The economic recovery and growth of
the aviation industry which began last year 2010 following the
recession of 2008/2009 are expected to continue in 2011. And in
line with this trend, the harmonization and coordination of
aviation development systems are increasingly becoming a major goal
in Africa.
Last November, AFRAA's Annual
Assembly in Addis Ababa prescribed stronger cooperation among
African airlines; whereas ASECNA's meeting of ANSPs in Cotonou
explored possibilities of harmonizing meteorology and ATM
infrastructure and know-how pursuant to the actualization of a
Single African Sky.
And to improve safety for aviation in Africa, renewed efforts
are currently being targeted at creating a pool of airworthiness
and flight operations inspectors under an ICAO-supported
Cooperative Inspectorate Scheme (CIS) which will be managed by
AFCAC, with technical support and training handled by ICAO. AFCAC
says the CIS would assist and complement the efforts of States to
resolve their safety oversight deficiencies, certifi-cation and
surveillance.
The CIS is another notable effort
with safety improvement targets similar to those of ICAO's recent
efforts with African States to establish regional safety oversight
organizations. Thus, in further-ance of aviation development drives
in 2011, States are expected essentially to support the CIS
initiative.
Under the aegis of ICAO also, ACIP
and AFCAC are leading efforts towards the harmonization of aviation
training in Africa. While the harmonized training framework would
buttress the pooling of resources, overall, collaborative
initiatives in Africa deserve wider support as they would foster
the attainment of continental objectives including the Single
African Sky and Safe Skies for Africa. Moreover, pooling of
resources should strongly be considered for aviation security
currently beset by new and emerging threats.
As we welcome you specially to a
fruitful business year in 2011, we also offer you a rebranded
Aviation & Allied Business Journal in the printed and online
editions. We invite you to optimize the business opportunities on
our new website. Our lead story for the current edition focuses on
creating sustainable operations for African airports; and we have
provided other materials you will find rewarding.
Thank you.
CAPT. ED. BOYO