Number 47 – 18 June 2024

“Never give in. Never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” Sir Winston Churchill

What an incredible person – Menno Parsons

At the Maputo airshow once again, Menno Parsons showed his generosity by not only bringing his P51 Mustang ‘Sally’ but also his Huey helicopter, both of which he flew in the airshow. On Friday late afternoon Menno took several underprivileged children flying in his helicopter so that they could enjoy the sunset from the sir. Menno and his Master Power team also sponsored a display stand at the waterfront where the show was staged that was next to Puma Energy and ExecuJet. Apart from his love for aviation Menno has a huge heart that always thinks about people who are in need, he is always smiling and has an incredible manner with people. Thanks Menno, for being that very special person that everyone wants to love.   

The team consisting of Simuflight engineers and Airlink flight crew that carried out the flight campaign to collect flight dynamics data for the BAE Jetstream 41.

From one proudly South African product to another…

Maputo Air Show 2024

On Sunday Christine and I returned from attending the Maputo airshow and what a fantastic experience this was not only for estimated 15 000 spectators, but also the members of the media present. As always Brian Emmenis and his team were on top form with a great selection of music. The grand finale with the Puma Energy Flying Lions T6 Harvards was simply beautiful and I saw several spectators with tears in their eyes as they expressed their happiness for the show. Then as the sun was setting the Marksmen Trio flew with fireworks attached to their wings in an incredible display of formation and solo aerobatics. To Gavin Neil and his extraordinary Mozambique team, we salute you for what had to be one of the most amazing spectacles I have ever attended. Also, thanks to the Aerclube of Mozambique as well as Vivo and the Maputo municipality for hosting this airshow.

Keith Fryer was the Air Boss and there was good cooperation between Brian, the Portuguese announcer and the production team. At the same time Keith Andrew was the ramp co-ordinator back at the Maputo International airport, which is around 20 kilometres away from the waterfront. The two Keiths worked well together to ensure that the airshow ran smoothly, which is always going to be tough given the distance from the airport.

To Gavin Kiggen CEO and the team members of ExecuJet / Luxaviation thank you for the flight to and from Maputo on the Challenger 601 ZS PAT. Flying time from Lanseria to Maputo was just 47 minutes and the return flight was even faster. In the air the business jet flanked by the two Goodyear Pitts Specials was a sight to behold. If this airshow had been staged in South Africa, it would certainly be a contender for the ‘airshow of the year award’. These pictures are just some examples of the hundreds of pictures that Christine and took between us.  You can look forward to an exciting feature in the July edition of African Pilot that will include an entertaining video to complement this exciting airshow.

20 June
Rand Airport Safety Symposium at the Harvard Cafe
Contact Dave le Roux PilotInsure E-mail: david@pilotinsure.co.za

28 to 30 June
EAA Taildraggers fly-in to Warmbaths airfield
Richard Nicholson E-mail: Richard.nicholson1963@gmail.com Cell: 082 490 6227

29 June
SAPFA Speed Rally at Warmbaths airfield
Contact David le Roux E-mail: david@pilotinsure.co.za  Cell: 073 338 5200 

29 June
Polokwane airshow at Gaal airport
Contact Robin Tapinos E-mail: airshow.polokwane@gmail.com Cell: 074 117 6384

29 June
FAPE Open Day at Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport
General Aviation Area, Boeing Street, Walmer

July

3 to 5 July
AERO South Africa at Wonderboom National Airport
Website: www.aerosouthafrica.com

6 July
Elders Flight at Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing (Zwartkops)
Contact Felix Gosher E-mail: felixgosher@gmail.com Cell: 066 191 4603

13 July
EAA Chapter 322 monthly gathering at Jack Taylor airfield FAKR
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

20 July
SAC Event & Limpopo regionals at Phalaborwa airfield
Contact Quintin Hawthorne E-mail: pak02496@pixie.co.za

20 July
Phalaborwa airshow TBC
Contact Cliff Lotter Cell: 082 855 5550

22 to 28 July
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA
Camping on the airfield contact Neil Bowden at E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com
Hotels in Appleton contact Calvin Fabig at E-mail: calvin@designer.co.za

22 to 26 July
Farnborough International Airshow London, United kingdom
Contact E-mail: enquiries@farnborough.com

27 July
Virginia airshow – Durban
Contact E-mail: sally@creativespacemedia.co.za Tel: 011 467 3314

August

2 & 3 August
Soutpansberg fly-in and airshow
Contact Bianca Prinsloo E-mail: spbvilegklub@gmail.com

3 August
EAA Chapter 322 monthly gathering at the EAA auditorium
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

17 August
EAA Chapter 322 breakfast fly-in to Fly-in Estate
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

17 August
Pilotinsure Heli fly-in to Krugersdorp airfield
Contact David Le Roux E-mail: David@pilotinsure.co.za Cell: 073 338 5200

17 August
Marekanelo airshow Rustenburg airfield
Contact Lesego Serekwane E-mail: sculpturevents@webmail.co.za Cell: 066 256 7302

17 & 18 August
SAC North West regionals at Klerksdorp airfield
Contact Quintin Hawthorne E-mail: pak02496@pixie.co.za

24 August
Wonderboom airshow
Contact E-mail: sally@creativespacemedia.co.za Tel: 011 467 3314

24 August
SAPFA Speed Rally at Groblersdal airfield
Contact David le Roux E-mail: david@pilotinsure.co.za Cell: 073 338 5200

31 August
Children’s Flight at New Tempe airfield, Bloemfontein
Contact Felix Gosher E-mail: felixgosher@gmail.com Cell: 066 191 4603

Business jet market growing roots in Africa

In Africa, perceptions of business aviation are changing slowly but surely. Gone are the days when business aviation was perceived as a means of transport only for extremely affluent people and today it is considered an economic catalyst that enables countries to boost investment and spur development.

Industry leaders point out that without business aviation, investing in many parts of Africa would have been difficult, especially given the absence of efficient road and rail transport in the vast continent. Business aviation is supporting economic growth in the mineral-rich continent by ferrying precious minerals such as gold and diamonds. In West and Central Africa, business jets play a pivotal role in serving the oil and gas industry by transporting staff and operating emergency and medevac flights. In East Africa, business aircraft support the booming tourism sector by transporting tourists to beaches, national parks and safaris.

Medevac is also an important activity for business aircraft. With a lack of fully equipped hospitals and specialised doctors throughout the continent, private aviation plays a role in filling the gap, operating medevac flights to countries with more developed health systems. Business jet flights are operated between West Africa and Europe, North Africa to Europe and East Africa to the Middle East. But still, the majority of the business aircraft flights are operated in the intra-African routes.

According to Danie Joubert, VP of sales in Africa for international broker Jetcraft, many companies are adding business units across more countries in Africa, creating a need for air travel. Joubert stated that demand for business jet ownership is rising dramatically across the continent, as seen in countries such as Angola, Uganda and Ghana. “In Kenya, which already has a strong installed base of short-range private aircraft used for tourism, we are seeing growing interest in larger jets for longer missions. Established markets such as Nigeria and South Africa remain vibrant.”

With 418 business jets in Africa, South Africa has the largest business aircraft fleet with 137, followed by Kenya and Nigeria. “Rather than being the last post for many aging aircraft, the continent is now seen as a viable center for operations, where leading OEMs actively sell their newest models and international operating standards are the norm,” added Alcinda Pereira, chair of the African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA), the pan-African industry advocate with 40 members based in Africa, Europe and the US. Pereira, AfBAA’s first woman chair, said the association, which was established in 2012, has played a significant part in changing the perception of the industry and continues to strengthen its ties with its members and international and regional institutions to foster the growth, understanding and acceptance of business aviation. “AfBAA’s aim is to promote business and General Aviation as a positive tool for economic development in Africa that is valued and supported by African governments, civil aviation authorities and aviation industry stakeholders throughout Africa,” she added.

In 2018, AfBAA widened its remit to include both business and General Aviation in Africa. “This has significantly expanded and strengthened AfBAA’s footprint on the continent and has firmly positioned it as the official voice of business and general aviation in Africa,” Pereira said, adding, “We have grown in membership since the pandemic and we see nothing but great things in aviation going forward.”

For a continent housing over 15 percent of the world’s population, Africa only accounts for three percent of global air traffic. However, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that seven of the top 10 fastest-growing aviation economies in the next 20 years will be in Africa. AfBAA’s executives are optimistic that growth bodes well for business aviation as well and will draw key investors, particularly from Europe, necessary to build up the services side of the sector. “Africa offers attractive investment opportunities for global business aviation players due to its expanding middle class, resource-rich economies and untapped aviation market potential,” said Gavin Kiggen, vice chair of AfBAA. “There is a rising demand for charter services, maintenance centres and aircraft sales in the region.” According to Kiggen, African governments and regulators are beginning to understand that business aviation is a valuable business tool, which has resulted in streamlined investment in the continent. “The understanding of the value of business aviation to Africa is tied to the need for corporations to travel to expand and have business success, whether locally or internationally. This is why companies like the AfBAA members are constantly strengthening their footprint,” Kiggen said.

Medevac transport is a frequent and beneficial use of business aircraft in Africa. © Pilatus

Dawit Lemma, founder and CEO of Ethiopia-based aviation services provider Krimson Aviation, said one of the most positive developments is acceptance from regulatory bodies on the continent. Regulators are now beginning to understand that business and General Aviation and Commercial Aviation are not the same operations and require their own set of regulations, Lemma said. “A great example of this is the new General Aviation Safety Strategy that the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) embarked on,” he noted.

However, not everything is as rosy as it looks. Business aviation operators have been facing a myriad of challenges thwarting the growth of the sector. Lack of awareness, political instability, armed conflicts, inadequate airport infrastructure, a lengthy flight permit process and exorbitant landing and ground handling fees are among the long list of challenges affecting business aviation operations in Africa.

Political instability within the continent is one of the major challenges that hamper the development of business aviation. Business aviation practitioners lament that the continent has many active conflict zones. In the last couple of years, largely in West Africa and Central Africa, many parts of African airspace have advisories on the flight levels that business aircraft can operate to due to active conflict zones. Steep taxes and airport charges are another hurdle. According to IATA, Africa has some of the highest taxes and charges levied on aviation fuel and the highest landing fees / charges. These costs are passed on to the passenger, keeping airfares high and making air travel more expensive than elsewhere in the world.

In addition, there have been significant challenges with visa facilitation in African countries. However, in recent years, some countries have eased the visa process. Jon Howell, founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, said openness in Africa is improving as countries realize that high visa charges and time-consuming procedures are detrimental to leisure and business tourism. “Great strides have been made with the implementation of e-visas and visas on arrival. A good example of this is the visa agreement between Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda,” Howell said.

African countries are also striving to address the challenges of poor airport infrastructure. “There have been some notable new airport investments over the past years in Africa, but there are still many airports with poor facilities and more importantly airports that are operating near or above capacity,” Howell said. “The airport infrastructure needs to keep up with the pace of route development on the continent if the market is to achieve growth,” he added.

Another barrier to the significant growth of business aviation in Africa is the lack of qualified pilots in the continent. Pereira said some aviation nonprofit organisations focus on supporting the professional development of pilots, air traffic controllers and other aviation professionals through scholarships, mentorship programmes and training opportunities. “AfBAA is looking at aviation as a whole, to see the downfalls and developments within Africa. We want to see the industry grow in all aspects to benefit all industries.”

In most African countries, business aircraft maintenance is unavailable.  “Maintenance for these aircraft types remains challenging, with either poor or non-existent maintenance support being available outside of South Africa or Kenya,” Kiggen said.

Lemma also points to challenges surrounding aircraft financing and flight operation requirements such as permits, fuel and other facilities catering to business aviation. “The biggest challenge in obtaining permits, be that VIP or medevac, is the inconsistency in process and timelines in obtaining a permit across different states, even neighbouring countries,” Lemma said. “Country A might only require aircraft documents and process the permit online within 24 hours. However, state B could be a neighbouring state that requires aircraft, crew and ownership documents and has to physically process at the CAA with a turnaround of more than 72 hours,” he added. Delayed flight permits unfortunately cost lives.

Despite all the challenges, executives of AfBAA remain optimistic about the future of business aviation in the continent. “While some lingering effects of the pandemic are still being felt by the business aviation industry in Africa, the consensus of the leading companies is that 2023 was a positive year, financially and that private aviation’s recovery was faster than initially projected,” Kiggen said. Further, he said, emerging economies such as Angola, Uganda, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are all becoming vital players in the industry. “While South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria continue to lead the way in terms of aircraft sales and charter demand, more actors with increased capacity to supply services is good news for the end-user.” With growth in the oil and gas industry, mining and the burgeoning tourism sector, the future of business aviation in Africa seems promising.

Ethiopian graduates nearly 800 aviation professionals

Ethiopian Aviation University, Africa’s largest aviation center of excellence, graduates close to 800 aviation professionals including international trainees from eight African countries and one from Asia. On 15 June the graduation ceremony took place at the university’s facility. The day has been graced by Ambassadors and Officials from African countries including Ethiopian Airlines Group executives, families and friends of the graduates. The graduates were trainees in Ethiopian Aviation University’s Pilot, Aviation Maintenance, Cabin Crew and Commercial Training programmes. Congratulating the aviation professionals, Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Mr. Mesfin Tasew, said, “We are delighted to witness the fruits of our effort in realizing a self-sufficient Africa, in terms of aviation professionals supporting the industry within the continent. We believe in the potential of Africa’s youths to shape the continent’s aviation and continue to educate them at our center of excellence. Training globally competitive professionals, today, we graduate 308 aviation maintenance, 142 pilots, 297 cabin crew, 25 electro-mechanical professionals and 15 ticket agents. I urge Africans to invest in training their youth for the future of aviation at Ethiopian Aviation University.”

Two killed in Lockheed 12A crash in Chino, California

On Saturday two people were killed in the crash of Lockheed 12A Electra Junior near Chino Airport in California. The aircraft crashed just outside the fence and caught fire. Details on the circumstances of the accident were limited in the first hours afterward and will be updated as they come available. The plane was identified on some sites as N93R, which is registered to the Yanks Air Museum at the Chino Airport. The museum was holding a Father’s Day event on Saturday. The Electra Junior is a six-seat shrunk version of the more popular Lockheed 10 named for the number of passenger seats it held. The 12A was built after the 10 and was seen as a ‘feeder airline’ candidate.

FAA investigates after Southwest 737 MAX dives to 400 feet off Hawaii

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating an April incident involving a Southwest Airlines 737 MAX 8 that descended rapidly from 1,000 feet and came within about 400 feet of the ocean surface off the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Bloomberg was the first to report on the incident after obtaining an internal memo from Southwest to its pilots last week. According to the source, the event occurred 11 April during a go-around due to bad weather on a flight from Honolulu International Airport to Lihue Airport in Kauai. The memo revealed that despite inclement weather forecasts, the captain elected to let the ‘newer’ first officer fly the short leg to Lihue. According to the memo, during the go-around, the first officer ‘inadvertently’ pushed forward on the control column, causing the aircraft to rapidly descend at a rate of more than 4,000 feet per minute. The aircraft came within 400 feet of the ocean before the crew pulled up. During the recovery, the aircraft climbed at 8,500 feet per minute.

Southwest’s memo stressed the importance of better communication between crew and committed to reviewing industry and internal data to determine whether updates to protocols and training would be necessary. The airline released a statement stressing that the event was addressed appropriately with the pilots involved receiving additional training. According to the Bloomberg report, the incident previously went unreported and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was unaware of it.

‘Dutch Roll’ incident prompts FAA / NTSB investigation

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating yet another alarming incident in which a Boeing 737 MAX 8 experienced a ‘Dutch roll’ at roughly 32,000 feet, a rare phenomenon when the aircraft rolls in one direction and yaws in the other.

The incident occurred on 25 May during a Southwest Airlines flight from Phoenix to Oakland. Pilots managed to regain control of the aircraft and land safely, although according to a report the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the standby power control unit (PCU).

On Thursday, the FAA released a statement indicating it was working closely with the NTSB and Boeing to determine the cause of the event while noting that no other airlines have reported similar issues. Southwest also stated it would cooperate with the agencies and the NTSB expects to have a preliminary report within 30 days. The incident marks the latest setback for Boeing, as the manufacturer deals with intense scrutiny following the January door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 flight, leading to a temporary grounding of the fleet.

Emirates fined US$1.5 million for operating flights in prohibited airspace

The US Transportation Department has fined Emirates US$1.5 million for operating flights carrying JetBlue Airways’ designator code in prohibited airspace. Between December 2021 and August 2022, Emirates operated numerous flights with the JetBlue Airways code between the United Arab Emirates and the United States in airspace that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has prohibited for US operators. This conduct also violated a consent order issued in October 2020, which had fined Emirates for similar breaches of FAA airspace prohibitions. Under the 2020 order, Emirates was required to pay US$200,000 immediately and another US$200,000 if it violated the order within a year.

An Emirates spokesperson stated that the airline intended to operate the flights at or above the restricted level but that air traffic control (ATC) either did not grant clearance to ascend or instructed flights to operate below the level during flight. The department highlighted that the flights in question traversed the Baghdad Flight Information Region below certain altitudes, which the FAA has prohibited for all US air carriers, all US commercial operators and code shares without special permission. Emirates could face an additional US$300,000 fine if it violates the rules again within a year.

The Emirates spokesperson added that the airline no longer operates flights with US carrier codes over Iraqi airspace. Emirates informed the USDOT that it prioritises the safety of passengers, employees, and other airspace users, and the flights in question operated below the allowed level ‘as a result of direct instructions from the relevant air traffic controllers’ and in some cases to avoid a collision.

Emirates argued that the pilots ‘were legally obliged to follow the instructions of the relevant air traffic controllers and any failure to comply with such instructions would have had significant safety implications,’ according to the department.

Counterfeit titanium found in Boeing and Airbus jets

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Spirit AeroSystems, a supplier of fuselages for Boeing and wings for Airbus, are investigating counterfeit titanium found in recently manufactured jets. According to The New York Times, who first reported the news, falsified documents were used to verify the material’s authenticity, prompting concerns about the structural integrity of the airliners. The investigation comes as small holes were found in the material due to corrosion.

The use of fake titanium affects certain Boeing 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner airliners, as well as Airbus A220 jets, according to sources who spoke anonymously to The New York Times. It is unclear how many of the aircraft are in service and which airlines own them. In a statement, Spirit AeroSystems said, “This is about titanium that has entered the supply system via documents that have been counterfeited. When this was identified, all suspect parts were quarantined and removed from Spirit production.” The company added, “More than 1,000 tests have been completed to confirm the mechanical and metallurgical properties of the affected material to ensure continued airworthiness.”

Both Boeing and Airbus reported their testing of the affected materials has not revealed any issues and airworthiness of their aircraft fleets remain uncompromised.

Second Cessna Citation Ascend takes flight, test programme progresses

Textron shared Thursday that the second Cessna Citation Ascend test aircraft (P1) has completed a successful flight. The Ascend prototype completed its first flight in 2023, making the P1 the first conforming production flight test aircraft. The new business jet was unveiled during EBACE in 2023 and the aircraft is expected to enter into service in 2025. The initial P1 flight was piloted by Michael Bradfield and Maurice Girard and lasted one hour and 24 minutes. The P1 flight test article reached a max altitude of 13,500 feet and a max speed of 308 knots. The aircraft will be used for the Ascend flight test program and primarily for systems testing, including propulsion, human factors, environmental control and avionics.

“Today’s successful flight of the second Citation Ascend test article marks another achievement for the programme and that is a testament to the many great employees involved with this project,” Senior VP of Engineering Chris Hearne said. “The aircraft has continued to perform well through the phases of testing and I continue to be confident in the programme’s momentum and in our skilled team members who make it possible.”

The Citation Ascend flight test certification programme is anticipated to complete certification testing with two test articles, the prototype and the P1. Textron said that to date, the programme has accumulated over 400 flight hours. The company gave an update in May, sharing that the programme was continuing to advance following the success of the prototype’s certification tests and over 350 flight hours. The Ascend prototype has completed a series of tests, including extreme hot and cold weather testing to ensure the aircraft systems are functional at extreme temperatures, bird strike, braking performance, tyre burst and cockpit and cabin window static and residual strength.

Missing jet wreckage found after 53 years

A private undersea search expert believes he has found the long-lost wreckage of a Rockwell 1121 Jet Commander (N400CP) that went missing 53 years ago. The private jet disappeared shortly after take-off from the Burlington International Airport (BTV) on 27 January 1971 and was presumed to have crashed in Lake Champlain, New York. The search was called off on 4 February 1971 and subsequent searches in the last 50 years found a possible crash site and sonar imaging of the site in May has led to confirmation of a wreck-site and visual confirmation of the missing jet.

Gary Kozak told NBC10 Boston that he was 100 percent confident that the wreck found was the missing Rockwell. Few jets have sunk in Lake Champlain and the custom colour scheme has led Kozak to believe this is the end to a 50-year mystery. Kozak and a colleague used a side scan sonar system on a location that they had identified as a possible crash site based on data from a 2014 search. The pair found a debris field consistent with the wreckage of a small plane crash. Days later, they brought a remote vehicle to the site, searching under about 200 feet of water near Juniper Island and identifying the Rockwell wreckage.

According to AP News, the lake froze over four days after the plane went missing. There were at least 17 other searches over the years until Kozak and his crew tracked the plane using a remotely operated vehicle and sonar imaging to find the wreck 200 feet underwater. Forever Missed said that several pieces of airplane debris, including a tyre on a rim, washed ashore in April 1971, but these were not confirmed to be from the missing jet. After Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 went missing, there was a renewed interest in searching for lost aircraft and solving aviation mysteries. New searches continued since 2014 but the discovery was not made until May of 2024. Now, the families of the five men killed in the crash now have closure after 53 years.

The jet belonged to Cousins Properties of Atlanta. In the early 1970s, plans were made to remove entire neighbourhoods to build modern buildings and infrastructure, according to the Burlington Free Press. Cousins’ representatives frequented the area, flying in and out with the corporate Rockwell Commander. The pilot, Nikita, was an experienced pilot with nearly 10,000 hours of flight time. N400CP had only 3,000 hours of flight time. Copilot Donald E. Myers had just landed a pilot position with Delta Airlines and on 27 January was flying what would have been one of his last flights for Cousins.

New Tesla ‘can fly’ says Musk

Elon Musk set his Xverse all a twitter on Saturday by reiterating his aerial aspirations for his car company. “The new Tesla Roadster can fly,” he said in a post in what seems like a response to another X post on the social platform that he also owns. Musk first teased the concept in the ill-fated interview with former X contributor Don Lemon when he described the new Tesla as ‘something that has never existed before’ with ‘Jetsons vibes.’ As always, Musk is tight-lipped about details of the new whatever-it-is and reaction to his seemingly straightforward post invoked scepticism and derision. Musk announced the new model electric car in 2017 and there is still no timeline on its unveiling. Musk did reiterate that the new Tesla will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in less than a second and that it is a collaboration with SpaceX.

Volocopter says the company has funding to complete certification of eVTOL aircraft

Financial pressure on eVTOL aircraft developer Volocopter appears to have eased, with confirmation that the German company has secured further funding. In a short statement, the company said it had secured finance from several existing undisclosed shareholders but refused to identify these backers.

According to a Volocopter spokesperson, the company does not expect to be able to say more about its financial situation until a funding round closes in the fourth quarter of this year. The statement indicated that the company has sufficient funding to complete type certification of its two-seat VoloCity eVTOL model, which it now expects to achieve with EASA at the end of this year.

The somewhat minimal programme update implied that Volocopter will not achieve its earlier goal of getting an EASA type certificate in time to fly the VoloCity aircraft with passengers during the Paris Olympic Games in July and August. However, the company has indicated that it may yet conduct the flights under some type of special dispensation.

In April, a standoff between the German federal government and Bavarian state politicians stalled an agreement over loan guarantees for both Volocopter and fellow German eVTOL developer Lilium. Two weeks later, Bavaria-based Lilium reported that the due diligence process for the new sources of financing had begun. However, Volocopter, which is based in the state of Baden-Württemberg, appears to have had to seek alternative sources of funding. According to Robin Riedel, who co-leads consulting group McKinsey’s Center for Future Mobility, Volocopter is among several eVTOL start-ups now struggling to secure sufficient funding to bring their aircraft to market. “The advanced air mobility sector is at the difficult pre-revenue phase, when companies are generally too small to attract private equity money and too big for early venture support,” he said.

Riedel suggested that Volocopter may seek new backing from sources such as the Saudi Arabian regional development project Neom. In November 2022, Neom supported Volocopter’s Series E funding round, which was also supported by Hong Kong’s GLy Capital Management. In his view, governments and companies in the Gulf region are increasingly positioning themselves to support the earliest commercial use cases for eVTOL aircraft such as those being produced by Archer, Joby and Eve Air Mobility.

The Neom development in the northwest of Saudi Arabia is supposed to hinge on a vast new ‘smart city’ called The Line, which would include eVTOL air services. The Line was supposed to extend some 106 miles into the desert from the Red Sea coast and have no cars. However, Saudi authorities have more recently suggested that just 1.5 miles of the development will be complete by 2030. The project attracted adverse attention when it was reported in May that Saudi forces shot and killed a resident of a village that was being forcibly cleared to make way for the development.

Persistent maritime domain awareness

MQ-9B SeaGuardian® is the maritime-focused sibling of the revolutionary SkyGuardian® remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) that has been missionized using ‘bolt-on / bolt-off’ maritime sensors. SeaGuardian is designed to fly over the horizon via satellite for over 30 hours (depending on configuration) in all types of weather and safely integrate into civil airspace, enabling joint forces and civil authorities to deliver real-time situational awareness anywhere in the maritime domain, day or night. This highly versatile maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft can seamlessly integrate a centreline wide-area maritime radar, an automatic identification system, electronic support measures, and a self-contained anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission kit. SeaGuardian not only integrates the most advanced maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, but it is also the first RPAS in its class to enable real-time search and patrol above and below the ocean’s surface.

SeaGuardian can be configured to conduct a number of maritime ISR operations, including but not limited to:

• Humanitarian assistance / disaster relief
• Search and rescue
• Law enforcement
• Anti-surface warfare
• Anti-submarine warfare
• Airborne mine counter measures
• Long-range strategic ISR
• Over-the-horizon targeting

Leveraging MQ-9B’s open architecture system, SeaGuardian operators have the option to integrate its ground-breaking sonobuoy management and control system (SMCS) and sonobuoy dispenser system (SDS). Together, these systems allow SeaGuardian operators to deploy, monitor and control sonobuoys from a single RPAS. Also, SeaGuardian has four wing stations available to carry up to four SDS pods, enabling it to hold and dispense up to 40 ‘A’ size or 80 ‘G’ size sonobuoys and remotely perform ASW anywhere in the world. In its standard maritime ISR and ASW configuration, SeaGuardian’s range encompasses a mission radius of 1200 nautical miles with significant on-station time for submarine prosecution, providing a low-cost, stand-alone capability or a complement to human-crewed aircraft for manned-unmanned teaming operations.

World’s first type-certifiable RPAS

As an MQ-9B RPAS, SeaGuardian is designed from the ground up to not only meet NATO standards (STANAG 4671) but also to comply with civil airspace requirements in the US and around the world. Using GA-ASI’s first-of-its-kind Detect and Avoid System and Certifiable Ground Control Station, SeaGuardian seamlessly integrates with normal air traffic just like other commercial aircraft. SeaGuardian’s remote flight station gives operators a similar, if not better, air traffic picture than the cockpit of human-crewed aircraft. Over the years, GA-ASI has been working very closely with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UKCAA) to approve MQ-9B for flight in civil airspace.

Quickstep announces major business developments

Quickstep has received a follow-on order for 20 Volanti aircraft, valued at approximately $430,000. This order supplements the $1.35 million order for 40 units previously announced in March, which was successfully delivered in early June. Reflecting strong customer interest, a foreign military customer has also requested overseas trials of the Volanti aircraft in its current build configuration.

Continued Partnership with TB2 Aerospace LLC: The previously announced $500,000 work statement in support of TB2 Aerospace LLC is set for completion prior to 30 June. Furthermore, Quickstep has secured an additional follow-on contract valued at $300,000 for engineering design services, further solidifying its relationship with TB2 Aerospace and expanding its portfolio of engineering projects.

Expansion in Drone Aerostructures and Payloads Business: Following the recent delivery of the 100th series production drone from its Geelong facility, Quickstep anticipates continued expansion in both the drone aerostructures and payloads business into FY25. This growth is driven by ongoing demand for Quickstep’s engineering services and its proven track record of delivering high-quality aerospace solutions.

Quickstep has announced the finalisation of a $925,000 space grant from the Commonwealth Department of Science, Industry & Resources (DSIR) under the Moon to Mars initiative. This grant is part of a broader $1.3 million development program aimed at enhancing Quickstep’s capabilities in the space segment. The DSIR grant will facilitate the acquisition of a large-scale CNC router / 3D printer for rapid prototyping and low-rate initial production of complex composite structures. This equipment will support AeroQure™ high-rate production tooling for emerging space applications and drones, as well as the in-house manufacture of production tooling across all program areas. The new equipment will be installed at Quickstep’s expanded engineering and production facility in Geelong, VIC. In addition, the company is moving into newly leased premises at the same location, tripling its production floor space to accommodate increased production volumes and meet growing demand.

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After 24 years of continuous publishing there is no doubt that African Pilot provides the finest overall aviation media reach on the African continent and now throughout the world. All African Pilot’s and Future Flight’s monthly editions are easily read on any digital device including smart phones

Our team is positioned to provide professional video and stills photography, website development, social media platforms, company newsletters as well as several other important media services to customers.

The two monthly magazines are available as a digital edition where ALL advertisers enjoy the direct routing to their websites at a touch on a smart phone or tablet as well as a click of the mouse on a computer screen or tap on any smart phone device.

This twice weekly APAnews service has been part of African Pilot’s line-up since the inception of the magazine 24 years ago.

African Pilot is the third best English language aviation magazine in the top ten magazines in the world: https://blog.feedspot.com/aviation_magazines/

African Pilot Website: www.africanpilot.co.za
Future Flight Website: www.futureflight.online
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AfricanPilot
Twitter: www.twitter.com/africanpilot
Instagram: www.instagram.com/african_pilot_/

Should you miss out on any edition of APAnews, please visit the website: www.africanpilot.co.za and click on the APAnews link on the front page. All past weekly APAnews publications have been archived on the website.