Page 17 - World Airnews Magazine February Edition 2021

INTERVIEW AFRICA

EXPERIENCED WHERE YOUR airport from project formulation

LEADERSHIP TRAITS AND to its successful completion and A Game Changer - In His Own UGANDA AIR TIGHTENS UP

QUALITIES WERE PUT TO commissioning. The project was
TEST? completed on time with no cost Words “The revived Uganda Airlines will support

(IS) There have been several. overrun. SSR is ranked # 4 best “I was heading for the airport being driven by an air rican Airways from the route, but also sell our economic growth by facilitating trans-

connections from South Africa via Entebbe
But this one has been a game airport in Africa; the first three force corporal. When I was just about under the flight ganda’s national carrier, Uganda to the planned long haul destinations in the port and tourism,” he said.

changer incident in my life when I being in Cape Town, Durban and UAirlines, is set to ti ghten compe- Middle East, Europe and China. “It will be a major boost if the 400 million

was CEO of IGI Airport, New Delhi Johannesburg respectively. I was path, I heard an alert from my fire chief on the RT tition in the East Africa’s aviation market US dollars Ugandans spend annually on air

Currently, Uganda Airlines flies to eight

- the 16th busiest (2019) in the associated as ICAO planning/ (Radiotelephone simultaneously connecting all the with the unveiling of new routes. destinations in the East African region travel comes to our own airline.”

emergency stations) about a B-747 with 271 passengers
world and ranked world’s best security/commercial expert in in its final approach to land emitting smoke from one of including Mogadishu, Somalia, Nairobi and Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, minister

airport for customer experience the development of the Bole the engines. I instantly glanced up in the air and noticed The carrier has announced plans to Mombasa in Kenya, Bujumbura in Burundi for Works and Transport, said the new air-

in 70 MPPA category by Airport International Airport, Addis introduce direct flights to Dubai in the Mid- and Juba in South Sudan, among others. crafts will allow Uganda Airlines to efficiently

Council International (ACI). (see Ababa, Ethiopia to review the the smoke and additionally, a spark on the rear side of dle East, London in the United Kingdom, expand its network from its Entebbe hub to

side bar) plans prior to implementation. the engine, not visible to the air traffic control tower or Guangzhou in China and Mumbai in India, NEW AIRCRAFTS connect Uganda to the rest of the world.

the fire station. Knowing that the flight may catch fire

Similarly, I have been engaged while rolling on the runway, I immediately intervened, taking on Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Uganda Airlines early this month received “The delivery heralds a new era in the
RwandAir and Air Tanzania which have
in several other acounteries in

(HG) WHAT AN INCREDIBLE the preparation of feasibility as I am authorised to do, and informed about the fire dominated these routes for years. the first of its two Airbus A330Neo aircrafts operations of Uganda Airlines and marks

EXPERIENCE! WHAT WAS reports, their upgradation and noticed and simultaneously gave a ‘specific’ command “We are going places this new year, from to kick-start the long haul commercial its re-entry into the long-haul overseas

YOUR REWARD OR TAKE development through PPP route. to combat fire, among several different options at my Entebbe to popular destinations around flights. The new Airbus A330-800Neo, a market,” he said.

AWAY? disposal. You may call it expertise, experience, training, the world… Dubai, London, Guangzhou, first for Uganda and Africa, will soon be Cornwell Muleya, chief executive officer

(IS) I learnt an all-time lesson in (HG) NOW INDY WE instinct, presence of mind or sixth sense all rolled into Mumbai… coming soon,” the airline said on deployed across the network soon to show- of the Uganda Airlines, said receiving the
one on instantly arriving at a decision.
case the new aircraft to corporate clients

the ‘Art of Crisis Management”, SPOKEN A LOT AND WORLD “The immediate response from the chief fire officer its twitter handle. and travel agents at African destination aircraft marks history in the operations of

received respect from my team, AIRNEWS WOULD LIKE TO was Wilco, meaning “will comply with”. No discussions, This comes after the carrier started flights to airports a head of commencing flights. the Uganda Airlines.

professional recognition by the OFFER YOU A POSITION no arguments, no contradictions and no questions. That Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo Receiving the aircraft, President Yoweri “We are excited about the delivery of the

highest echelons in the govern- AS AN INTERNATIONAL on December last year, servicing the route ini- Museveni said the new state-of-the-art ma- new A330neo which strengthens our fleet

ment, and the ‘International CORRESPONDENT? WHAT clinched the deal! As is known, if an aircraft fire is not tially three times a week – Tuesday, Friday and capacities and introduces the desired ser-

Vocational Services Award’ IS YOUR RESPONSE TO extinguished within two minutes, there is no need to Sunday. The carrier has also confirmed that chine will facilitate the country’s economic vice standards for our long haul,” he said.
growth and boost the tourism industry.
reach out, as nothing will be left to be saved of the air-

from the highly regarded Rotary THIS? craft, its occupants – collateral damage to other aircraft Johannesburg, South Africa route, via Lusaka, Uganda Airlines was revived last year,

International Foundation, for (IS) That sounds wonderful! parked in the close vicinity and infrastructure notwith- Zambia, remains in focus for the rollout of the Currently, tourism is one of the country’s with the acquisition of four Bombardier

“Leading from the Front and Yes, I would like to do this. In next phase of network expansion. largest foreign exchange earner, attracting CRJ900. The carrier, which was started
Outstanding Devotion to Duty”. fact, it would be an honor to be standing. The daring corporal drove me on the runway Uganda Airlines aims to not only capture approximately 1.6 million tourists, and by the then president the late Iddi Amin

What more could I possibly ask associated with and have the under the burning wing, until the aircraft came to a traffic from Uganda to South Africa and earning the east African nation slightly over in 1976 collapsed and liquidated in 2001
screeching halt, surrounded by fire-fighting vehicles,

for? privilege of working with you ambulances, doctors, security personnel and the works. back following the withdraw of South Af- (US) $1.5bn per annum. under President Yoweri Museveni. Q
and your esteemed team. This During the drive under the burning aircraft wing, in the

way I can share my expertise and

(HG) I SEE THAT YOU experience with the readership, eerie silence, I heard the firefighters saying let us move

HAVE SERVED IN SEVERAL gained over the years in different fast – Airport Chief under the burning wing; motivation

COUNTRIES IN AFRICA, 11 global locations. to save their colleague at its best!

TO BE PRECISE. WAS IT BY “All the 271 passengers and crew were unharmed and From take-off to landing, we’re

CHANCE OR BY CHOICE? (HG) WHAT ARE SOME OF exited through the emergency evacuation slides. The

(IS) I believe that there is nothing YOUR MAJOR LEARNINGS firefighters, the brave corporal and all others involved
HAVING SERVED
were rewarded with testimonials, out-of-turn promo-

by chance. In his book ‘Nothing AROUND THE GLOBE IN tions, scholarships for higher training overseas with you for the entire journey.

by Chance” Richard Bach writes THE DEVELOPMENT OF
that nothing in this world hap- AVIATION AND AIRPORTS? and more.”
pens by chance but rather is all

predetermined and at times by (IS) It has given me an exposure Spidertracks enables you to track, manage, and send messages to your

one’s own efforts & convictions. to the world’s best practices, aircraft in real-time, update pilots on changing weather conditions with
Only, it has to be at the right time the experience of working live weather maps, and review flight history to help mitigate future risks -

and the right place. Many a times with multi-disciplinary and

I have opted for Africa - over multi-cultural teams of aviation all from the comfort of any internet-connected device.

other locations, when asked to experts in the planning, design,

give a choice among options. development and operations of

airports in varied socio-economic
environments.
(HG) FOR THOSE OUT
THERE WHO DO NOT KNOW (HG) THANK YOU FOR
YOU – CAN YOU BRIEFLY ACCEPTING OUR OFFER.
SKETCH SOME OF THE WE LOOK FORWARD TO
POSITIONS YOU HAVE HELD RECEIVING YOUR ARTICLES
AND THE WORK YOU HAVE AND INPUTS IN THE NOT-
UNDERTAKEN IN AFRICA? TOO-DISTANT FUTURE.
(IS) I was the ICAO domain STAY SAFE AND STRONG.
expert/project coordinator in the (IS) For sure, looking forward

phase I development of the SSR to an excellent association.
International Airport, Mauritius. The readers can reach me for

The project was a very rewarding interaction or feedback on Contact Pieter Cronje today to find out more.

experience as it encompassed inderjit.singh@aviationanalyst.
the overall development of the net Q +27 66 203 6205 | pieter.cronje@spidertracks.com
World Airnews | February 2021 World Airnews | February 2021
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