Aviadev Insight

In this episode, I am joined by Chamsou Andjorin to preview the AAIG Aeropoltical Forum taking place on Wednesday 11th November 2020.  The event offers insightful debate and is one of AviaDev's favourites on the calendar We discuss how and why the group was formed; who will be involved in the event next week and the key themes and talking points we can expect to tackle.  You can register here Download the programme here

This episode is a live recording of the second AviaDev insight live podcast, recorded October 22nd 2020.  Many of the questions posed came from our live audience and we discussed the following topics: The new interline agreement with EK and QR plus others that could be on the horizon (with African carriers) The rebuilding of the regional network, whilst Airlink continues to serve trunk routes The suitability of the fleet for the new operating environment Financing and liquidity Whether more private Africa airlines can be established and thrive in a post-pandemic World

This is a recording of the first AviaDev Insight live featuring Ato Girma Wake, Former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines and former Chairman, RwandAir, which took place October 9th 2020 The industry finds itself facing the largest crisis since commercial aviation began and so we took this opportunity to pose questions from our live audience.  Topics discussed include SAATM implementation, co-operation, the next generation and some reasons to be optimistic.  Enjoy and if you would like to suggest a guest for our next live session, get in touch.  

Arpad Szakal is a career transition coach at the centre for Aviation Psychology. He joined us for the Africa Tomorrow event in July 2020, moderating our next generation panel.  The purpose of this episode is to provide practical advice to the huge number of aviators that have had their career ambitions blown off course by the pandemic. We discuss how to understand the skills and value you already have, what you can do now to equip yourselves for the future and how to become more visible.  You can connect with Arpad here  If you enjoyed the podcast, please share it with one person in your network that you think will benefit from listening. 

This podcast episode was recorded 1st October 2020, the day Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Uganda opened their borders to international arrivals for the first time since the onset of Covid-19. We discuss if there have been any winners through the pandemic, what the continent's future fleet mix may look like, testing as a silver bullet to get the industry back on its feet and how we keep the next generation of African aviators engaged in pursuing their dreams.  You can find out more about airnews at: https://www.airnews.co.za/  You can connect with Derek on LinkedIn here

In this episode, David explains the concept of his new Aero Clinic, where his carefully curated team of experts are on hand to assist African airlines of all sizes. If you want to find out more visit www.tuscar.ie and connect with David on LinkedIn here We also discuss the current African aviation landscape including the leasing community's perception of Africa, investor sentiment and why now is a great time to start an airline. 

Rob Bor and Aedrian Bekker are both clinical psychologists and the founders of the Centre for Aviation Psychology, https://www.centreforaviationpsychology.com/  In this episode, we tackle the stigma around pilot mental health. This is a particular concern in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and how peer to peer support can often be the solution Connect with Rob here Connect with Aedrian here Other resources: www.bizavpsp.com - a peer support network for business and rotary wing aviators www.cappsp.com - a peer support network for scheduled AOCs who want to share costs and resources 

This episode was recorded 23rd September 2020, 10 days ahead of many African borders opening to International travelers.  We discussed IATA's key messages for the industry, government support and financing for the industry, how to ensure once we open we stay open and if now is the right time to push for SAATM implementation. 

In this episode, we speak with Miretab Tesfaye, Director Group Integrated Marketing Communications at Ethiopian Airlines about how technology and digital solutions have been given a seat at the top table within the airline and enabled them to be agile enough to adapt to the headwinds created by Covid-19.  We also uncover some of the success stories that the technology has helped to deliver in recent months and also gain an insight into how the technology was developed in-house, with the support of external vendors, by Miretab and his talented team of software engineers.  You can connect with Miretab here

In this episode, we discover more about a new, free interactive tool that has been developed by NACO which outlines the propensity to fly in Africa. You can take a look here We also discuss how governments can facilitate aviation growth on the continent, the future of airport infrastructure financing and the importance of diversifying away from aeronautical revenue. The paper we cite can be downloaded here To find out more, you can connect with Marcel here This episode was recorded on 24th August

In this episode, we preview the Masterclass taking place on 27th August 2020, entitled "The Commercial Imperative for African Aviation - Marketing & Sales Post COVID-19: Reinventing Your Competitive Advantage" This is brought to you in association with the Aviationia Division of the AeroNAD Group, which is delivering tailored aviation education and training solutions, adapted to individual as well as organisational needs,  through the harmonisation of academia and industry for a better aviation ecosystem across the African Continent.  You can still register for the masterclass here You can find out more about AeroNAD here

In this episode, we take a detour from aviation-specific content and focus on the future. Namely the future of work, the future role of technology in our lives, the future of the aviation industry and the future opportunities this offers Africa. Somi Arian is a tech philosopher, international speaker, entrepreneur, award-winning filmmaker and LinkedIn Top Voice among UK influencers. Her work focuses on the impact of technology on society at large, the future of work and digital marketing. She has given talks to industry leaders from organizations as diverse as the BBC, The Economist, Marie Claire, The Guardian, Amazon, HSBC, Virgin Atlantic and American Express. Her 2018 documentary The Millennial Disruption is compelling viewing and can be watched here:  Her new book, Career Fear (and how to beat it) is available to order here

In this episode, we explore the world of innovation in the field of crew uniforms and discover more about Keyvan’s innovative Antibacterial Cabin crew uniform solution that aims to replace PPE. You may have seen the different airline approaches to crew uniform. We have seen some airlines implement full PPE to protect their staff, but this can lead to a less than perfect experience for the passengers. You can watch the short uniform video here You can find out more about Keyvan aviation here

In this episode, recorded on 17th July 2020, we meet Wrenelle Stander, CEO of Comair Ltd and discuss the following: The business rescue process and when we can expect to see Comair flying again The dynamics of the Southern African aviation market and how Comair can emerge stronger post-Covid.  How the industry is supporting each other and delivering  Where Comair's diversification strategy stands today The airline's fleet plans and how to rebuild passenger confidence

In this episode, Jon Howell is joined by the TRM management team, James and Hugo Hill to discuss airline insurance.  Did you know that some premiums have increased 30% year on year and that insurance can represent around 3% of an airline's operating cost?  For any startups, we talk about the insurance you need to have and how underwriters are perceiving risk differently in the Post-Covid environment.  You can connect with James here You can connect with Hugo here www.trm.co.za 

This exclusive episode was recorded 8th July 2020.  Gidon Novick is a former Comair CEO and founder of Kulula.com who is planning to launch a new domestic airline in South Africa. Amongst other things, I asked the following: Why now is the right time to launch an airline? What equipment does he plan to deploy? Which routes will he fly? When we can expect the airline to start? What did he learn in his time in and out of the industry which makes him ready for the journey ahead?

Recorded on 2nd July 2020, this webinar was brought to you by Tuscar Aero Consulting and featured the following speakers: David Aher Tuscar Aero Consulting Dikko Nwachukwu jetWest Partners Aaron Munetsi African Aviation Expert Our aim was to determine how we can improve the resilience of African airlines to ultimately make the proposition more attractive to potential investors. 

Ahead of the delivery of TAAG Angola Airlines' first Dash 8-400 aircraft, we took time to sit down with Hon. Ricardo Daniel Sandao Quieros Viegas D'Abreu and discussed the role of aviation in the development of trade; the impact of Covid on the industry and the country's aims and ambitions for the medium/ long term

Ivana is a pilot, Reiki practitioner and advocate of mindfulness. She is also the Governor of the African Section of the 99s, https://www.african99s.com/ a non-profit organization of International Women Pilots.  In this episode, we explore the findings of a Harvard study into depression in pilots, which can be downloaded here and discuss strategies to prevent and cope with the challenge, especially in the current times of crisis.  Please seek professional help if any of the issues raised have affected you.  You can connect with Ivana here    

In late June 2020, TAAG Angola Airlines will take delivery of their first DeHavilland Dash 8-400 turboprop.  In this episode, we understand some more about why this aircraft was chosen, where it will be deployed and the wider commercial strategy of TAAG Angola airlines and of course get to meet the man himself.