TANZANIA: South African Plane Crashes After Take Off From Tabora Airport

Two project directors were killed when a light aircraft registered in South Africa crashed in Tanzania on Saturday, the company said on Sunday.

The plane with registration ZU-TAF-19 is a four-seater Sling plane from South Africa, according to Tanzanian officials.

The pilot and passenger, both South African citizens, were killed in the plane crash that occurred shortly after take off from Tabora airport at around 7:30 am, Sikonge district commissioner Peres Magiri said.

The plane, which was owned by a South African organisation known as U-Dream Global, was destroyed by fire after the crash. Only the engine and some parts of the plane were recovered.

The plane, which entered Tanzania’s airspace from Uganda en route to Malawi, made a distress signal about engine failure before disappearing from radar, according to the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA).

U-Dream Global’s Cape to Cairo Programme is an ambitious aviation outreach initiative that fosters visionary thinking, inspiring young people to pursue their dreams while promoting and supporting innovation, technology and entrepreneurship as necessary key drivers for Africa’s development and transformation.

U Dream Global: Cape to Cairo Challenge is devastated to report that there has been an accident of the flight support aircraft and that the Project Directors, Des Werner and Werner Froneman, have lost their lives, a short statement on their Facebook page said.

No one else was involved in the accident. We kindly request everybody's understanding at this incredibly difficult time.

Our love and thoughts go to Des and Werner's friends and families.

U Dream Global is a programme founded by Megan Werner, the daughter of Des Werner, to promote and facilitate innovation among young people.

Their vision was to build and fly a plane from Cape to Cairo.

Condolences were pouring in after the statement was posted.

On July 8, the team of teens landed safely in Cairo.

Spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation Clayson Manyela confirmed the tragedy.


Tourism Observer

TANZANIA: Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) To Install Radar At Four Airports

Tanzania plans to install four new radars — at Julius Nyerere International Airport, Kilimanjaro, Mbeya and Mwanza airports—to enhance surveillance of its airspace.

Though Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) — the agency charged with procuring the systems — has not indicated how much the installation will cost, the project is estimated to cost millions of dollars and scheduled for completion early next year.

“The intention is to have a network of airports that will cover the whole country, with the capacity to handle modern aircraft as well as to provide services for 24 hours,” said TCAA managing director Hamza Johari.

TCAA expects that the new radar systems will not only enhance the safety of Tanzania and parts of neighbouring states’ airspaces but also boost income generated from various fees paid by airlines using the service. It is reported that some pockets of the country’s airspace are currently served by radar systems from neighbouring countries.

The TCAA has floated a tender for manufacturing, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the systems, with implementation of the project expected to start at the end of this month.

The authority said the objective of the installation is to make civil aviation contribute more to the national economy as well as match with the global industry growth and needs.

The country’s aviation industry saw passenger traffic increase from 4,895,833 in 2015 to 5,065,184 in 2016.

The surge in traffic locally has been attributed to the growth of the economy while refurbishment of upcountry airports and the entry of private players such as Fastjet have also ensured more domestic routes.

Procurement of the radar systems follows the country’s acquisition of two new aeroplanes from Canada, which were commissioned recently to give the struggling national carrier ATCL a new lease of life.

TANZANIA: Nyerere Airport Radar Is Outdated

Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has appealed for the purchase of a new surveillance radar as the lifespan of the only one in operation at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam has ended.

The TCAA Acting Chief of Air Traffic Management, Mr Gideon Msheri, said yesterday in Dar es Salaam that the radar was purchased in 2002 and its lifespan period is 10 years.

"The radar, which is the only airport surveillance instrument in the country, has been in operation for almost 14 years since it was purchased in 2002," he said, adding that the cost of getting a new one ranges between 12bn/- and 16bn/-.

The authority said that it was also essential for the country to consider having at least one radar at the four biggest international airports to ensure full surveillance.

According to the TCCA Director General, Mr Hamza Johari, the authority has set aside 8.8m/- in the 2016/17 financial year and the previous year the same amount (8.8m/-) for the purchase of the new surveillance radar. A surveillance radar is a system at airports used to detect and display the position of aircraft in the terminal areas.

In another development, the DG assured the public that the country's airports were safe following massive measures undertaken by the authority to improve aviation services. He said in the international security audit carried out in Tanzania last year, the TCCA scored 86 per cent effective implementation on security matters.

"I just want to assure the public that our aviation industry is very efficient, safe and secure. We are, invariably, working towards greater improvement," he noted.

In another development, the TCAA boss said the authority has plans to ensure they work to support the national strategic plan that aims at making Tanzania a middle-income country. He said the authority has planned a revenue collection target of 52bn/- where they would contribute 7bn/- to the National GDP. He said in the last financial year, TCAA contributed 5.2bn/- to the GDP.

TANZANIA: Tanzania To Build Helicopters

Tanzania has started to build its own helicopters in a project that will see the first batch of such choppers taking into the sky sometimes in 2018.

Already, the prototype model, a two-seater aircraft is in its final stages of completion at the Mechanical and Engineering Department of the Arusha Technical College, which runs a fully-fledged factory producing various forms of machinery, including a prototype motor vehicle and a number of industrial engines.

But it is the Tanzanian-made new helicopter that seems to be turning heads here; "We are complementing President Magufuli's industrialisation policy in pioneering the first locally made helicopters that will be available to ordinary residents at affordable prices," explained the man behind the ATC chopper project, Engineer Abdi Mjema.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ms Maimuna Tarishi, who also toured the project over the weekend seemed surprised at the development and wanted to know when exactly the chopper will hit the skies.

"We are contacting the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) for the permission to fly the chopper for trials," said Engineer Mjema.

He assured the PS that the future of the 'affordable,' chopper - to ease the country's transport woes - is approaching. "The Tanzania-made helicopters will fly before 2020 -- and specifically 2018, which is two years from now," he added.

The idea was hatched two months ago by two engineers at the Arusha Technical College; Engineer Adisai Msongole, now serving as the ATC Bursar, and Engineer Abdi Mjema. The chassis as well as airframe for the pioneer chopper is ready - complete with a mounted flat engine.

"We had initially intended the two-seater helicopter to be used for surveillance, rescue and agricultural purposes. However, as the project takes shape, we may increase the airframes to carry more people for serious transportation," said the engineer.

The helicopter is currently 50 per cent complete and features the popular gasoline powered VW flat engine on board. The motors, manufactured by Volkswagen in Germany, are the same used to make the 'Robinson' helicopters in the United States. "Once we get the aviation authority approval, we shall complete the most sensitive part of the helicopter -- mounting the main rotor.

This should be ready in three week's time," said Eng Mjema, adding that Arusha will set history as the first region to fly the first-ever Tanzanian manufactured helicopter in July 2016. With a non-pressurised cabin, the Prototype ATC helicopter has a flying ceiling of 400 feet for starters, taking into consideration that Arusha is already at a higher altitude.

But the flying height is set to increase with more complete and accomplished models. Most commercial choppers can fly up to 8,000 feet above sea level. On how many choppers the college can manufacture in a year once the project gets a nod from higher authorities, Eng Mjema said that depended on demand.

"But with serious work we can roll out up to 20 such helicopters in a year," boasted the engineer.

The Rector of Arusha Technical College, Dr Richard Masika, had previously stated that, ATC was moving from being an ordinary college of technical, engineering and technological training towards becoming a fully-fledged factory, which will deal in vehicle and heavy machinery repair and manufacturing.

Next August ATC will be completing the first phase of Kikuletwa Hydropower Station Project and training centre setup, through which the college is going to churn electricity and hold training at the site based in Kilimanjaro Region.

TANZANIA: Precision Air Plane Halts Takeoff Due To Engine Fire

Thirty-four passengers and 4 crew members were evacuated after fire alarm was raised moments before a Precision Air plane took off from Zanzibar's Karume Airport last Thursday.

The airline said in a statement that the pilot of the plane with registration number 5HPWB between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam had immediately initiated standard operating procedures to extinguish the fire and taxied the aircraft back to the apron.

"No one was harmed during this incidence; all 34 passengers and 4 crew members were safely evacuated and given accommodation for the night," the airline said in a statement.

After the fire incident, another engine was sent from Dar es Salaam and a rescue flight was also sent to take engineers and Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) officials for investigation into the matter.

"We wish to inform all our passengers and the general public that due to our strict adherence to safety, immediate measures were taken to send another engine from Dar es Salaam.

"We have also sent a rescue flight to take TCAA officials together with our engineers to conduct required standard investigations for such an event. The same equipment will also airlift the passengers back to Dar es Salaam to continue on their journeys."

The aircraft had already performed flight PW-432 from Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro, then flight PW-2433 from Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar that day and was scheduled to continue to Dar es Salaam following the intermediate stop in Zanzibar.

Precision Air is an IOSA certified airline therefore the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft is always a priority, the airline said in the statement and apologized to their passengers for the inconveniences

TANZANIA: Aviation Expert Begs For Revitalising National Carrier

FORMER Transport Minister, Omari Nundu has appealed to the government to consider previous suggestions made by players in the aviation industry on revamping the ailing national carrier, Air Tanzania.

Mr Nundu, renowned aviation expert, was of a view that the country should make use of local finances to invest in the flag bearer to boost tourism and economy at large, rather than largely depending on foreign investments.

He made the observation while reacting to issues raised by stakeholders during a workshop organized by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), as part of activities to mark the International Civil Aviation Day (ICAD), which climaxes on December 7.

“Way back in 2012 a number of proposals were made on how the national carrier could be brought back to its feet but there wasn’t willingness to implement the plan,” Mr Nundu explained.

During meeting bringing together industry players that year a number of options were offered to the government including involvement of tourism-related parastatals and social security funds to raise funds for the airline.

It was then proposed that the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) and Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCCA) should contribute 30 and 10 per cent in equity, respectively.

On the other hand, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and PPF Pension Fund were to raise 10 per cent each while the public and the government would own the remaining stake through the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE).

There was as well an alternative of welcoming a strategic investor to own 25 per cent stake and the remaining shares be held by the tourism related parastatals and the public.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of TCCA-Consumer Consultative Council (TCAACCC), Mr Hamza Johari, echoed the sentiments by the former minister, stressing that there was no need to ‘re-invent the wheel’ stick to the previous plan.

TANZANIA: Investors Express Interest In Aviation Business

At a licensing hearing earlier in the week did the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority deal with over 30 applications, two dozen of which were for the granting or renewal of Air Service Licenses with the remainder for other services, mainly ground handling or other concession services.

Most applicants were reportedly represented in person at the hearing during which no objections to any of the pending applications were recorded by the licensing committee.

Tanzania has a fairly vibrant aviation sector, considering the vast distances people have to cover from the southern border to the northern border and from Lake Victoria to the commercial capital Dar es Salaam. Flying safaris by tourists are popular as several airlines, among them Coastal Aviation and Auric Air, offer flights not just to the national parks but also from Dar es Salaam to the islands of Zanzibar (Unjuga and Pemba) and the island of Mafia, allowing visitors to spend time in the destination instead of on the road.

Commonly used aircraft, registered in Tanzania, are Airbus A319, ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprop aircraft while the more domestic airlines use single engine Cessna C208B Grand Caravans as well as twin engine planes with a capacity between 5 and 19 passengers for their routes.