AFBAA Formed

The business aircraft community in Africa has launched the African Business Aviation Association (AFBAA), to raise safety and operational standards and to create a single voice to lobby the continent's regulators. Chairman Tarek Ragheb said the goal is to make AFBAA an asset that is recognised, valued and supported by governments, their respective civil aviation authorities, and enterprises throughout Africa.
 The new association is applying to become a member of business aviation group umbrella organisation, the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC). Until now, Africa has not been served by any single group, but through two regional associations.
Jack Olcott, the former president of the US National Business Aviation Association, is acting as an adviser to AFBAA, which already has 13 of a 15-member board in place, with members hailing from across the continent and representing manufacturers, operators and suppliers.
 “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know there are challenges to business aviation in Africa,” said Ragheb.
 “There are over-flight issues, lack of infrastructure, high fees and a lack of consistency in regulations. The first step in having the association’s voice heard is creating a ‘white paper’ on the state of African business aviation and a “road map’ for its future”.