African Aviation : The Future - where to ?

[Gunship]

On my 500 th post I felt we should start a new thread, looking at the future of Aviation in Africa. This is not to get your trade secrets. My idea is to come up with positive comments to see if we can not perhaps make flying work in Africa? Why don’t we give it a bash ? Tom Bradford is completely correct (and many others) when he said about “let us take hands”. Although we have a lot of other nationalities on PPRUNE, I think South Africans and the rest can set a great example to the rest of the World by sorting our Aviation market out.

If we can not sort ourselves out in South Africa, never mind the rest of Africa - we will not even need our “own” 11 Sept to demolish the flying industry. I think that comes out clear on this forum or are we all just negative. Remember my personal New Years philosophy was be positive ... but so far on this forum it COULD NOT happen :eek:

I will start by stating the Russian / Ukrainian industry has a very negative effect in the lives of pilots and aircraft in Africa and needs a drastic change.

As some of you might know I am in the Russian / Ukrainian part of flying and fly their machines, know them and know their industry quite well, but also might be completely wrong in what I am saying about them and their industry - but that is my feelings and the way I encountered it after 4 years here.

Now, it does not take a rocket scientist to know that on average in the last few years at least every six months a AN-24 goes down with crew and pax. It is also a well known fact that at least once a year a Russian heli goes down with a board of inquiry stating “ due to fatal engine failure”. In the country that I work (and I was one of them) we had 5 incidents of a serious nature in 2 years (2 accidents with fatal results). My statements :

The Russian aircraft are known as “bullet proof” and of high quality ever lasting type. That is partially correct, but with the collapse of the Soviet Union, their aviation market also collapsed. So we get a lot of these aircraft and their crews “given” to third world countries (even South Africa at a stage). This is all nice and wonderful, but try and buy spares these days … just about impossible ! If you do get spares – especially the likes of engines - make sure that they are not off dubious origin. We have just gone through a consignment of spares “from the factory” that had “overhauled engines” that was not closely within limits when test flown. On further inspection it was found that the closest to a “factory overhaul” these engine(s) had, was a good spray paint and clean up inside and out. I can carry on and on to the likes of “overhauled” generators which on closer inspection had not even new brushes installed (the basic item that MUST be at least replaced).

A lot of these facts will not appear in newspapers as the officials are bribed to the teeth. I am also talking here of other countries in Africa where I have first hand knowledge about.

Looking at Russian and Ukrainian crews : First off all there are excellent crews out there. We ourselves employ Ukrainians and I feel bad about it as we get them very cheap, but before we employed them we could not find anybody else. Now out of a safety viewpoint they should never be employed if they do not have a FULL understanding of English ( a basic is not good enough). The UN goes as far as making an extra crew member that is fully adverse with English, but he / she only knows a little bit about flying. In an emergency they just talk Russian and our airspace has become 90% Russian - only the tower is still English - needless to say we had 4 near misses so far this year and two near fatal accidents involving Russian crews that flew into "other nations" crew in the past 2 years. Both incidents were language (bad communication skills).

My answer : Get Russian aircraft / crew / spares and procedures completely up to date in procedures in every country or they must go ! We will not change the fallen Soviet Unions flying industry but we can make a difference by disallowing these aircraft and crews in "our" airspace - if they are not inline.

Hope I come clear on this : I am trying to make a meaningful contribution and as this is my day - to day job : so far this is what I can offer.

I would love to see more on the Warbird issue - advances and pros and cons into it discussed. Sorry I sound bossy now but I hope you know what I mean and understand that my English is poor. ;)

All the best – I hope we can make an improvement – “let us take hands on this issue” :D

[francois marais]

Gunship, you're the man. I think that you must try & get Tom Bradford down to SA, so that we can learn something from you guys. Maybe you should consider bailing out there where you are. Bert is going to source us a Cobra, and between 4 Hueys, a Cobra or two, the squadron from Thunder City & Combat Zone, not to forget the Harvard Club, we can run our own little airforce here in SA, and do some serious shooting, but with cameras of course. Do you know how many smiling faces climbs off the Huey each day? We don't shoot bullets, but we shoot with cameras, and with the environment we operate in here in sunny SA, how can we go wrong? Come on Gunship, we can do a great deal better here in SA if we can bring all the SA expertise that are currently operating in Africa back home. I know that US$Dollars count, and you can probably never earn that here, but it would be great to take hands, and work towards a great aviation life right here in SA. Can you imagine if we can get Tom, Gerry Bro, Gerry Nel, and all the boys from Jurassic Park (the oil barons) back here in a squadron of quality people & quality warbirds? Come on guys, you need to relax in your twilight years. Ask Bro, he already thinks he's in his twilight years. Flying & saag-ing his wol. Seeya!

[Gunship]

Lo Francois,

Well, well well, I pressume you do not know exactly what I fly otherwise you would not mention a Cobra on the same page .. (Bert will very soon hit back) :ccol:

The machine I am flying goes for $7k an hour but even so what I have seen it will be impossible to maintain even if you get it free. We have been waiting 9 months for a main gearbox (we paid $247k for it) and has not seen any date of delivery ... my post about the Russian Aviation coming strongly out here again :D

Francois, I can promise you it will make my day to fly a warbird ... from a Harvard / Allouette Gunship with a "fake" 20 mm ... and of course the ...Ship, but I will lower my standards and even help old man Bert out and fly his Cobra :eek:

Good luck and my best wishes - you guys can only look forward to a great year in the waterfront (even with your competition).

I heard rumours that "new" vlamgat Warbirds are on the way to join the others at Thunder City. Do you have a "relationship" with Thunder City ?

All the best ... Gunns

[Gunship]

:8 Quote from uncle Tom Bradford ...

Then we can compare notes on the Russian tools we fly. I'm amazed that you have not gotten your main rotor gearbox yet. We are getting good service & spares. US$ 7000 per hour huh? Must be one of those things that the gooks used up in the Zambezi Province in Moz from 1977 onwards huh, stub wings and all? Betcha I'm right????? :8

This quote from Tom on the Huey thread is exactly my point I am trying to make :

:*Here Tom mentions a very interesting point : Pricing, we are obviously being shafted here by a middle man as i did not even mention that another Ukranian order is 2 years and 8 months outstanding !

Let us try and work together as a team in certain aspects like spare issues, pricing and the likes and compare notes - believe me it WORKS ! :ok:

Cheers ... Gunnsss

[Skaz]

Oom Gunns, I tried to access your website, but the very unique address left Internet Explorer scratching it head...

The idea of Cobra etc is great, maybe you should try to source something like an old Skrycrane, fit a 'cabin' in the space provided for payload and take the folks on a mountain flight, Francious.
Or CH53, that is the Mother Of Helicopters!:cool: :} :D
I believe there are some to be de-commissioned soon, or have been already.
CH47, Chinook will make a lot of heads turn too!
hmmm....no chance of an Apache, he?:confused:

Or something from the other side of the curtain, like what I think Gunns is poling. Methinks there is one lying around next to Grootfontein rwy....rockets still in pods!!believe it or not, I saw it with mine own eyes

the Russian thing...have been some incidents here as well. After one involving Air Nam, Airlink and MI8 ? went up to tower to witness the chewing out of chopper crew by atc, didnt last very long cause the Russian pilot didnt speak a word of english!:eek:

[francois marais]

Africa is an emerging economy, especially since ex President Clintons "Trade not Aid" program which was initiated in 1998. Mbeki followed with his renaisance program, and Bush have just promised US$10 billion in funds to curb aids in Africa. Traditionally the Franco-phone African states have always looked North (Europe) for help, but since the political liberation of SA, have started looking more to the South for help. They have finally discovered that SA, with its great infrastructure & expertise, is also part of Africa, and that they can learn a lot from us. Therefore, there are great opportunities for aviation in Africa. Angola is getting their act together, and hopefully the world funding authorities will soon start pumping serious money into Angola to rebuild it to the great country it formerly was.

America is beginning to understand that there are a wealth of opportunities in Africa. Oil, gold, diamonds etc. The Americans are particularly intertested in the oil rich countries in Africa, and are currently courting these heads of states big time, because they need to eliminate their dependencies for oil from the Middle East. So I am of the opinion that vast amounts of hard currency will soon be made available to Africa, which will mean good opportunities for aviation.

Politics unfortunately has been hampering economic progress in Africa for decades. The history of Africa teaches us "Dictatorship, bankruptcy and coup de ta. A head of State comes into power by way of a coup, then becomes a dictator, rapes the resources of the Country, and after a few years when the people don't like him anymore, they over throw him in a coup, and he goes and lives off shore with billions of dollars, as who will ever employ him again. This unfortunately is the reality.

So how do we approach the future of Aviation in Africa? I would like to suggest that one follows a route that can best be described as follows:
1. Pool our aviation resources. (Expertise, experience etc) Get the movers & the shakers together in an "African Aviation Forum"
2. Identify the needs of Aviation in Africa and the most likely geographical territories where it would be lucrative and safe to operate. (Safe it may not always be. Opportunities normallly exist in territories where others fear to tread)
3. Make presentations to the funding authorities on the expertise and experience of the shakers and the movers. Convince them to listen, as nobody can ever take experience away from you. Provide them with certain "inteligence" based on experience in Africa, and convince them to form an alliance with the African Aviation Forum.
4. The Forum can then become a powerfull negotiating body with these "funders' and offer them expert services which no one can match. The important thing is to get invited into the "inner circle". This can and will only happen, if we can prove our experience, which we can, prove our reliability, which we can, and contribute meaningfully to the "development" of Africa. Don't go and learn French, German or Chinese, learn an african language. I promise you its will help.

Some of you may however think that this would not be the route to go, but if you think carefully about aviation in Africa, who controls it? Its either the UN or affiliated agencies such as WHO, Unicef, etc. All of these organisations function on donor money from the G5 countries, and they rely heavily on inteligence of all sorts. FBI, CIA MI6 and research teams. They also spend billions of dollars on airplanes & helicopters to move their officials around Africa. We need to become part of that.

Whats wrong with us boertjies, who have extensive experience of Africa, as "Africans"? The world funding authorities makes their decisions on funding based on certain criteria. Threse include political stability, geographical location, population, economic stability and the needs for social upliftment and primary health care. Social upliftment in the rural areas require vasts amounts of airplanes and helicopters to serve the needs of the people. I believe that us South Africans can offera wealth of experience to these people, and we could have been a long way further if it was not for the fact that we have always been hijacked by the Yanks & the Europeans who pretend they know Africa, when really they don't. It takes an African to know an African.

So do you guys think that we can form such a forum?

[c_kraig]

Gunship, kudos for the string on a great subject. And you Francois. good observations on the Americans. I am one of them and look towards a good life in Africa if can be had.
The fact that the Pres said he is going to give billions is not really a good promise. Baby Bush is a devout Christian who wants nothing to do with a country that may be helped with the use of condoms or other methods of contraceptives. Besides he believes that AIDS is a lifestyle and that make it alright for that person who is afflicted with the virus to die. This man is guided by money, oil, and religion. This make this man a very "unrelible" person. I don't know why he said what he did about Africa but it was really out of left feild and no one knows where that money is going to come from. There is really no money here in California. Hell we are 60 Billion Dollars in debt. The rest of the country is not all that well off eather. If there is money, there will be strings attached.
The US is soon to become a country unlike what we have been in the past. Baby Bush was successfull in passing new laws that take away our rights (The Bill of Rights). And we are now going to be watched by our own millitary. This is scarry to a person who was brought up on the ideals of a group of founding fathers and to see it all wiped from our hands.
I believe that Africa was a ploy to distract the real issues. If Baby Bush want your oil, he is going to take it or he will put someone in the country that will give it to him. I grant you that there will be money to have and a lot of it. But it is going to be in the hands of those he likes. I hate to have a fatialistic veiw on the matter but things here in the US are not good.
I still have hopes to fly for Airserv and someday move onto bigger and better groups until I find a nice littel nitch that I can fashion out a fair living. But I know that someday all things will become a smooth equilliberium and then fly off the handle again. Just like what a Soldure of Fortune told me one day "theres money to be made on war.". Personally. I would like to fly the Great Rift Valley at low levels and live among the aid workers who are lovely young ladies with a cause. Well I am getting a bit sloppy the more I drink. but I take my hat off to you boys. Hope to see you again on the fourm and someday in the air. Later.

[Gunship]

Thank you Gentleman ... that is what I mean .. WORK TOGETHER .. here is such a wealth of info that had to print it now and will respond a bit later (lines cut out every few minutes in the Wild West) .. tx Francois, tx Skax and Kraig ! :cool:

[francois marais]

Craig, thanks for your response and information. Hopefully you take aviation seriously. By the way, the Rift Valley is a stunning place to be. I was up there in July of last year, and it really is great.

Obviously due to the vastness of Africa, aviation is a necessity. In Africa, there are two types of aviation:

Airlines & charter companies (Airplanes & helicopters)
These guys fly pax around, do various other jobs like medical evacuation, powerline patrol, offshore work, coastal patrol, you name it, and whatever work general aviation can be involved with.

Military flying.
This sort of flying is done in each and every African Country. Some African countries are at war, mainly internal wars between factions of different beliefs. Perfect examples are the DRC, Algeria, Liberia, Ivory Coast (now) Sierra Leone etc. War time flying in Angola has at last ceased. (for the moment)

Aviation in Africa therefore offers many opportunities. If you are not of the faint hearted and have high war time & combat experience, you could be considered by the relevant government for a possible position. This is however, a very specialized industry, and are normally not accessible to every dick, tom & harry. Recruitment is normally done through very specialized people, operating in close association with the controlling government. Outsiders are not easily brought in. Its just toooo specialized.

With regards to general aviation, there are a lot of possibilities. I have done some research on this, and have discovered that if you are not part of the inner circle, you can't get in. Powerful organisations and people (they think they are powerful) control general aviation in Africa. There are too many third parties involved in it all, and everyone needs to make a buck, therefore prices for charters and general aviation is sometimes just to high. One can understand that Africa is remote in some areas, which means that the logistics of getting fuel and parts there is expensive, and its mostly only the governments that can afford these charters.

The companies that do operate in Africa are well connected, no doubt. There are certain "preferred" suppliers of aviation services, and in most cases, if you really dig deep, they were put there by their "connections", and you can be certain that someone was bribed or paid off. Money unfortunately is more important, and it is often a compromise for safety.

You will remember that during the "cold war " years, Russia courted Africa in a big way. Especially the mineral & oil rich countries. The Russians needed oil & minerals to fund their "war" against America. They needed big time money for R&D to produce equipment that could compete wit the Americans. It was for this reason that so many African people were schooled in the East Block and communistic territories, including Cuba, where communism, marxism & socialism were taught. Today, we all know it does not work, as the economic colapse of Russia is a prime example. For this reason also, you will find that there are Russian airplanes and helicopters in almost every African State.

Since the colapse of Russia, russian flight crew brought equipment out of there and into Africa. These guys are not badly skilled, but not near good enough. They are so desperate for Dollars, that I came across a pilot in Kinshasa that worked for US$300 per month. He told me at the time, that US$300 per month in Russia, would go a long way. Now, who in his right mind will work for US$300, especially if he is highly skilled. Problems are the order of the day with these people and their machines, because there are language constraints, and the machines are not maintained as they should be. Being on the "R" registration does not help the authorities much, because there is always the problem of jurisdiction. Can an African Government control the maintenance on a foreign registered aircraft? Mayben they can, but I'm sure that they don't care much, because the machines are there, they see the pilots and engineers fiddle with it, and because they don't know any better, they don't bother. A recipe for fatalities.

It is for this reason that suitably qualified and competent people should create an African Aviation Forum, so that the forum can make representations to people like ICAO, IATA, the feds etc. Money is readily available for aviation in Africa, but I have come to the conclusion that its the wrong people that control it. It may be very far fetched to think that we can change anything really significant, but what does it help if we don't try? Everyone in Africa needs to engage in constructive dialogue to ensure the future of safe African skies. Example! The ILS at Ndjili Airport in Kinshasa was last calibrated in 1989. Crazy huh?

We have to adopt a no-nonsense attitude. We must root out the corruption, nail the bogus spare parts people, eliminate the 3rd party mafiosas that control it, and make the funding authorities and the governments aware of how they are getting ripped off. Most governments, irrespective how poor, will always find money to repair a military machine first, before it will buy medicine or nutrients for the population.

[Gunship]

Sjeesss ... I will have to be sober and spellchecker running when I answer back on this one ... well done Francois .. hik ... :8

[gravitysux]

here here, "HIC!"
Hey Francois
Dont forget about those boytjies flying white tailed UN a/c about this continent, Klomp SA oukes there doing a great job.
I remember a certain ZS CYB (?) {Mawrane ...scuse spelling}
And a little yellow cub of your dads....dive bombing the Drie gewels...hahah
Anti Graviti rules ok!:cool:

[c_kraig]

I like you Franco.
I have never served in the forces and have thought about it until learning about what "MY" government has done to them. Hell in World War 2 only about 5% of our troops went on disability, 4% from Korea, and 7% from Veitnam. But finding out that over 35% of our troops in Gulf War 1 went on disability and many of them have been denied because someone in the high offices thought that if they were all getting sick then something happend. So to cover it up they raised the bar and now we have people who have fought for this country are being turned away and told that the problem lies withing the psycie of the soildure. I did a bit of digging and I have found out some things that made a small impression on me (DU). So I said no thanks to the mil. But I am still up for some good times. I know that my chances of being part of a "Club" is not good but I know that somewhere in Africa there is a left seat for me (fixed wing) and nice woman. Someday I would love to fly Rotors. I tend to fit in with them a bit better. We have the same sort of humor.
I know that one of the biggist problems in Kenya is poaching and I have known some that hunt them. One of the biggest assests to a country is its tourist. This is where safety and reliabilty come in. If an ILS is not working or not right then are you going to fly it with passengers let alone yourself. "maybe" some may say. But what do the passengers think. Are they going to try cards again. The industry is large and there are many levels. We need to support them all and I like your approach to the matter. Support each leg of the table because gravity sucks. Well I have to get going right now my boss is breathing down my Arss. See ya later guys. Ps Aviation to me has been the only thing. Everything in my life has left me except my passion with the wind. Ever read Bach?

[francois marais]

Yo Craig

Tourism in some parts of Africa is a great money spinner. Places like South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique & Kenia are some of the countries that receive millions of tourists each year, which not only provide hundreds of job opportunities, but also contributes significantly to the development of aviation. This is due to the remoteness of some areas. The Botswana Swamps, and Maun airport for that matter, becomes one of the busiest little airports in Africa during the hunting season, which is from April to August. Hundreds of little planes, from C206's, C210's, Caravans, Islanders etc, shuttle pax beteen Chobe, Savuti, Moremi, Kwai river Lodge, Xaxaba, Chief's Island, Savuti etc, during those times. Americans particularly love Botswana.

Kenia has traditionally been frequented by the British (its a former British Colony) and visitors from Continental Europe. Attractions in Kenia that draw large amounts of tourists, are the Serengetti, the Masai Mara, Mombassa etc. Not to forget the regular flights to Kilimanjaro.

In under developed nations, where corruption is rive and very little social upliftment takes place, the inhabitants normally have to fend for themselves by going into a form of "survival mode". Poaching for the pot, or for financial gain, then becomes the order of the day. The World Wildlife Fund spends millions of dollars each year on airplanes and helicopters to curb this, with limited success. In Kenia, they fly C185's, Bellanca Scouts and helicopters to perform these duties, and if you're willing to get involved, you should make contact. I have noticed you mentioned the pretty girls. Sure, just watch out for the "November Foxtrots" (Gunship will tell you what these are)

The SA Defence Force scaled down a lot after the political liberation of Namibia in March of 1990. A lot of really good Air Force jocks then had to look for alternative employment, and having had flying training in a very disciplined environment of a Central Flying School, with excellent experience both in general aviation and combat flying, became the flavours of the month, or years, and took up employment in "war torn" Africa. I can provide you with a lot of information of this, but have decided not to post it on this thread.

There is a company in SA that owns a large fleet of big transport aircraft. They have been contracted to do a lot of work for the UN throughout Africa, the Middle East & Afganistan. The boys in the PIC seats there are mostly all ex Air Force Pilots, with years and years of experience, poling through the skies of Africa. They're all doing a good job, mostly on humanitarian aid programs.

It is for this reason, that there are a lot of opportunities in Africa. All we need to do is to take hands, apply our minds, resources and skills, and Africa could be "our oyster".

[flutter by]

Hi guys

As u all well know, i'm a real newbie here and most off my experience would be in the IT field......although flying and the aviation community is my biggest and best interrest, as i am trying to fulfull my dream of becoming a pilot and has started in doing so with my PPL :cool: , I would be more than willing to help out and be of help if can be, for somewhere along the line( when i get my comms lic., some day) this would be of my best interrest. I am already worried about all the taxes and stuf that I see going on because all those factors will be making it more difficult and even more expensive than it already are. So I would be more than willing to take hands and be helped and help other like me as well.

Sorry if this is a bit off topic but I just wanted to be noticed too and show my interrest and passion for aviation.....

4 the shills....:O

[c_kraig]

Hello guys. I have taken some time off because of our loss of the Columbia. I took a weekend of work to just get some things right in my mind. But I am back. Franco, Let me start off by saying, I agree with you whole heartitly. I have done very little reading about the mother country but I have looked into the aviation part of the aid work and I may have struck a gold vain this last week. But I have to see where it is going to take me. You may have heard of an orginazation called Air-Serv. I found out that I do qualify for a FO seat and I am jumping at the chance. So I have to see. I would have no problem working with them for a couple of years just to get to know some of the businesses that handle flying. Then I may go and work out side of Air-Serv. If the money is in it.
Looking back at what is happening there with the Mogabi (eeerrr) "regime" where the land is being "returned to the African, The white man is being moved off his land where he and his family have worked for many generations providing food to the country and to be replaced with (how should I say it?, Ahhh) the non-farmer. I have heard that the new settlers have driven off the farm hands and even killed them because they have been called traitors. With a drought that has lasted for a couple of years now and no one to work the land properly I see there is going to be a widespread of hunger and death on the heals of this year. Am I right? Tell me if I have it all wrong. If I don't I am going to shift into high manifold and make my way there... Thanks guys....By the way Gunship. What does November Foxtrot stand for?

[francois marais]

yo Craig

November Foxtrots are individuals of the fairer sex, normally with very red lips and some sort of revealing look, that winks at you to grab your attention, makes a nuisance of themselves, drinks your beer when you're not looking, bums cigarettes, and are desperate for your $$$$$$. They hang out in hotels & restaurants in search of revenue. These are the "night fighters"

[non sched]

African countries should agree to eliminate support for nationalized airlines, allowing the private companies to run the airlines, and shift the funds allocated to those airlines toward building an effective air traffic control system covering all of Africa. It wouldn't have to be radar controlled, just provide effective communication and flight tracking.

[B Sousa]

Non Sched
You must be in a Glass house... Yes in the States We have privately owned Airlines, but I dont know why. Everytime they cry about going Bankrupt, who bails them out?? You guessed it, the taxpayer........Whats the real difference....
As to ATC, you have to be kidding, an overworked system for sure...and the U.S. dumps a ton of money in there.

[non sched]

I don't believe I said a thing about the US ATC system. Have you flown in Africa? Except in limited areas the ATC system is non existent. Crews are required to report their position, altitude and ETA's on a common freq to deconflict traffic. That's no system at all. Really, what's needed is what a lot of countries have, a reliable means for the ATC system to track and deconflict traffic. HF radio and VHF would be sufficient if the system was reliable. As for privatized airlines, those in trouble in the US are the legacy carriers from pre deregulation. Their time will soon pass and deregulation will finally succeed

[c_kraig]

Cum'on guys, pic up the pace here. I love to read the thoughts and ideas about bring business to Africa and to bring more good people to fly these ships there. I want to thank Gunship for starting this. Do you have anything to add GS? I wish I had more to say but I am sort of out of the loop when it comes to flying there. I am trying to get there and I know that there is a place there for me, keep it coming. CK