AOOA Newsletter Q3&4 2022

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View this email in your browser   Thank you for your support in 2022! Dear Members, would-be Members, Supporters and Partners With the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic health impacts and associated restrictions, we have almost been taken by surprise with the rapid increase in aviation business and tourism activity, mostly in a good way, until of course the global economic impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine took centre-stage instead, adding another threat to our livelihoods throughout the region. Notwithstanding these issues, the AOOA has been busy in its partnership work with the Ministry of Transport, Zambia CAA, ZACL and associated economic sectors such as tourism, bringing in fresh partnerships, ideas and impetus to tackling some of the more chronic challenges facing Zambia’s aviation sector. Not least among these are Government’s plans for significant investments in aviation infrastructure for our International, Provincial and District Airports and Aerodromes right down to the rural airstrips throughout the country. This is good news, and we hope that both the key parastatal and private sector players and perhaps the donor community too will collaborate on this initiative. For example, some of Zambia’s rural or “bush” airstrips are our busiest commercial (public) aerodromes and yet remain some of the roughest, most poorly developed, and hazardous airstrips in the country, exposing our domestic and international tourist visitors to unnecessary risks and discomfort. As the AOOA, we must address these and other pressing issues. In the meantime, this Newsletter will touch on some of the latest positive developments the Association has been promoting. AOOA Aviation Mentorship Programme We launched an aviation mentorship programme a few years ago, and while this stimulated a lot of interest, the programme was time-consuming for both mentors and mentees, and we recognize that it wasn’t agile enough to have the positive impacts we had in mind. We thus plan to introduce a new and more efficient way of offering more interest and encouragement that we believe are important for aviation novices. We’ve opted to create a WhatsApp Group where novice aviation enthusiasts can be a networking resource among themselves, while also having an experienced group of specialist aviators as a mentorship resource at their fingertips to answer some of the more challenging queries and offer meaningful aviation-related information and advice. Look out for this initiative moving forward, and support us with its promotion wherever you reasonably can. With thanks Veronica Nkunde – AOOA Youth & Gender Development Initiative AOOA Fly-In and Spot-Landing Competition, Saturday 27th August, Balla Balla Airfield in Chisamba This event was a great success and a wonderful day of aviation was enjoyed by all. It was great to welcome many of our GATCOZ Air Traffic Controllers to the event as well as representatives of ZCAA and ZACL, and members of the public. The spot-landing competition was the highlight of the day and took place in challenging winds. Edmund Farmer secured 1st place with a flawless performance followed by Newton Young and Lindsay Campbell in 2nd place and Andrew Pieri in 3rd. Each year the AOOA awards the John Murphy Cup to an individual who is considered to have contributed the most to aviation in Zambia and this year the cup was awarded to Kenny Chiwaya. Congratulations Kenny and thank you for all you do to promote and support aviation in Zambia! The AOOA would like to specially thank Lindsay Campbell for organising and Keith Radford for hosting the event and Andrew Woodley for his support in organising and providing delicious food and drink as always. Finally, thank you to everyone who attended and participated - we look forward to the next one! AOOA support for “Women in Aviation – Zambia Chapter” The AOOA continues to support “Women in Aviation”, attending their recent events at the Munali Boys and Girls Secondary Schools. We received the following acknowledgement: “On behalf of my team and I, we would like to thank AOOA of Zambia for the support and contributions made towards our aviation development and awareness career talk. We had a very beautiful and successful event as we visited Munali Boys and Girls Secondary Schools. We are so grateful for (the AOOA) always being our sponsor." Janice Chomba, Women in Aviation, Zambia Chapter, Membership Chairperson. The Children’s Flight - Kumbululuka kwa bafana 24th July 2022 On 24th July, 2022, more or less Zambia’s entire flying community (from the private and commercial sectors to the CAA, ZACL, and in particular the Zambia Air Force) worked together to conduct the “Children’s Flight” Kumbululuka kwa bafana at KK International Airport, thanks to the the tireless efforts and vision of Capt. Felix Gosher. Well done Felix and everyone involved! As our President, Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, remarked at the time: “Our brave men and women in uniform do more than just protect our country, they also inspire our people. Today, over 500 disabled, disadvantaged, and orphaned children from homes across Zambia were given the chance to see our country from the sky at our inaugural "Children's Flight" supported by ZAF and the aviation industry. As we flew back from North Western this evening we are reminded that, from the air, we are not divided by provinces. We are One Zambia, One Nation. One Nation, One People.” FlySpec celebrates 40 years of service to Zambia (1982-2022) On Saturday the 25th of June FlySpec celebrated 40 years of service to Zambia (1982-2022). FlySpec, is a specialised medical flying doctor service which has brought dedicated and skilled orthopaedic and reconstructive plastic surgery to individuals in remote rural communities of Zambia since the early 1980s. Such specialised treatment would otherwise not be possible for the people living in areas outside Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia. Most patients simply cannot afford either the money or the time to make the journey to Lusaka. FlySpec delivered surgery can be both life-saving and life changing for many people, enabling them to live productive lives within their communities. Most of the patients treated by the service are children. Surgery aims to treat Congenital Deformities such as Club Feet, Cleft Lip & Palate along with Bone & Joint Infections, Neglected Fractures, and Burns, including the resulting devastating complications, for patients of all ages. Taffy Hughes - A Colossus of Zambian Aviation An abbreviated historical tribute, with acknowledgements to Aviation Reporter Brian Mulenga   A bluff Welshman with a heart of gold, one of the pioneers of Zambian aviation came to Zambia as a Royal Air Force aircraft engineer during the UDI crisis of 1965. During the breakup of the Federation, the Southern Rhodesians as usual got the best of the assets of the Federation, a small but well-equipped Air Force, despite Zambia having paid the most in taxes during Federation. When UDI produced a hostile Rhodesia on its Southern border, with a modern 1960s Airforce with Hawker Hunters, Canberra and Vampire jets, Zambia needed protection while it built up its Air Force and the Royal Airforce stepped in and deployed two squadrons of Javelin jets. The deployment was a farce, the jets were underpowered, RAF personnel fraternised with the Rhodesians, and rumours floated around of defections. However, among the RAF personnel was an aircraft engineer and private pilot, Taffy Hughes. Zambia meanwhile in the 1960s was an illustrious centre of private aviation with active flying clubs in Lusaka, Ndola, Livingstone, Mufulira and Chingola, and many business owners flying all over the place for business and leisure weekends. Taffy Hughes loved Zambia. Unlike those RAF personnel who defected to Rhodesia he stayed in Zambia, setting up at Kasompe Airfield in Chingola. He started off providing aircraft maintenance services before branching into air charters as Travel International Air Charters (TIAC), pilot and aircraft engineer training, aircraft sales and so on. Taffy made Kasompe aerodrome a bustling place with other facilities like the Nchanga Flying Club, and its bar and restaurant making Kasompe “the” place to visit on the Copperbelt. Many a pilot or aircraft engineer owed their careers to Taffy Hughes who ran his operation regardless of the desperate political and economic conditions of the 1970s and 1980s. He and his wife were both pilots and frequently made long trips. Their Aztec aircraft 9J-RAO was well known around Zambia and was flown several times on long trips as far as Europe with this husband and wife team at the controls. Logbooks for both pilots and engineers which showed they had passed through the hands of Taffy Hughes were enough to get a job around Southern Africa. Taffy Hughes died in 2009 after 43 years serving Zambian aviation. Post-script: sadly, we report the passing of the late Taffy’s wife Jacqueline earlier this year, and extend our sympathies to family and friends. AOOA Aviation Safety Forum The AOOA provides a number of aviation-related membership “services”, most recently an informal Aviation Safety Forum for highlighting critical aviation safety matters for discussion and comment among our members and the wider aviation community. These may be accessed through our website and related media platforms. AOOA Agenda for 2022/23 We continue to pursue an ambitious agenda for the AOOA for the remainder of the year and into 2023, details of which may be accessed in our website and related media platforms. Some particularly significant initiatives include: Establishing policy clarification working groups with both the Zambia CAA and ZACL to tackle issues that we believe are critical to the smooth functioning and development of aviation in Zambia, but which may be neglected even suppressed due to insufficient clarity or mis-representation of Policy and Purpose; Establishing “working liaison platforms” (or the like) with Senior Executives of our various other aviation-related partners such as the Ministry of Finance and the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) among Government agencies, and the BAR (Board of Airline Representatives) and the Tourism Council of Zambia (TCZ) to more comprehensively represent the Private Sector Aviation Industry in Zambia. For example, as reported in our earlier Newsletters, we have achieved a number of successful outcomes from our work with the Zambia CAA and one of its major partners, the European (Union) Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).   Then already over this year to date by working with ZACL we have seen reductions for General Aviation (including commercial Air Charter services) on Aircraft Landing and Parking Fees, Airport “After Hours Overtime” Fees, and extensions to “no charge” opening and closing times at our larger and international ZACL airports.   The AOOA has recently renewed its TCZ membership, and has just established an “AOOA-TCZ Liaison Group” to work on coordinating aviation matters of mutual interest to the aviation and tourism sectors (such as aviation fuels’ supply and pricing), as well as ensuring that broader aviation interests are properly represented by the industry itself at various fora including the TCZ and the Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA), etc.   Also in collaboration with TCZ and the Ministry of Finance the AOOA has submitted an appeal to the Ministry of Finance to reconsider removing the application of WHT on offshore premium payments for aircraft insurance in Zambia (our submission is available for members to see upon request).   Also in collaboration with TCZ and the Ministry of Finance the AOOA has submitted an appeal to the Ministry of Finance to reconsider removing the application of WHT on offshore premium payments for aircraft insurance in Zambia (our submission is available for members to see upon request). Remembering the recently Departed from our aviation ranks Stanley Munjile (ZACL, SATCO) 21st April, 2022 Carolyn Munsaka (CAA Licensing) 18th June, 2022 Capt. Phil Lemba (Zambia Airways and Proflight) 22nd July, 2022 Jacqueline Hughes (TIAC and ProCharter) 2022 Our condolences to families and friends. The AOOA is your Aviation Platform in Zambia We continue to progress through 2022, and there is no doubt that aviation and Zambia’s overall economic activity is stirring into action. But as we enter the last quarter of the year, please continue to support us as we look forward to welcoming more and more of you as renewing or new members, joining us in promoting a bright future for Zambia’s aviation sector and the Nation as a whole.   Blue Skies … Josias Walubita                                                                         AOOA President                                                                     On behalf of the AOOA Executive Committee and Members Follow Us Website Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*