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AAD 2022 Media Launch
We are exactly 137 days to go until AAD 2022 officially opens its doors to the world and it is indeed an exciting occasion to be launching AAD 2022 during Africa month as Africa’s largest aerospace and defence exhibition and only one of its kind, which boasts a combined exhibition of air, sea and land technologies, a static aircraft display and an air show.

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AAD 2022 OVERVIEW
The 2018 edition ended on a positive note, and the organisers have been preparing for the 11th edition which was deferred in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
With that said, I would like to take this opportunity to update you on the plans and theme for AAD 2022.

The upcoming AAD will be hosted from the 21 – 25 September 2022 at the AFB Waterkloof in Tshwane. The format will again comprise of three trade days and two air show days which will consist of elements:
- Indoor and outdoor exhibitions
- A hospitality chalet line
- Static aircraft park
- Capability demonstrations and displays
- Parallel events with conferences, seminars and B2B meetings.
AAD will once again give exhibitors and trade visitors a unique opportunity to interact directly with various stakeholders over the trade days and allow for the public to witness the spectacular display of the Aviation Sector and Airforce.

The planning for AAD 2022 is well underway, with over 50% of the exhibition space booked. We are happy to announce the following National Pavilions confirmed namely, USA, Turkey, Italy, UK, Belgium, China, India and Pakistan —- and we look forward to announcing more country pavilions.


AAD 2022 THEME
The disruption and resounding impact that covid caused the world was on a large magnitude we never imagined-……….
This was the driving force for the organising team to relook at the strategy for AAD future exhibitions……..
AAD is coming from an era of unlocking the aerospace and defence potential and we are now moving into a new era
Theme for AAD 2022
Exploring New Paths, Sharing Solutions and Showcasing Innovation and Capabilities.
And as part of our diversification strategy, AAD will expand the Exhibitor, Trade Visitor, Delegation and Stakeholder profiles which focuses on entering new markets and exploring new paths.
We invite new players in the Oil & Gas, Mining and Energy sectors to participate at AAD 2022.
Returning to AAD 2022, is the African Unity Pavilion and we are engaging with our partners in the African Union to make this a reality, with more countries and an improved partnership. The African Unity Pavilion is crucial as we work towards implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement which was launched in January last year.

AAD will create significant opportunities for manufacturers to interact and share solutions with potential clients, generate business 2 business linkages and form strategic partnerships between countries, institutions, and stakeholders. As part of the exhibition, we will be hosting three conferences over the three trade days in parallel to the exhibition.
And topics will include:
- Cyber security
- UAVS
- Medical
Lastly we will,
Showcase Innovation and Capabilities…The global aerospace and defence industry has developed cutting edge technology over the years and is Apex to the ecosystem. AAD will afford exhibitors locally and internationally the platform to showcase their innovative capabilities.
And as part of this, AAD will be launching Innovation Hubs.
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YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
AAD 2022 will present a world class Youth Development Programme which supports the strategic intent of AAD in creating awareness about careers in the aerospace and defence sectors to the youth of South Africa. The YDP Chairperson will give an update this morning on the plans for AAD 2022.



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COVID – 19
As more and more people are getting vaccinated globally, with South Africa having passed the 30-million-mark, we welcome the announcement by the President of South Africa to lift the national state of disaster on Covid-19 in April.
— All health and safety standards will remain top priority for the organisers to ensure that we deliver a safe and business conducive environment for exhibitors and stakeholders.
CONCLUSION
We are confident that the 11th edition will allow participants to maximize their potential and bring even more trade visitors and delegations which are a crucial factor in the exhibition’s success.
We anticipate that AAD will contribute over R1 billion to the South African economy and create over 2, 000 new jobs. The 2022 event is expected to kick start the industry’s recovery programme and the recovery will translate into jobs, more opportunities for SMMEs and contribution to the GDP.

Exhibition bookings are open and we invite you,… exhibitors, sponsors and stakeholders to secure your place at Africa’s largest gathering of decision makers, innovators, government, manufacturers and buyers on the African continent.
On behalf of the AAD organisers, we look forward to welcoming you to the beautiful City of Tshwane on the 21st of September to the 11th edition of AAD 2022.




Bell Announces Delivery of 300 th Bell 505 Jet Ranger X
Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today
the 300th Bell 505 Jet Ranger X delivery to the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). The first Bell 505 was
delivered in 2017, and today there are 300 aircraft in operation across six continents, with customers
logging more than 70,000 global fleet hours.
“The Bell 505 is one of Bell’s fastest growing commercial programs to date, surpassing several significant
milestones since its inception,” said Michael Thacker, Executive Vice President, Innovation and
Commercial Business. “As we continue to see interest for the aircraft in Public Safety, Utility and
Corporate transport, Bell has invested in new products and technologies to expand the Bell 505’s
capabilities.”

The latest Bell 505 platform advancements include the Garmin G1000H NXi avionics suite, Flight Stream,
Autopilot, Lightweight EMS interior, Bell Public Safety configuration, Pulselite, FliteStep, LHS Baggage
Door and Moveable Ballast.
“We are proud to take delivery of the 300 th Bell 505 and expand our fleet capabilities.” said Lt. Col. Brian
Lundy, commanding officer of the JDF Air Wing. “JDF and Bell have a strong history together and today’s
delivery marks another milestone in our relationship.” The Force’s sixth Bell 505 will support Public Safety
missions to serve the citizens of Jamaica and be operated by its Caribbean Military Aviation School
(CMAS) to train the international rotorcraft pilots of tomorrow.
With a speed of 125 knots (232 km/h) and useful load of 1,500 pounds (680 kg), the Bell 505 is Bell’s
newest five-seat aircraft designed for safety, efficiency and reliability using advanced avionics technology.
Its similarities with the Bell 429 platform allow for a smooth pilot transition as JDF begins training
operations. With a Garmin G1000, the platform shares similar avionics with JDF’s Fixed Wing Trainer
aircraft and reduces pilot workload, enhancing the students’ learning experience.
The first 15 does it again!
At 14h43, Friday, 14 August, the SA Air Force (SAAF) 15 Squadron, NSRI Durban rescue swimmers and Netcare 911 rescue paramedics were activated to prepare to patient evacuate a 36 year old Indian crewman, suffering a serious injury, off a 330 meter crude oil tanker near to Port Elizabeth. A SAAF 15 Squadron Oryx helicopter, accompanied by two NSRI Durban rescue swimmers and 2 Netcare 911 rescue paramedics, departed Durban Air Force Base and arrangements were made for refuelling to take place at East London and at Port Elizabeth.




After refuelling was completed in East London, on arrival at the ship, off-shore of Algoa Bay, 2 NSRI rescue swimmers and a Netcare 911 rescue paramedic were hoisted onto the vessel accompanied by a rescue stretcher. The patient, in a serious condition, suffering a compound fracture to a leg, reportedly sustained in a fall, was taken into their care from the ships medical crew.

The patient was airlifted to a Port Elizabeth hospital in a stable but serious condition where he is recovering post operation. The SAAF Oryx helicopter refuelled at Port Elizabeth 15 Squadron, Charlie Flight and on the return route to Durban refueling took place at East London. The operation completed at 02h39 on Saturday morning.

15 Squadron is one of the coastal helicopter squadrons based at Air Force Base Durban. It is currently a transport/utility helicopter squadron, utilizing the Oryx and A109LUH Helicopters.Their sister based Squadron “Charlie” Flight at Air force Station Port Elizabeth flying the BK117.
Rolls-Royce Launches First-time Immersive Virtual Reality Training For Business Aviation Customers
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rolls-Royce continues to ensure world-class support for our global customer base. As part of our IntelligentEngine vision we are further expanding the use of immersive Virtual Reality technology for customer training.
The latest addition to the remote training programme is an instructor-led distance learning course, providing a comprehensive overview of the construction, design and operation of the Rolls-Royce BR725 engine that powers Gulfstream’s current flagship G650 business aircraft family. After completion of this comprehensive two-day training course, participants will be able to service the engine and undertake non-routine maintenance.

Andy Robinson, SVP Customers and Services – Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce, said: “Rolls-Royce has been the leading engine supplier for business aircraft for more than two decades thanks to our continued commitment to the highest levels of service support. We are tremendously proud to have been voted number one in the latest Engine Product Support Services Survey of Aviation International News (AIN) by our operators.

Digitalisation plays a vital role in in bringing our IntelligentEngine vision to life; we use it to design, test and maintain our engines. This new immersive live Virtual Training tool is nothing short of a game-changer – it makes us the leader in technical training and allows customers to participate in the new training, wherever they are in the world. They just need an internet connection, and the required VR equipment, which will be shipped directly to their door,” Andy added.
Lee Bradshaw, Director of Technical Operations, Cox Aviation, said: “The new Virtual Reality maintenance course is a great example of the innovative thinking that is needed to meet the challenges of our ever-changing world. This programme allows each student to immerse themselves in an augmented environment full of realistic images, interactive functions and auditory feedback to delve deeper into the engine like never before. The course complements the industry-leading service already provided by Rolls-Royce and is another reminder of why this company is pioneering the way in creative solutions for the future.”
While not intended to completely replace practical training, Rolls-Royce see the value Virtual Reality adds for customers, such as higher flexibility and the elimination of the need to ship a full size training engine. The user finds themself as part of two realistic scenarios – the engine installed on the aircraft in a virtual hangar and the BR725 engine alone, just like it would be in our in-person training courses. The immersive environment allows them not only to watch the process steps to get familiar with the respective task, but to interact with the engine and the tools, and actually accomplish the task under the constant supervision of the instructor.
Where to enroll? https://rollsroycetraining.wufoo.com/forms/maj05r114g9sx7/
About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc
1. Rolls-Royce pioneers cutting-edge technologies that deliver clean, safe and competitive solutions to meet our planet’s vital power needs.
2. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces, 70 navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.
3. Annual underlying revenue was £15.3 billion in 2019, around half of which came from the provision of aftermarket services.
4. In 2019, Rolls-Royce invested £1.45 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 29 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.
5. The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment and to further developing employee skills.
Airbus A400M transports masks to Spain in support of COVID-19 crisis efforts
In these times we all need a bit of good news or a nice feel good story and today we can bring such a story that shows humanity standing together in times of need.
An Airbus A400M airlifter has performed an air-bridge between Toulouse and Madrid in order to deliver critically-needed mask supplies to the Spanish health system.

The aircraft, known as MSN56 and operated by an Airbus crew, took off on 23rd March 2020 from Airbus’ headquarters in Toulouse at 18.07 local time (CET) landing at the Getafe Air Base (Madrid) at 19.05 to off-load and deliver the masks to the Spanish Ministry of Defence.

A400m
The cargo is part of the approximately 2 million masks transported over the weekend by a test Airbus A330-800 aircraft from Tianjin, China, to Europe.
This air-bridge will enable the delivery of a significant supply of masks to the Spanish public health network in support of current COVID-19 crisis efforts. This comes on top of donations by Airbus in recent days to provide thousands of masks to hospitals and public services around Europe. The Company will continue to support with additional flights planned to take place in the coming days in coordination with national authorities.

A bit more on Airbus:
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2019, it generated revenues of € 70 billion and employed a workforce of around 135,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
SAA Extends Sale Offering Of Up To 20% Discount Across The Route Network
Johannesburg, 3 March 2020 – South African Airways (SAA) has extended its sale, offering discounts of up to 20% to major destinations across its route network.
These offers are available for sale from today to 5 March only so customers are encouraged to respond quickly to take advantage! The sale has been extended due to the positive uptake last week, where SAA recorded high levels of sales activity across its markets.
“Due to the tremendous response we received last week for our special offers, the sale is back by popular demand and we are extending it during this week,” said Philip Saunders, SAA Chief Commercial Officer.
The extended sale will be accessible on all SAA’s major distribution channels, at www.flysaa.com and throughout a network of travel agents both in South Africa and in other African and international markets the airline continues to serve.
“We are pleased that our customers and travel trade partners are showing renewed trust in our brand. We aim to build further on this trust by offering our customers more exciting offers over the months ahead,” said Saunders.
SAA’s sales have also been bolstered by the reinstatement of the Travel Insurance Consultants insurance services across the travel trade, which provides protection for customers choosing to fly with SAA.
The extended sale includes destinations such as New York, London, Washington DC, Perth, Frankfurt, Blantyre, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa, Harare, Lilongwe, Lagos, Lusaka, Livingstone, Maputo, Mauritius, Nairobi, Victoria Falls and Windhoek.
Prices are all-inclusive and for return flights and are available in economy class, as well as for travel in business class.
Travellers can choose to fly between Johannesburg and New York, London, and Frankfurt from as little as R8 999. These economy class return offers are fully inclusive, providing a discount of up to 20% with Business class tickets also discounted at up to 20%, with fares to New York from R49 927, London from R37 178 and Frankfurt from R32 902.
For further information, customers can book on www.flysaa.com or contact their nearest travel agent. T’s and C’s apply.
The airline’s revised route network will ensure customers keep reaching their destinations while enjoying SAA’s 4-star experience along the way.
Air BP highlights low carbon solutions at Aviation Africa 2020
- Air BP focuses on low carbon solutions and sustainability at Aviation Africa 2020
- Air BP has been investing in and supporting aviation growth in Africa for 77 years which is set to increase to 450 million passengers by 2040.
Air BP, the international aviation fuel products and services supplier, returns to the 5th Aviation Africa summit this week at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, Addis Ababa as sponsor and exhibitor (Stand # 67 & 68). The company will highlight its low carbon solutions and sustainability agenda as the African aviation market gears up to support a forecasted increase of 200 million passengers in the next two decades. Africa, which is the second fastest growing aviation market in the world is a key market for Air BP. It began operations on the continent 77 years ago in Mozambique and Zanzibar and now provides fuel at around 40 network locations across the continent.
Low carbon solutions
Air BP was the first aviation fuel supplier in the world to achieve carbon neutrality for its into-plane fuelling services across an international network of over 250 operated facilities and as such will be sharing its low carbon solutions with customers at the event. Air BP’s carbon neutral operations in Africa includes both OR Tambo International and Cape Town International.
Air BP has more than a decade of experience in the use of electric powered vehicles. It has also adopted innovative stop-start technology in its hydrant dispensers which constantly monitors power demands and reduces vehicle idling. At OR Tambo International airport Air BP deployed a bespoke engine start/stop system last year. This has been increased and extended to Cape Town International with each airport now operating six hydrant dispensers with stop/start technology. By shutting the fuel dispenser engine down whilst refuelling the aircraft, it has reduced carbon emissions from those engines by around 20 percent. Last year at Cape Town International Air BP introduced additional offloading points in the depot which has improved its supply operations planning and stock management thus considerably reducing inefficient vehicle idling and waiting during busy periods. In addition, Air BP has added variable controls to pumps in its Johannesburg rail siding operations which allows for more efficient use of electric power on pump motors during lower demand periods thereby reducing electricity consumption.
Carbon offsetting supports emission reduction in Zambia
Through its carbon offsetting programme BP Target Neutral, BP has supported emission reduction projects around the world. One such project includes the REDD+ Forest Protection Project in Zambia which is helping to conserve over 40k hectares of pristine forest from destruction as a result of charcoal production and the expansion of farmlands. BP Target Neutral’s carbon finance supports forest wardens, sustainable charcoal production, education and alternative income sources like bee-keeping/honey production. The project has resulted in 943,469 tCO2e credits issued to date which is an average 137,000 tCO2e per year.
Air BP’s Anthony Leon, general manager, Southern Africa who will be attending Aviation Africa this week says: “We are pleased to be sharing our lower carbon solutions and sustainability agenda with our customers and delegates at Aviation Africa 2020. With the African continent anticipated to experience phenomenal growth, it is vital that we work together with our partners, suppliers, customers and operations teams to continue to develop innovative solutions to reduce our carbon footprint and neutralise emissions.”
Airfield Automation in Africa
In other news, last year Air BP rolled out its Airfield Automation digital technology to nine locations in Africa. Designed to enhance safety, reliability and compliance in airport fuelling operations, it has been well received by operators in Africa who have reported increased speed and efficiency in fuelling. Airline customers in the region such as Airlink have been impressed with Airfield Automation and have reported improved turnaround times and enhanced accuracy in fuelling.
Anthony Leon, adds: “We are delighted to receive such positive feedback from the installation of Airfield Automation in Africa. With this new technology, we are playing our part in ensuring that the fuelling process is fast, efficient and safe. Misfuelling is one of the biggest risks we face in our industry. Our global solution provides an engineering barrier to help prevent misfuelling, which is good news for Africa and good news for our industry.”
Air BP grows its footprint in Africa
Air BP continues to invest and grow its footprint in Africa. In November 2019, Air BP signed a technical services agreement with Sonangol, the state-owned oil company in Angola marking its entry into the country. Air BP will support Sonangol in assuring its operations to international standards, providing advice on product quality, operations, HSSE and engineering.
Air BP further extended its reach last year with its first location in Nigeria at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. Air BP is working in collaboration with 11PLC (formerly Mobil Oil Nigeria plc) to provide fuelling services at both the main terminal and the general aviation terminal. Additionally, Air BP is providing technical support and risk management expertise to the airport. Furthermore, Air BP’s technical services team has supported 11PLC in the construction and commissioning of a new 20 million litre aviation jet fuel import tank including the laying of new jet fuel pipelines both of which were completed in 2019.
Air BP currently supplies commercial, general and military aviation customers at nine locations in South Africa, 10 in Egypt, seven in Tunisia, seven in Mozambique, two in Morocco, two in Cape Verde and one each in Nigeria, Mauritius and Ivory Coast. The company’s operations in Africa are supported by around 180 employees.
