Page 34 - World Airnews Magazine May 2020 Edition

AFRICA PERSONALITY

KLM coming together and several other airline alliances. That is is how easy is that ease of doing business? So the airlines don’t

what should happen here. It makes no sense for a domestic airline mind going to other African countries where things are easier. AN AVIATOR OF NOTE
to go to Abuja for instance flying empty while it can have It is not because we don’t have pineapples or yams, in fact

an alliance. Nigeria is the largest producer of yam and cassava in the world;
If you have about 20 passengers or your aircraft is not full, you we are number one in some of these agricultural products but our

can transfer to another carrier who has more and save money on packaging is a big minus. There was a time in Europe and America

fuel, crew and maintenance. We just have to start from home, we that they stopped things coming from Nigeria.
need to come together, form alliance and work together. The world Our packaging is not properly done; our government has to look
order has changed, nobody does it alone, the industry is capital at that too because smaller countries are getting it, some even get

intensive and not one where you can expect to start reaping im- the products from Nigeria and package it properly.
mediately. I will advise our carriers to synergise, with that they can If you go to some supermarkets in the UK, you will packaged
have alliances with foreign airlines. okra, mangoes and other fruits from Africa well packaged and

QUESTION: AS A STAKEHOLDER, HOW WELL DO YOU very expensive because they are organic. I just hope that after
THINK NIGERIA’S AVIATION INDUSTRY WAS DOING COVID-19, government will sit down and think. The only thing we
ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF CARGO AND EXPORT BEFORE are relying on now is oil and we know how much that is now; we

THE COVID-19 CRISIS? can’t continue to rely on that.

Answer: Export has not really been our strength; we are more of We have these agricultural products, even the flowers that the
an import country. We have a lot coming in from Asia and Europe Kenyan government is making so much money from we can do it.

into our country. That is why when the aircraft come into Lagos, We have mangoes, oranges and other fruits, we are blessed. We
just need to channel our energy into getting it right. I hope we

especially because there is really nothing in other climes, you don’t

see them go back directly to their final destination, they either learn after this pandemic and stay more focused on those agricul-
go to Accra where they have a lot pineapples, yams and fruits for tural products that we can export. If we can put part of the energy
export or they go to Nairobi, Kenya to pick up flowers which is a we put in oil on agriculture, we won’t have to rely on oil anymore.

billion dollar business. Many countries don’t have oil but they are surviving, even if we have
About 90 per cent of cargo carriers that come into Nigeria, what to send people to understudy these countries, we need to do it. Q

they take out are very little. We need to work on our ease of doing

business, which is a big problem. The Federal Government will say Article courtesy: https://punchng.com/domestic-airlines-
it has put an ease of doing business policy in place but the question must-collaborate-to-survive-covid-19-impact-nwokoma/

NEWS
TRENCHARD AVIATION Academy for an officer’s course and then on to Langebaanweg

to finish our pupe’s course on Impalas. I received my wings in

viator Martin Louw has retired. He has flown a wide variety
GROUP ASSISTS COVID19 Aof aircraft military and civil, holds a B Mil degree and has December 1974 together with about half of the original number

who started at Dunnottar, with 231 hours in my logbook.

spent many years with Comair as head of flight operations. World THEREAFTER YOU JOINED THE SAAF. TELL US A BIT
REPATRIATION FLIGHTS Airnews correspondent Mike Wright had a chat to him about his ABOUT YOUR TIME THERE?
career and his plans for retirement.

I then went to study a B Mil degree at the Military Academy
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD AND UPBRINGING before joining 4 Sqn on Impala Mk2’s, first at Waterkloof and later

I was born in Bloemfontein in 1955 but grew up in Johannesburg, at Lanseria. During my two- year stint at 4 Sqn, I completed the

matriculating from Helpmekaar Boys High school in 1972. I have one Impala Operational Training Course (OTC), Sabre OTC (unfortunately

renchard Aviation Group has older brother, a medical doctor. My dad worked for Shell as an engi- suspended just before we started flying) and Flight Leaders Course
Tstepped in to assist AirTanker with neer specialising in lubricants while my mother, although a commerce on Impalas, all at Pietersburg (Polokwane). I also took part in the

first Impala deployment for operations on the border late in 1978. In

repatriation flights bringing UK citizens graduate, was the ultimate home executive. We travelled a lot during January 1979 I started the Mirage OTC at Pietersburg on the Mirage

home during the COVID-19 pandemic. my childhood, mostly internally in South Africa, but we also spent six 111DZ,D2Z,EZ and then joined 3 Sqn on the Mirage F1CZ at Waterkloof

AirTanker operates the RAF’s fleet of months in London and toured the whole of Europe for a month. later that year. My happiest time in the SAAF was at 3 Sqn, being a

Voyager A330 MRTT aircraft and operates A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY very professional outfit at the sharp end of the Air Force.

three of its A330-200’s on the civil register All my operational sorties were with this squadron and I learnt a

in the commercial ACMI market, wet leas- I am married to Adele and have two sons, a 31 year old who studied lot about leadership and management from the excellent Officers

ing the aircraft to other airlines. It is one of music at UTC but is now in IT and a 16 year old at Pretoria Boys High. Commanding I had the pleasure to serve with during this tour, as well

the civil registered aircraft that is operat- AND WHEN DID YOUR DESIRE TO BECOME A PILOT START? as my subsequent tour later. These skills served me well in my later

ing the repatriation charters from Goa. airline career and I am very thankful to the SAAF for this. The SAAF

Trenchard Aviation Group has sup- My father introduced me to air shows from about five years old, of taught you how to lead and manage different people, equipment and

ported AirTanker with three repatria- which I particularly remember a 16-ship Sabre formation aerobatic situations like no other institution, all at a relatively young age.

show at Baragwaneth and a Mirage 111CZ show at Waterkloof in

tion charter flights by providing galley 1963. From then on I was sold on flying and although my father After my first tour at 3 Sqn ended, I went to Dunnottar for

catering equipment and unit load device wanted me to study engineering, I was adamant about flying for instructor’s course, the on to Langebaanweg for a three-year tour

aircraft containers. supply chain manager at AirTanker said, India bringing back citizens to the UK” the SAAF, which I joined straight out of school at the age of 17. instructing on Impalas. Here I became Chief Flying Instructor and

Mark Faulkner, Trenchard Aviation “Aero Technics, part of Trenchard Avia- Working in close partnership with lead- also had a stint with the Silver Falcons formation aerobatic team. I

Group CEO said, “We’re delighted to tion Group, were able to swiftly supply ing airlines, OEMs and MROs worldwide, TELL US BRIEFLY ABOUT YOUR EARLY AVIATION CAREER then re-joined 3 Sqn for another tour there as Operations Officer

assist the UK Government and AirTanker equipment from their Manchester facili- Trenchard Aviation Group offers one of I completed three months of basics at the SAAF Gymnasium where (2IC), before moving to Air Force Headquarters as Staff

in these challenging times.” ty to RAF Brize Norton to assist AirTanker the broadest ranges of cabin products the selection for pilot’s course took place. We were 77 who were Officer Airborne Weapons, but still flying part-time at

Meanwhile Alastair Johnson, senior operate three repatriation flights to Goa, and services available in the market. Q selected out of a total of about 5000 to go straight to Dunnottar 3 Sqn. During this time I had the privilege to fly the

where we flew Harvards for 6 months before going to the Military Mig 29 in Russia, shooting down two Mig 21 drones To page 34
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