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Licensing of air services is a must

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Reference is made to an article titled ‘CAA to vet Uganda Airlines next week’ in the Daily Monitor of July 20 which subsequently attracted debate in various circles. I would like to clarify on the process for Air Services Licensing in light of the connotation that the story headline may have insinuated.

It is a regulatory requirement that any air operator intending to commence commercial operations (domestic or international) has to apply to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), for an operating license known as an Air Services License (ASL). This is a prerequisite for engagement in air operations and has not been uniquely applied to Uganda Airlines, but to all new applicants for provision of air services or those seeking renewal of licenses.

It is normal and standard industry practice that the applications are received by CAA in advance, evaluated and thereafter considered by the CAA Board Air Services Licensing Committee in a public forum. This particular session is this time scheduled for Thursday, August 23, 2018 at Imperial Royale Hotel starting at 11am. The licensing committee will not only consider Uganda Airlines’ application, but other new applicants, including Kush Air Uganda Ltd, Africana International Air Services Ltd and Ugawings Aviation Ltd. At the same hearing, Kampala Aero Club and Flight Training Centre and Kampala Executive Aviation will be seeking renewal of their ASL.

Every applicant at such a public hearing is expected to clarify on issues to do with their business plan, proposed air routes, and equipment to be used, among others. For transparency purposes, ASL regulations require that a notice of all the applicants to be considered (new or renewal), is placed in the print media 30 days prior to the date of consideration of the applications by the Board Air Services Licensing Committee meeting.

This provides the public an opportunity to provide any relevant information to the licensing committee and it is not a new practice, but one that has been exercised since CAA assumed the responsibility of regulating air transport services in Uganda. It is a global practice that is not unique to Uganda. The last such meeting was held on March 7, 2018 and it similarly considered several new applications plus others seeking renewal.
It ought to be noted that this mandatory process is only an enabler or facilitating process for an airline to be permitted to fly from within and out of the country. It is independent of other individual airline’s plans such as purchase of aircraft. It is a routine regulatory activity.

Vianney M. Luggya, Civil Aviation Authority
vluggya@caa.co.ug,
Twitter: @vluggya

Adopted from: The Daily Monitor (Friday, 27th July, 2018)

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Air Services Licenses Application Notice

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Notice is, here by, given that the following firms have applied for the grant / renewal of an Air Services Licence:

  • Kampala Aero Club and Flight Training Centre Ltd
  • Uganda National Airlines Co. Ltd
  • Kampala Executive Aviation
  • Kush Air Uganda Ltd
  • Africana International Air Services Limited
  • Ugawings Aviation Ltd

For more information: Download PDF

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ECAC SENSITIZES REGIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS ON EDDs

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The European Civil Aviation Commission (ECAC) in conjunction with the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) convened a regional Civil Aviation Security (CASE) Workshop on Explosive Detection Dogs (EDDs) at Laico Lake Victoria Hotel from 5th to 6th June, 2018.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director Safety, Security and Economic Regulation, Mr. Samuel Muneeza expressed delight at the opportunity for Uganda to host the event, which brought together security experts from the (AFCAC) partner States to deliberate on important national and international security matters.

He highly commended the ECAC and AFCAC for considering Uganda as worthy hosting partners, which he described as a ‘‘vote of confidence in Uganda’s air transport system’’.

The director stated that aviation related terrorism cases across the globe called for extra vigilance at all levels as Aviation Security is “every body’s responsibility” given the rising threat of terrorism to air transport across the globe. The importance of Explosive Detection Dogs (EDDs) cannot be over emphasized.

The training enabled the aviation security personnel to gain extensive knowledge in the use of Explosive Detention Dogs (EDD’s), ECAC’s work on EDD’s, and to acquire lessons from sharing experiences in best practices.

“Explosive detection dogs have proved to be very reliable in efforts to curb crime as they compliment other explosive detection capabilities such as explosive particulate; and explosive vapor. Explosive detection dogs may also be used to detect explosives in the environment through: screening of cargo, mail and screening of hold baggage, as a complementary method to improve explosive detection,’’ Mr. Muneeza said.

 

He pledged Uganda’s continued cooperation with ECAC and AFCAC in relation to Aviation security.

 

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CAA Exhibits in Implementation of Government Programmes Initiative

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Civil Aviation Authority joined other agencies under the Ministry of Works and Transport to present to the media updates on progress in implementation of Government Programmes at UNRA offices in Kyambogo on Wednesday 16th May, 2018.

The CAA team, which also exhibited a model of the ongoing works for upgrade and expansion of Entebbe International Airport comprised of the Managing Director, Dr. David Mpango Kakuba, Director Airports and Aviation Security, Eng. John T. Kagoro, Manager Strategic Planning, Mr. Banyendera Hannington and Manager Aerodromes Engineering Planning and Development, Eng. Ronald Twesigye, among others.

Other exhibitors included Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), Uganda Road Fund (URF) and the Ministry of Works and Transport among others.

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Uganda Hosts IATA Day Celebrations

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) successfully held the annual IATA Day Celebrations for the first time in Uganda on 9th November, 2017 at the Kampala Serena Hotel.

The event that attracted a number of stakeholders in the aviation industry was presided over by the Minister of State for Transport, Hon. Aggrey Bagiire, who emphasized the importance of aviation to social and economic development of countries in his keynote address.

The Minister commended IATA for introducing a number of crucial concepts to air travel such as electronic ticketing and bar coded boarding pass systems, which have enhanced passenger facilitation.

“Government is reviving the national airline, upgrading Entebbe International Airport, constructing Kabaale International Airport in the Albertine region, reviewing the aviation legal framework and encouraging more domestic and international airlines to start operations,” the Minister said.

Speaking at the event, the Authority’s Managing Director, Dr. David Kakuba, thanked IATA for considering Uganda CAA as worthy hosting partners, “which is a vote of confidence in Uganda’s air transport system.”

“Holding of such a high profile event in Uganda is testimony of the cordial and mutually beneficial relations that exist between IATA and the aviation industry authorities in Uganda,” he said.

Dr. Kakuba added that air transport makes a significant contribution to the national economy and CAA considered any efforts aimed at improving the sector seriously.

“One of the strategies to ensure continuous improvement has been stakeholder engagements of this nature to ensure that we get the views and concerns of industry players so as to address them for an efficient, safe and a secure operating environment,” he stated.

Panelists from various sectors including tourism, financial institutions, aviation and the media participated in an interactive panel discussion under the theme “The importance of aviation to Socio-Economic Development of Uganda”.

IATA is the global trade association that represents over 270 member airlines. It is a prestigious association, which addresses various interests of airlines the world over. Every year the Association’s members carry over 83% of the worlds’ scheduled international traffic.

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Government buys six jets to revive Uganda airlines

Posted by Shamilah Seyiga In Media Watch 0 comment

 

By FREDERIC MUSISI
  • The revival plans were hinged on recommendations of a joint study by Uganda Development Corporation and National Planning Authority.
  • Its projections were that some Shs1.4 trillion would be good enough to get the project off the group

 

Kampala. Works and Transport minister Monica Azuba-Ntege has said government has made an initial cash deposit of approximately $1.2m (Shs4.43b) for the purchase of six passenger aircraft for Uganda Airlines which is scheduled to hit the skies again later in November.
Ms Azuba said a cash deposit of Shs1.5b has been made for four Bombardier CRJ900 passenger jets from the Canadian Bombardier Aerospace and another $800,000 (Shs3b) deposit made for two wide-body A330-200 aircraft. The Bombardiers will be delivered first.

“All this has gone through careful studies and was approved by Cabinet. The Uganda National Airline Company has been registered, an interim board and management appointed and its business plan also approved by Cabinet,” she said yesterday while addressing journalists on the NRM government’s progress in the transport sector.

The revival plans were hinged on recommendations of a joint study by Uganda Development Corporation and National Planning Authority. Its projections were that some Shs1.4 trillion would be good enough to get the project off the ground.
The authority also recommended that government borrows money from international creditors at 5 per cent interest rate per annum repayable between seven and 10 years.
The money would enable the government to acquire Airbus A330-200 and Bombardier jets, each of which costs an equivalent Shs37b and Shs9b respectively, for the initial fleet.

To make money, Ms Azuba said, Uganda Airlines will engage ground handling business and catering services among other tasks.
For ground handling, it is not yet clear if government plans to repossess the business from Entebbe Handling Services (Enhas).
“The plan is to break even in four to five years,” Ms Azuba said.
The sector in the financial year 2016/2017 was allocated Shs4.5 trillion with the bulk—Shs3.5 trillion—going to the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA).
Ms Azuba said several roads have been upgraded since 2016, increasing the total paved national road network from 3,795km to 4,680km.

musisif@ug.nationmedia.com

Posted on Thursday  17th May, 2018 by Daily Monitor
 http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/World/Government-buys-six-jets-revive-Uganda-airlines/688340-4565746-wf2p4bz/index.html
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Entebbe Airport $200m expansion takes shape

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Entebbe International Airport’s Chinese-funded expansion that includes an extension of the passenger terminal, construction of a new cargo centre, and refurbishment of the airport’s two runways is 17 percent completed and $25m spent so far.

With the airport welcoming nearly 3 million visitors last year, and its current infrastructure built to accommodate an average capacity of 500,000, the need for expansion is obvious and immediate.

Uganda’s airport operator Civil Aviation Authority’s Acting Managing Director, Dr. David Mpango during a tour of the ongoing works at the Airport Wednesday said so far CAA was in the right direction in implementing the 20-year National Civil Aviation Master Plan.

Mpango said, “Some the work is done while more activities are ongoing.”

“Travel between Uganda and the rest of the world is expected to increase swiftly within the coming years. To strengthen Entebbe Airport’s position as one of the top junctions between Africa and the world, we need to develop our services and operations even further.”

“We (Entebbe) are in the centre of Africa, so its even viable that we can attract airplanes that want to refuel,” he added. “We are working with our friends in tourism and hotel sector because 60% of the tourists come by air.”

CAA launched the expansion project in 2015 with a scheduled completion date of 2023 for the first phase and 2033 for the whole project being done by China Communication Construction Company, the firm currently building the Kampala–Entebbe Expressway.

The project will be executed in three phases in a period of 20 years, said Vianney Luggya, CAA’s communications boss, adding that that the new cargo area that is 300 by 400 meters in size will be able to enable heavier output in the cargo business of up to 100,000 metric tons of cargo every year and also host bigger cargo jets.

The first phase of the project involves the expansion of its main runway, construction of runway-end safety area at both ends, construction of two exit taxiways, one rapid exit taxiway and a take-off bay, helicopter apron, vehicle access control road to the airport and pavement of perimeter road, he explained.

Eng. John Tusuubira Kagolo, the Director Airports and Aviation Security in CAA, said, “Entebbe Airport’s biggest strengths are short layover times, friendly staff, short distances and world-class services. We will strive to hold on to these as we expand and prepare to welcome even more traffic that we can proudly say Entebbe is a regional hub just like Nairobi. The expansion will bring up more seven parking areas for the planes.”

According to officials from the CAA, cargo going through Entebbe airport is estimated to be growing at a rate of 6.5% per year and this will go on for the next 17 years.
Published in The Ugandan Magazine
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