRO editor, Chuck Grieve talks to Aerogility CEO Gary Vickers about the situation.This plus all the news from aerospace, aviation and defence across the Middle East and Africa.

As the true green shoots of recovery begin to show we look at how some old links will prosper as travel restarts in earnest. For Middle Eastern markets the Indian sub-continent will be vital.Special guest for this week’s programme is Sanjiv Kapoor, who is now senior advisor at global consulting firm Alton Aviation. Sanjiv has been a key figure in India’s airline industry having been chief strategy and commercial officer of Vistara – the joint venture airline between TATA and Singapore Airlines, and was previously chief operating officer for successful low cost carrier SpiceJet. Kapoor tells Alan Peaford that in some ways, India been one of the “proxy home markets” for the Gulf ‘Big Three’ carriers and Indian carriers have not been able to compete very well. But in this in-depth interview he explains why India’s low cost carriers are positioned to compete very well against the Middle East’s LCCs, especially with more carriers joining the competitive market in the Gulf.Also in this programme, MRO editor Chuck Grieve steps out from the comfort of the workshop into the front office, where he looks at how one company, Web Manuals, is working on removing paper from the aviation world and catching up with other industries on digitisation.Web Manuals CEO Martin Lidgard, explains how the company is also involved in an exciting CSR programme in Uganda to develop young people – especially girls – to achieve education levels that will benefit the industry and the continent in the future.Also, all the week’s top news headlines from the Times Aerospace newsdesk

This week’s programme comes from the African airline industry’s AFRAA annual general assembly. Although on a virtual platform this year, airline CEOs and representatives from governments, associations and the whole aviation supply chain logged in.Our air transport editor Victoria Moores and airports editor Chloe Greenbank were there too and they give their overview on the future for the industry.In the programme we hear from Sanjeev Ghadia the CEO of Astral Aviation, Yvonne Makolo, CEO of Rwandair and Angola’s Minister of Transport Ricardo de Abreu, as they individually call for action not word.De Abreu says Angola is embracing principles of greater connectivity even though it hasn’t progressed with SAATM, while Makolo argues collaboration is more inclusive than just airlins and needs governments and airports to join in. Ghadia – one of the few airlines to have grown during the pandemic argues that this past eight months has shown the need for airlines to take cargo seriously and make sure the sector is recognised at board level.But if airlines are to recover their passenger business, then passenger confidence is key. Niels Steenstrup, senior vice president of inflight business for Inmarsat revealed the results of a global passenger survey by the technology company to Steve Nichols and outlines why attitudes to recovery will be different depending on where you live.There are also news highlights from across Africa and the Middle East

This week’s Insight programme, hosted by Marcelle Nethersole, looks at the world of two of the major players in the Middle East and Africa regions.Saudi Arabia has ambitious plans to develop its defence industry and has given GAMI – the Kingdom’s General Authority for Military Industries – a mandate to to localize 50% of Saudi Arabia’s military spending over the next decade.A key part of the Saudi Vision 2030 strategy GAMI will act as the regulator, enabler and licensor for the defence industry and will work with international defence companies and specifically the OEMs to see this change through.The Governor of GAMI, His Excellency, Ahmad Al Ohali, talks to defence editor Alan Warnes about the three strategic focus pillars: industry regulation; acquisition; and technology and also explains why the organisation is fully behind the World Defense Show which will take place in Riyadh in 2022.Meanwhile, in Africa, Nigeria is preparing to enter a new era in its air defence. The Chinese-Pakistan fighter, the JF-17 Thunder has been painted and ready to be delivered to Abuja imminently. But defence editor Jon Lake looks at whether this is the start of something bigger. With new models in the pipeline and greater demands on the Nigerian air force to fight the Boko Haram insurgencies, the Nigerian Air Force could be widening its sights.This week’s Insight programme is brought to you with the support of Alsalam Aerospace Industries, the diversified maintenance service provider based in Riyadh.

In this week’s look into the world of aerospace and defence across the Middle East and Africa, Peter Mohring, managing director of transport at Serco Middle East, explains why it has never been timelier for the air transport sector to embrace outsourcing to help with post pandemic recovery.Serco provides services across the Gulf from the UAE to Iraq including air traffic management services in Dubai, Sharjah and Baghdad.Mohring says as one of the first industries affected, overnight the pandemic sent the aviation industry into crisis mode, with overall air traffic levels down by about 80 percent globally. This obviously came with a huge economic price tag for the industry and all its adjacent segments, such as tourism, hospitality and supply chains that depend on and support the sector. Unsurprisingly cost cutting measures have seen the halting of recruitment and training, reducing workforces, and the cancelling of contracts.“But despite this, what we have seen is the resilience and adaptability of the sector. It has forced us as well to reimagine outsourcing, and it has stressed the need for service providers to adapt to deliver even greater value than ever.”Meanwhile Space Editor, Steve Nichols, finds out about the latest plans for another UAE satellite and Chuck Grieve learns about remarkably hi-tec tools that are now necessary for non-destructive testing in the MRO arena.This plus all the news from the industry across the region

Safety is always a priority for airlines and while technology has made giant strides to aid flights – sometimes just shouting can make a difference.That’s what Airports Editor Chloe Greenback discovered when she looked at how bird-strikes and other wildlife incursions at airfields impact aviation safety.These represent as much as 3% of aircraft safety incidents – and cost the industry more than $1.2 billion annually - with the majority of the challenges being from bird strikes.IN this week’s programme Chloe talks to Cerian Henshaw, Director of Operations at Aviare a wildlife hazard management company working with airports around the world.Africa in particular has a wide variery of wildlife challenges and Cerian is talking from Banjal in The Gambia and shares some of the strategies employed to keep runways safe.Meanwhile MRO editor Chuck Grieve hears from the Independent Aircraft Modifier Alliance – IAMA – which was launched last year to promote uniform standards and visibility in the worldwide retrofit market. It’s focused on modifications carried out under Supplemental Type Certificates, or STCs, which is of particular interest now as airlines face significant pressure on their balance sheets. This, plus all the news from around the Middle Eastern and African aerospace industries.

Will aerospace and defence shows continue or will virtual conferences take their place? That has been a big debate around an industry spending a lot of time at home. This week we hear from Douglas Emslie, the chief executive of Tarsus, the owner of F&E in the UAE and the organiser of the Dubai Air Airshow.He talks through the challenges facing events in the world but outlines his hopes for revival in the Middle East region.Mark Brown, managing director of Times Aerospace also offers an optimistic view of African revival and the forthcoming Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition.There is also a chance to hear the ‘inside story’ from defence editor Jon Lake, who gives his ‘from our correspondent’ insight about the current quandary facing the USA over potential export sales of the F-35 fighter aircraft to Gulf states. This plus all the news from the region including views of Muhamed Albakri, the regional vice president for IATA on the $30 billion aid for African airlines which has been locked in and therefore putting the African revival at risk.

Airlines need to be planning now for the revival in connectivity. The newly appointed vice president for Embraer’s commercial jet business in Africa, Middle East and Europe, Cesar Pereira joins Alan Peaford to talk about the changing demands on air travel and how right-sizing the fleet will lead to greater flexibility and profitability for the airlines.As former head of Embraer Commercial’s consulting division, and until recently vice president for Asia, Pereira has in-depth knowledge of the airline industry and shares his thoughts about the future.We also talk about changing to the regulations for voice and data recorders – the black boxes – and from January newly registered aircraft will be expected to have up to 25 hours recording time on voice recorders – and us much as 70 hours for data. We hear from L3Harris’s senior sales director avionics, Stephane Chartier, about the new changes.This, plus all the news from around the region – including a bid for Israel’s third biggest airline from a UAE aviation business.

In recent years the “black box: Flight data recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) has come under scrutiny in a number of high-profile aircraft crashes – or disappearances.Questions have been asked – has technology kept up with changing profile of airline routes and range profiles ? Is there now so much data being picked up by sensors and downloaded to the airlines or their maintenance partners? Is there analysis paralysis? And shouldn’t we be sharing data more?Technology company L3Harris – the combined business of L3 Technologies and the Harris Corporation - have been in the aviation technology market for more than six decades. The company’s civil arm ranges from pilot training through to leading avionics solution.Among these are those flight recorders. Alan Peaford talks to L3Harris’s senior sales director avionics Stephane Chartier and Everett Brady, general manager for flight data services.They talk about the company’s new SRVIVR25 series of recorders introduced to meet the 25-hour global mandate. Now combined with the in-house flight data services group the guests explain how the move enables operators to leverage the larger data sets now available to identify safety, maintenance, training and fuel saving opportunities quickly and economically.

It is international space week and the Middle East and Africa region has been doing its bit. Space Editor Steve Nichols looks at how a university in Ras Al Khaimah is doing its bit for the environment by sending its own satellite into space.Things are speeding up in the airlanes as well with this week’s launch of the first flight test article – the XB-1 – for Boom Supersonic’s Overture jet.CEO Blake Scholl outlines why the successor to Concorde could appeal to the passenger and the pockets of the Gulf carriers.A key component of the supersonic aircraft – with tickets that match business class fares – is that it brings people together.That has been a challenge during the Covid pandemic.But Chuck Grieve, our MRO editor, talks to Etihad Engineering about how the Abu Dhabi based company has been able to maintain the close relationships with its airline customers.This plus all the news from across the region.

Defence takes centre stage at this week’s news and feature programme for the Middle East and Africa’s aerospace, aviation and defence podcast.Times Aerospace’s defence editor Alan Warnes sniffs out the only airshow taking place in the world and heads to the eastern reaches of the Czech Republic in search of stories from Africa and the Middle East.And all works out well. A coffee with Micael Johansson, CEO of Swedish manufacturer Saab reveals more about the company’s relationship with the UAE as the second Global Eye aircraft is delivered to the emirates this week.Local Czech OEM Aero Vodochody were celebrating the European certification of the L39ng – the next generation of the Albatross. Jakub Hoda explained to Alan how the Nigerian Air Force was upgrading its existing Albatross aircraft and could be in the market for the new aircraft with its light attack potential.Host Alan Peaford also found defence on the agenda at the Global Aerospace Summit which broadcast the virtual edition of the biennial event from its normal home in Abu Dhabi. We hear from the head of Edge, the UAE defence conglomerate; from the president and CEO of Lockheed Martin and get some encouraging words of comfort from Etihad Airways’ chief executive Tony Douglas.Plus, of course, all the news headlines from across the region.

With the region’s biggest business aviation event MEBAA Show postponed until February, this week’s programme hears just how strongly the sector is bouncing back with optimism. Our special guest is Rob DiCastri, the president and CEO of Royal Jet, the Abu Dhabi-based luxury carrier with the world’s biggest Boeing Business Jet fleet.The carrier has established a strong position in Africa as well as the Middle East and had widely published plans for establishing bases in Eswatini and Saudi Arabia and DiCastri explains how Covid has impacted plans but shops how it has also created opportunity.Enquiries from new potential customers are on the up. But can they be converted to a new customer base?Also looking for not just a customer base, but also technology partners is Airbus. This week the European manufacturer launched concepts for a family of hydrogen-powered airliners. Glen Llewellyn, the head of the European manufacturer’s zero emissions business talks about the need for collaboration but also of the importance of a zero emission strategy for the industry.And if you have ever wanted to create a name for an airline – there are opportunities now as we find out in our news trawl around the whole region.

This week’s programme for the African and Middle East aerospace, defence and aviation market takes a look at changes in the cabin that should affect passenger confidence and safety.Roger Patron from the UK’s completions company RAS – an interiors business known for its work on head of state cabins, most recently with two West African countries – has turned its attention to commercial aircraft cabins and developed a shield which sits between seats and protects fellow passengers from droplets that could escape masks.Already one Gulf carrier has sets being trialled on an aircraft.RAS’s Roger Patron explains the background to the protectors and how they work. In last week’s programme we heard that Flydubai – the UAE hybrid carrier – has introduced RFID (radio frequency identification) tracking on its seat covers to monitor the cleaning cycles of each seat cover and help maintain the highest standards of in-flight hygiene and safety.The managing director of ASD – the Irish aerospace software developer – Dave Browne is a guest on the programme to explain how RFID works and enhances the safety benefits – and cost savings – to airlines and MRO operations.This, plus all the news highlights from across the region.

This week training takes the centre stage in our weekly news magazine programme for the Middle East and Africa.A leading light in the Women in Aviation movement in the Middle East, Kinda Sarrage, joins us in her ‘day job’ role as vice president sales, for the commercial aviation arm of L3 Harris in Middle East, Africa and South Asia.She talks about the latest initiative to increase pilot numbers for Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom shows great prospects for recovery.Meanwhile in Africa, safety remains a key talking point and training need. Tom Kok, director of the AviAssist Foundation introduces next month’s virtual; safety conference over four days and talks about the challenges and success of safety culture across the continent – and explains how listeners could win a watch as they learn about safety.And on the technology front, our space and tec editor Steve Nichols looks into the challenges of face recognition as airports try to improve passenger experience and safe security.This plus all the news from across the region.

The former CEO of Kenya Airways, Sebastian Milosz, joins his IATA colleagues for The overview of the industry recovery – or lack of it – as passengers ignore safety rules and put public confidence in doubt.Mikosz explains the law – and how crews should respond to such behaviour.As IATA’s CEO Philippe de Juniac outlines a new three-point plan for global recovery, Chief economist Brian Pearce and Mikosz explain how the Middle East and African connectivity is faring.Getting aircraft back into the air is certainly no easy matter as Chuck Grieve discovers when he listens to Martin Bell from Gama Aviation’s Flyer Tech.This plus all the news from across the region.

This week’s programme features Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s regional vice president for Africa and the Middle East who talks to Alan Peaford about the challenge of persuading governments across the region to invest in their aviation industry now and keep airlines and airports alive, rather than delay and pay more later.Albakri, who will be taking up a new role with IATA, speaks about the progress that had been underway in Africa with SAATM and explains how connectivity will help Africa fight back, despite the enormous blow to the continent’s GDP as a result of Covid19.Also, the latest news from across the region and an update on the Mars Hope project.

This week’s Times Aerospace podcast for the industry in Africa and the Middle East introduces a new aircraft planned to launch from The Gambia next year. Fly WestAf’s managing director Richard Powell talks to Hilka Birns about how the concept for an airline that will reflect the youth and vitality of the West African market came to be, and why he believes that the model for the regional carrier could be perfect for these challenging times.“I think if you look at any investor history in the past, in any domain, they look at buying when the markets are low. But the opportunity for us is that aircraft prices have gone down considerably - up to 40%. So our cost basis reduced considerably,” he tells Hilka.Powell also outlines his fleet plans and explains the financial structure for the airline – and the contribution it will make to West African economy.Also in the programme, MRO editor, Chuck Grieve, reports on the quandary facing the MRO industry over skilled labour and how flexible maintenance may be the light at the end of the tunnel. The industry saw a big drop in demand for heavy checks when airlines started moved their fleets into temporary storage. Now, based on current estimates of recovery, it’s going to be at least two years before MRO shops are anywhere near as busy as they were before the pandemic. But what if ultimately many of these shop visits don’t happen? What effect will that have across the board?Phil Seymour is the president of the consultancy IBA and a former chairman of the commercial aviation trade group ISTAT. He says he’s worried about the long-term impact of deferrals or cancellations on the industry – workforce redundancies in both engine and airframe shops where only a few months ago qualified people were in demand. This, plus all the news from the region across the industry sectors.

Digitalisation, data and analytics are key elements of the new ‘industrial revolution’ and in this week’s programme we talk to Honeywell Aerospace about its holistic approach to bring the data together.We’re told their adoption will lead the way to benefits measured in efficiency, cost savings, smart operations, predictive maintenance and so on – all of which aerospace now needs more than ever in the new normal taking shape after Covid-19. The challenge remains to make sense of the data you have. Paul Page who is Honeywell’s aerospace solution architect, based in Dubai, works with a large number of airlines in the region to help them get the most out of their data. He explains how Honeywell realised the scale of the challenge and developed Forge, its integrated analytics platform designed to give customers the big picture on fleet operations so they can move quickly where necessary. This plus all the aerospace and defence news from around the region.

This week’s news-magazine podcast talks about the new world of aerospace defence and aviation as the industry evolves into its new position.CEO of AfriJet, the hybrid carrier from Gabon, Marc Gaffajoli talks to Anuradha Deenapanray about how the commercial airline/business charter operator survived the pandemic and is now ready to collaborate with others to feed traffic from central and west Africa.Gaffajoli also explains why the airline’s recent IOSA certification will help springboard to the next level and enter new markets.Another area where business models comes under scrutiny is the aerospace supply chain. John Schmidt, the aerospace and defense lead at global firm Accenture, talks to Alan Peaford about the impact of Covid on the supply chain and how increased digitalisation will enable businesses to meet the new future and flourish.“When I look at what has to happen with respect to the current situation and dealing with it, digital is a huge component of the solution. And that's going to put pressures in other places that have not changed, which is around workforce,” he said.Schmidt shares his views on the workforce challenges and what organisations need to be doing.This, plus all the news headlines from the past week from across the region.

This week’s podcast looks at two main issues that are part of the recovery plans for aviation in Africa and the Middle East.Of course passenger confidence is one.The need for everyone in the aviation industry to be a PR person for the airline business is clear. We need to inform friends, family and others about the safety measures in place to prevent COvid 19 spread – and understanding air systems to keep cabins safe is one of those.We talk to Laurent Hartenstein from Liebherr Aerospace about the air management and environmental systems.We also recognise that there is a need for rightsizing fleets – and replacing old and inefficient aircraft with new greener types. All of that means more scrapping.One company with an eye on the tear down business – and the value of spare parts – is global parts supplier AJW. Our MRO editor Chuck Grieve talks to the company’s senior vice president for strategic material and asset management, Conrad Vandersluis.This, plus all the aerospace news headlines from around the region.

The successful launch of the UAE’s Hope Mars orbiter from Japan marked an historic moment, not just for the emirates, but for the whole of the region.In this week’s podcast we hear first hand from the Director-General of the UAE’s Space Agency, Dr Mohammed Al Ahbabi, and get the inside track from space editor Steve Nichols about the nerve-wracking moments when things looked like they might not go as planned.And this week should have been Farnborough Air Show, instead the organisers held a virtual conference with the region well represented.Alan Peaford interviewed low cost carrier Wizz Air’s CEO Jozsef Varadi for the event and also took time out to talk to the Hungarian boss about his aspirations for Abu Dhabi.And while Covid-19 has been the ongoing talking point for months, the issue of sustainability has not gone away, and Etihad Airways CEO explains how the UAE flag carrier is mounting a serious series of actions to turn the air green.This, plus all the news from across the region.

Ali Tounsi the head of Airports Council International across Africa joins this week’s action-packed programme from the team at African Aerospace and Arabian Aerospace.He talks to Anuradha Deenapanray about the challenges facing Africa’s airports as many begin flying internationally again this week.Airports are also utilising more in the way of biometric technologies for the restart and technology editor Steve Nichols hears from Miguel CEO Leitmann, CEO of Vision Box, the specialist in seamless biometrics travel, automated border management, and electronic identity management.Josef Kutschi, managing director of Frequentis, who featured in this week’s Insight programme on air traffic management explains how remote towers would benefit the opening up of Saudi Arabia’s domestic airport network.We also hear how Saudi is to get a major new defence event with the launch of the World Defense Show in Riyadh in 2022.Finally, the threat of cyber crime is on the rise with private charter flights the target. Dave Edwards CEO of the Air Charter Association outlines the problems to Alan Peaford.This, plus all the news from across the region, from postponements to the UAE’s space ambitions to a third Kenyan aircraft crash in Somalia in as many months

How remote and digital towers herald the way ahead for air traffic managementThis week’s in-depth focus looks at a growing digital future for the world of air traffic management.During the recent pandemic there were stories have airport control towers having to close due to a single infection. But Austrian company Frequentis says that using remote towers with full digital support gives flexibility and resilience to the air navigation service networks.In the Middle East, Frequentis has been demonstrating how the digital remote tower can help with smaller airports with only occasional air traffic and conversely how they can help when there are exceptional demands during peak events such as pilgrimages or major sporting events such as a World Cup.Josef Kutschi, managing director Middle East, (pictured) and Peter Gridling, global expert in digital towers and air traffic management talk to Alan Peaford about the technology and the future and how the coronavirus pandemic could have paved the way for a step change in airspace operations.

This week’s news magazine programme for the Middle East and Africa looks ahead to next week’s launch of the UAE’s mission to Mars. Our space and technology editor Steve Nichols hears from the UAE’s Minister of State for Advanced Science, Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, who is also Chair of the UAE Council of Scientists and deputy project manager of the Emirates’ Mars Mission. She will be explaining how important Tuesday’s launch will be for the entire region.Chuck Grieve talks to Lufthansa Technik’s head of sales for Africa and the Middle East, Tim Butzmann, about how the MRO and engineering services giant is shaping up, as the world starts to fly again.The future is also green as we hear from ground service equipment manufacturer ITW-GSE about the threats to the environment from ramp operations.There is also all the news headlines from the region including stowaways in Congo; Space hopes in South Africa and how you can bid for a Bombardier CRJ or even an entire airline on an online auction site.

As the global lockdown has shown how much pollution surrounds us – by its absence. All aspects of aviation are under the microscope, but this edition of our Insight series takes a look at ground handling.We all know that need to protect our planet but the post COVID-19 financial situation will be a challenge. But our guest on the programmeDavid Feuga from ITW-GSE says it is not wishful thinking when claims that reducing emissions by 90% and lowering your operating costs at the same time is indeed possible. ITW GSE is a leading supplier of ground power units, pre-conditioned air units, cables and hoses supplying green, emission free and super energy efficient products with a common user interface that provides easy operation across the lineup. The company has delivered more than 90,000 units to customers in over 100 countries. Chuck Grieve talks to David about ITW-GSE successes in environmental terms and financial ones and explores the threats to health for airport workers without cleaner operations.The ground equipment has been a hit in the Middle East and David explains how MRO businesses are also benefiting from the new electric technology.

This week we see a move in the right direction for the industry across the region where, although some areas are still in quarantine, others are beginning operations.Business jet sales are picking up according to Jetcraft’s Pascal Bachmann. The Dubai-based head of sales for Middle East, Africa and Europe talks about how the private aviation market could see a boom as premium passengers seek exclusive space – and go the places the airlines no longer go.Etihad Airways Engineering has been working on making cabins safe and comfortable. We talk to David Doherty about the progress being madeAnd when it comes to air quality, the CEO of Swedish firm CTT, Torbjorn Johansson, believes that style over substance could be affecting the health and comfort of premium passengers as they fly in cabin where the relative humidity is lower than the Sahara Desert

This week’s special in-depth focus looks at aircraft cabin comfort and the air we breathe. We talk to Torbjorn Johansson and Peter Landquist, CEO and VP-Marketing for Sweden’s CTT.The company developed systems to rehydrate cabins to improve cabin comfort while at the same time, remove moisture from the aircraft fuselage that could turn to ice or add unnecessary weight to the aircraft.Premium classes suffer the most, with less dense seating there is less humidity – these cabins often have humidity of less than 10% - and that is lower than Death Valley or the Sahara Desert.This causes discomfort, problems for the body’s defence system and the potential for infection.Johansson and Landquist explains how this works and why it is essential that airlines make use of the technology to make it healthier and more comfortable to fly.VVIP aircraft are using the system and now CTT is downsizing with plans for the large cabin purpose-built business aircraft.

This week we meet two African airline CEOs who share a belief that now is a time of opportunity for airlines on the continent.Marie-Joseph Malé , the president and CEO of Air Austral, the flag carrier for the French Indian Ocean territories of La Reunion, and Mayotte.Malé puts the COivid 19 pandemic against a number of other challenges the airline faced before lockdown, the strategy during it – and its plans for a bright new future amid greater cooperation among the Vanilla Island communities.Meantime Gidon Novic who revolutionised South Africa’s domestic market against all the odds, when he launched Kulula, is at it again.He explains his plans for a new low-cost carrier as a disruptor in the market.We also hear how West Africa is opening skies among EWACAS members as it looks to recover from Covid 19, as well as all the headlines from across Africa and the Middle East

This week’s Times Aerospace podcast for the Middle East and Africa gets into the swing of recovery. Alan Peaford talks to Andrew O’Connor from the industry-owned IT innovator SITA, we hear how the use of new and current technology will reinstill confidence for the traveling publicAs airlines begin resuming operation lot of focus turns to the maintenance, repair and overhaul providers. Chuck Grieve talks to Joramco’s chief commercial officer Fraser Currie about how the Jordanian business has fared during the coronavirus crisis and why it is in good shape to kick start its operations.And among other igns that things are heading back into the right direction. Honeywell and Turkey’s MNG Jet are busy on the connectivity front this week. so Steve Nichols caught up with Honeywell’s leader for Turkey and Central Eastern Europe, Serdar Cetingul, to talk about these latest technologies as well as some Covid19-defeating innovations that are making the news headlines this week.

The scandal of airline shootdowns and the prospects of regional aviationThis week’s programme for Africa and Middle East aerospace and defence markets has a mix of good news and bad news. In the programme, brought with the support of Collins Aerospace, we talk to Raul Villeron, the regional VP from Embraer about how the OEM is expanding its fleet in Africa and how right-sized aircraft will lead the recovery.He explains how the E2 Profit Hunter now ordered by airlines like Congo Airways and Air Peace will be using the aircraft to open new routes – without the problems of middle seats.Raul also talks about the challenge for the Brazilian manufacturer after being jilted at the altar by Boeing, and how it is facing up to being single again.Then the bad news. We welcome esteemed aviation journalist Martin Rivers to the programme to talk about the rising number of attacks on civil aircraft including the recent incidents in Iran and, just a couple of weeks back, the fatal shooting down of a Kenyan-registered Embraer 120 in Somalia.Martin has been researching the subject and outlines the challenges that airlines have in the absence of an independent authoritative intelligence-sharing system.We also get all the news headlines for the industry from across the wider region.

Collins Aerospace, now part of Raytheon Technologies, the third largest OEM in the world – is making a drive into emerging markets and bringing with it a host of new technologies.In this special INSIGHT report, we meet the new regional director for Africa, JENS Ziesel and hear how he sees the future for Africa and its aviation industry.Austrian-born Ziesel shares his thoughts on how African carriers can skip a generation of investment in technology by European and American airlines with its current focus on new models and time-saving and money-saving digital assets.African airports too are set for change.They are already working on faster, easier, seamless passenger experience at the airports and embracing technology that will change the touch points for the passengers going through at the airport, like arrival, check in, baggage drop, security, access, security screening, outbound border control, boarding the in-flight, cabin experience, inbound border control, and the airport departure.Ziesel talks too about open skies and the greater liberalisation of movement and how airlines including start-ups are right to be positive about the future.

Emirates president Sir Tim Clark was the headline act as the first Arabian Travel Market Virtual from Dubai this week. Our Marcelle Nethersole was tuned in to the debates on tourism and the shared impact it has suffered from the coronavirus pandemic.We hear from Sir Tim about the challenges of cashflow which could scupper some airlines even with government bailouts. He talks about his instinct for the great return to leisure and business flights – and shares his thoughts on when the bounce back will happen. We hear too from government and industry about views on tourism ahead from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Rwanda.When airlines do resume service as normal then ancillary revenues will be at the heart of their thinking. Steve Nichols hears from Kian Gould CEO of digital platform AOE about why airlines will have to work smarter to benefit from the new marketplace.

This week’s podcast has a special business aviation feel. This week should have been EBACE, Europe’s business aviation showcase in Geneva, much loved by Middle Eastern and African operators. We talk to Ali Alnaqbi, the chairman of IBAC and the founding chairman of MEBAA the Middle East and North Africa’s business aviation association.We also look forward with an overview of the exciting project to take the 100-150 seat Airbus A220 and configure it to a ground-breaking VIP corporate airliner targeted at the MENA region and compete against BBJs and ACJS. We hear from two of the CEOs involved in the partnership to develop the concept - Kestrel’s Stephen Vella and Camber Aviation’s Tom Chatfield.As the industry starts to come out the other side of the Covid crisis airlines will be weighing up how to get the most out of every investment and contract. Is power-by-the-hour the be-all and end-all? Our MRO editor, Chuck Grieve, has been finding out as he talks to Claudia Kronisch, who is head of provisioning support for the Airbus subsidiary Satair.

This week’s Times Aerospace look at the week for Middle East and African aerospace markets we hear from Jim Haas, Boeing’s director of product development on how aircraft cabins are as safe as operating theatres in terms of air quality and explains how the air filtration system removes viruses such as Covid-19 virtually row-by-row.We also hear from the IATA regional vice-president Muhammad Albakri on how discussions are going between the industry and world governments on getting consensus on the return to flight with a common set of rules and following the biosecurity roadmap agreed across the industry.We hear too from the CEO of Rolls-Royce, Warren East on the decision behind the redundancies at the engine manufacturer, as well as all the news from across the region.

Royal Jordanian CEO Stefan Pichler is the main guest on this week’s podcast, the former Jazeera Airways and Air Berlin chief explains how the “bubble effect” is the key to restarting passenger flights.In his discussions with host Alan Peaford, he talks about how O&D (origination and destination) flights from A-B will be the first to come back but predicts delays to the return of the long-haul connecting traffic. Strategic planning throughout the value chain is a challenge, so say the least. For example, which do you defer: fleet renewal or the retirement of older aircraft? Chuck Grieve is with IBA, the independent group of aviation analysts where he hopes to get answers to that and other questions.And while no one in air transport wants to talk about new aircraft entering service, the defence industry does. We talk to Eduardo Munhos from Leonardo about the basic trainer cum light fighter jet, the M345 which achieved certification this week and the Leonardo sales team can’t wait to pack their Gucci bags and head down to Africa where they see a potential demand for the new jet.Plus the highlights from the week’s news from across Africa and the Middle East

This week’s special report into the world of corporate aviation uncovers how Angola’s Bestfly was born.Today Bestfly manages corporate shuttle services for leading international oil majors and mining businesses, it supplies standby medevac services for the offshore industry, has a fleet of business jets and turboprops to support companies and private individual with safe, efficient and secure flights across Southern Africa. It also has an award-winning FBO matching the concierge and facilities that VIP passengers get anywhere in the world.But it all started when the company’s owner Nuno Pereira was flying a Boeing 747 for the national carrier and worked with his wife, Alcinda, to create the new service.In this episode Nuno talks about the challenges of setting up and growing a business.He shares his experience in working with the government to change perception and developing a shared vision that has firmly put Angola on the aviation map.He talks about his fleet and his need for more aircraft – and how Covid-19 has given the whole Bestfly family the chance to shine and prove themselves in the most challenging of circumstances.Creating a business from nothing is always an emotional roller-coaster, but this is an aviation personal story with messages for us all.

Technology editor Steve Nichols hears from SITA’s chief executive Barbara Dalibard (pictured) on what the new normal could be, and how technology will play its part.MRO editor Chuck Grieve gets to grips with discussion on the push by OEMs into the aftermarket, and how it is going to affect independent service providers, particularly in the aircraft modification space. He talks to Nicole Noack, Managing Director, of IAMA, the independent aircraft modifier alliance.And there is some upbeat news. We hear from Nuno Pereira, the CEO of Angola’s Bestfly Aviation about their successful contract win in the oil and gas sector this week and how they have kept in air during the Covid crisis.And if you too are asking whether this is the end for aviation academies and careers in aviation for young people, then Captain Lee Woodward from Skyborne Academy could put your minds at ease.

This week's news magazine podcast looks at Africa's cargo crisis, Middle East careers concerns, a virtual conference and the latest defence delivery with world-beating technology, plus all the news headlines from the aerospace and defence market across Africa and the Middle East.

With airlines in crisis, we talk to a leading expert of restructuring and turnaround, Steven Kargman, the president of KARGMAN ASSOCIATES. He looks in particular at the challenges facing African airlines but has guidance for airlines facing potential failure

This week's news and views from the aerospace, aviation and defence industry programme includes the future - if any - for South African Airways; and hears from Catharine Buchanan, chief operating officer of Vertis Aviation about how the private aviation sector is surviving during Covid-19

In this week's Times Aerospace podcast for the Middle East and Africa we talk to AJW’s Hafsa Abdul Salman about MRO in Africa and to Joshua Kitetu from Dubai's USW about sustainable fuels. Plus all the news highlights - and an aircraft interiors view from Sabeti-Wain

Alan Peaford talks to Prof Tony Tzes about drones and robotics at Abu Dhabi AIrport and how contactless health screening at key touch points is also on its way. Also the weekly update on news from Africa and Arabia's aerospace world.

Muhammed Ali Albakri, regional VP of IATA talks to Alan Peaford about the latest impact on the region's aviation industry plus industry updates - April 3 2020