Uganda aviation news update – Shell rockets AVGAS price to USD 2.71

SHELL RAISES AVGAS PRICE TO USD 2.71

Shell has been accused by sections of the aviation fraternity of blatant exploitation, with the word ‘racketeering’ not being formally spoken but certainly floating between the lines, when their latest price for AVGAS rockets to US Dollars 2.71, compared to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, where the commodity sells at US Dollars 1.90 only. Considering the transportation cost of about US Cents 25 per litre, this type of aviation fuel ought to sell in Kampala or Entebbe at 2.15 US Dollars or slight above that, but clearly market mechanism her have failed exposing Shell as the ruthless monopolist and corporate gorgon.

Aviation sources in Kajjansi claim that Shell has refused to discuss the price rise and were not willing to discuss their reasoning for the exorbitant charges, which prompted a 10 percent rise in charter flight cost for any flight out of Entebbe and Kajjansi.

It is understood that the airlines affected have plans to involve the Civil Aviation Authority, which has given Shell a concession to market fuels at Entebbe and the Kajjansi airfield but no card blanche to rip off the air operators and making flying literally unaffordable.

Shells’ African retail market exit has not yet been fully concluded and the general mood amongst those most affected is now ‘good riddance to bad rubbish’, while one particularly outspoken aviator revived the slogan ‘Shell is Hell’. Well, who am I to argue with this under such extraordinary circumstances.

Watch this space.

Uganda aviation news update – Aero Club adds Twin Otter – 400

KAMPALA AERO CLUB TAKES DELIVERY OF TWIN OTTER – 400

Information was confirmed this morning that the Kampala Aero Club and Flight Training Centre, aka KAFTC, has taken delivery of their long awaited twin engined De Havilland Twin Otter – 400 aircraft, which is now being integrated into the growing fleet of the ‘charter only’ airline at the Kajjansi field outside Kampala. Capt. Russell Barnes, co-owner of the airline, also confirmed that a second Twin Otter – 300 will arrive by mid 2011 to operate as the main back up of the – 400 version and for charters as required.

In addition will the flying school division of  KAFTC shortly bring a ‘Great Lakes’ open cockpit biplane which will be used to teach pilot acrobatic flying, to add more training experience for aspiring pilots or those seeking to move from their PPL – private pilot’s license – to a commercial pilot’s license, in short CPL, or simply for pilots wishing to expand their envelope of flight experience and skills.

Fun flights will be arranged from the Kajjansi field by KAFTC on request and more details are available via www.flyuganda.com – pilots training for ‘visitors’ can also be arranged and lessons can start just as soon as an aspiring young pilot has undergone registration with the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and been cleared for the course.

Seychelles news update – Tourism Academy set for expansion

COMMITTED TO SECTOR EXCELLENCE STA GETS NEW CAMPUS

The Seychelles Tourism Academy remains at the centre of the governments’ efforts to increase the skills of the workforce in the tourism and hospitality industry, supporting the ‘affirmative action programme’ of absorbing more and more Seychellois citizens into the workforce. Tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner of the archipelago and as more and more new resorts are springing up across the islands, more and more job opportunities arise for young Seychellois wishing to make a career in the sector.

Hotel management companies have in the past relied heavily on expatriate staff but the ratio has over recent years started to change, as the Seychelles Tourism Academy has continued to introduce new and relevant courses, while cooperating with international tertiary institutions specialized in hotel management and tourism courses, to offer their students the very latest course content and study opportunities.

Earlier this week the ground breaking ceremony for new campus buildings took place, performed by none other but President James Michel, whose presence once again demonstrated the level of attention given to the tourism industry by the president, who took the tourism portfolio last year directly under his own control. Also present were a number of high ranking government officials, led by the Vice President, and tourism board CEO Alain St. Ange and his deputy Elsia Grandcourt as well as top tourism stakeholders were at hand too to celebrate the occasion.

The next two years will see the construction and roll out of new facilities like lecture, meeting and event rooms but also a ‘business’ element with villas and a hotel to earn income for the academy while giving students the opportunity to practice new skills and train for the workplace.

Small country – big vision, welcome to the Creole island paradise a thousand miles apart from everything else.

Rwanda news/aviation update – RwandAir in Brazzaville exhibition

Aviation news update – Emirates starts A380 flights to Shanghai

EMIRATES’ A380 USE ON SHANGHAI ROUTE EXCITES TRAVELLERS

Yesterday saw the first of now daily flights by Emirates from Dubai to Shanghai, using the sky giant A380 aircraft. The introduction of the world’s biggest passenger aircraft was welcome news to travelers from East Africa to China, where much of the continent’s business is now conducted and where in particular a never ending stream of traders and importers are flocking to.

‘It is a sign of very good demand of travel to China. We now serve three destinations with the A380 in China, Hong Kong and Beijing and Shanghai is the latest. People from East Africa like to travel with us because of our stop over options in Dubai, where we offer easy Visa, but mainly for our good service and many connections’ said a regular source at the airline’s Kampala office.

Airline analysts however also pointed to the effect this development would have on other airlines flying from the region to China, like Ethiopian and Kenya Airways, which one suggested was the main target for the introduction of the A380 by Emirates, to gain a further competitive advantage by offering the most exciting new aircraft to travelers seen in a generation.

Seems the joys of one may be the cause of concern for others. Happy Landings though in the meantime for my fellow East Africans travelling to Shanghai via Dubai with Emirates.

Tanzania conservation news update – Serengeti highway plans get more ‘sycophant support’

MORE MOUTHPIECES FRONTED ‘IN FAVOUR OF SERENGETI HIGHWAY’

In the face of continued global lobbying against the controversial Serengeti Highway plans, which have considerably damaged Tanzania’s public image as a conservation minded nation, has the government in Dar es Salaam resorted once again to ‘fronting’ locals.

A village chairman was this time round selected to speak out against the national park’s UNESCO World Heritage Status, claiming it was ‘useless’ and had not brought development to his area, probably overlooking the very fact that he and his fellow councilors may be the primary movers, or failures, in bringing ‘development’ to their village in the first place. Sources within TANAPA and SENAPA however denied that the UNESCO status had ‘failed Tanzania’, pointing to the growth in visitor numbers to the Serengeti in recent years, to a large part attributed to the publicity the park receives as being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The sources also denied that villages and areas around the Serengeti, and other parks for that matter, were ‘neglected’ in view of the many projects supported by the wildlife management body and park management aimed to support neighbours to improve community relations and percolate tourism and conservation benefits down to those most closely living at park boundaries.

The previously obscure chairman’s well scripted objection, almost too good to have been drafted by him alone, follows hot on the heels of president Kikwete’s recent directive to withdraw a pending application to UNESCO for WHS recognition of the Eastern Arc Mountains, revealing the darkening attitude in the mindset of Tanzanian leaders against all and everything to do with global accountability in regard of their conservation measures. The local media in Tanzania, when they picked up the story, also cited comments that the planned highway could be set to become a major traffic axis from the Tanzanian coast to the hinterland countries of Rwanda, Burundi and Eastern Congo, belying government’s assurances that ‘traffic will be limited and the road not be paved’. It is here in particular that experts have already pointed to the soft top soil composition along sections of the planned route, which would inevitably require paving when the government’s own projected traffic levels will reach the ‘several thousand cars a day’ prognosis.

Last year Tanzania suffered an unwelcome defeat at the hands of CITES when their application to sell ivory stocks was rejected, and the indignity going along with it when the CITES Secretariat’s report on anti poaching measures, or rather failures in Tanzania became public knowledge. Stung by these developments sections of government started to lash out against neighbours – claiming one of them ‘led the campaign against Tanzania’ while others proposed to leave bodies which were not sympathetic and supportive of governmental plans.

Watch this space for more upcoming revelations of how this all fits into a bigger picture of new harbours, roads, highways and mining developments.