Regulations and Government
African Bizav Association Takes Off at EBACE

Following a year of planning, the African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) marked its official launch yesterday at EBACE, with the goal of “establishing business aviation as an asset that is recognized, valued and supported by governments, their respective civil aviation authorities and enterprises throughout Africa,” according to Tarek Ragheb, chairman of the new organization.

According to AfBAA, 368 business jets are registered in the 56 countries comprising the African continent, the majority of them long-range, large cabin aircraft–“because of the distances and geography” they typically traverse. Concurrently, increasing interest in the continent’s mineral and oil resources are drawing in a growing number of transient business aircraft. Yet the continent’s regulatory and operating environment is not conducive to safe and efficient operation.