Page 20 - World Airnews Magazine February Edition 2021

WOMEN IN AFRICA
AVIATION
NEW CEO FOR AERO
A FIRST FOR GHANA
CONTRACTORS

airline had 26 aircraft. Few are in use

aptain Abdullahi Mahmood - a

hen Felicia Edem Attipoe was Cformer director of flight oper-

Wworking at the Ghana Civil ations Arik Air - will take over as chief
Aviation Authority (GCAA) as a secretary executive officer of Aero Contractors

in 1999, she had no plans of becoming an after captain Ado Sanusi stepped down
aircraft marshaller and for that ma�er, the last year.

first woman to earn that title in Ghana. Mahmood joined Arik Air in 2007 as
Her story is one marked with grits and a flight officer and rose to become a
grace, serving as a source of inspiration to captain before he became director of

many women not only in Africa but across flight operations. As a flight officer, he
the world. operated the Bombardier CRJ-900 and
According to a post she shared on her later started flying the Boeing B737-NG
Facebook page, sighted by GhanaWeb, she and Airbus A330.
left the country to study and came back The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has

home with a broken marriage. She was been notified of his new appointment.

lucky for another employment opportunity Meanwhile industry leaders believe that
in the same company she worked in, as a

secretary at the Marshallers’ office. Sanusi is poised to take over the running of
Nigerian Eagle, a new airline which could
“I was then going through my divorce possibly become a national carrier, while

process in court. I come to work so con- out as Ghana’s first female aircraft marshaller. cations and a Diploma in photography from Captain Roy Ilegbodu will hold the reins as

fused and with a lot of pain and bitterness,” She has since used her life story to en- Temple University in Japan. Arik Air CEO.

she said in the post. courage and inspire young women to always The work of an aircraft marshaller Sanusi was instrumental in turning He led the organisation in 2017 and

It was during this tough time that she de- fight for their dreams, irrespective of the includes signalling, directing pilots, and around the more than 50-year-old Aero acquired approval to handle C-Checks on while the rest are in storage. Though

veloped an interest in aircraft marshalling and distractions and hurdles life throws at them. positioning the plane, leading the aircraft Contractors into a capable Maintenance the Boeing 737 series along with main- AMCON has denied the report, industry

convinced her superior for a slot to be part of In 2019, she was awarded the most in- to its parking stand or the runway. Repair Organisation (MRO) rolling out some tenance of the Bombardier Turboprop insiders believe the new airline would

a marshalling training. Although she failed the spiring woman in aviation at Ghana’s Most They also give take-off or landing instruc- of its previously unserviceable aircraft in airliner series. take over an unspecified number of

exams on a few occasions due to her divorce Inspiring Women’s Award. tions to aircraft, where limited take-off and 2018 and 2019. In order to get an Air Operating Certifi- Arik’s fleet and leave some for it to

court proceedings and petty trading, she sat She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from landing time makes radio communication cate (AOC) from the NCAA, Nigerian Eagle continue operations.

Under Sanusi’s leadership, the airline
the exams for the third time and finally passed the African University College of Communi- almost impossible. Q gained third party maintenance approval needs two aircraft and four more added Before it was taken over by AMCON,

and made in-roads into West and Central when it starts domestic operations. Arik purchased a Boeing 737-700, a Boeing
737-800, a Bombardier Q400 and a Bom-

Africa - Ghana and Congo precisely. According to safeflightips.com, Nigerian bardier CRJ as new aircraft and still has

AFRICA Also in process is a plan to upgrade the Eagle was incorporated on July 11,2019 pending orders from the plane manu-
airline’s MRO and other agreements aimed with share capital of 1,000,000,000 units facturers for seven Boeing 787-9 and 12
at helping the airline maintain a semblance and shareholders are the Asset Manage- Boeing 737 Max.
ment Company of Nigeria or AMCON,
AIRLINK JETS INTO ZIMBABWE of breaking even. 499,999,999 units, while Omokhide Alaba AMCON, Jude Nwuzor, confirmed that Cap-

Head of corporate communications of
Sanusi also held the position of deputy

has one unit.
managing director of Arik Air, and in 2009
was managing director of the Nigerian AMCON took over the management tain Sanusi has been deployed and Captain
Mahmood has been appointed to head
and Kasane in Botswana and Windhoek ments for the (US) $2 billion industry this Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). of Arik Air in February 2017 when the
and Walvis Bay in Namibia. year would be Airlink's new route. Aero Contractors. Q

egional airline, Airlink, had The airline also operates frequen- ZTA acting chief executive officer Give-

Rbegun its Cape Town - Harare cies into Lusaka and Ndola in Zambia, more Chidzidzi said the flights would act AFRICA
route – at the time of going to press - Maputo, Beira, Pemba and Vilanculos in to rekindle business and leisure travel

despite a second wave of the Covid-19 Mozambique and several South African after many flights were grounded due to

destinations.
virus in both countries. The airline, the global health crisis.
Managing director and CEO Rodger
which already operates frequencies Foster said, Airlink would continue its Demand for leisure and business travel GOLDSTAR AIR HONOURS

between Cape Town and Victoria Falls, operations in southern Africa to serve between Cape Town and Harare is high

as many South African corporations have

said it would add Harare to its network the region's economies. units running in Zimbabwe. But travel- The citation was in commemoration of the most revered monarchs in the world

in mid-January this year to fulfil its "Health and safety are critical, as is lers have to connect via Johannesburg. the 20th anniversary of the King on his and paid tribute to Otumfuo Osei Tutu I.

ambition to link most of the SADC key economic continuity, for which regional "Direct flights between cities like Cape oldstar Air, a wholly owned enthronement and as the 16th occupant He said the company wanted to name

destinations. air travel is the only viable alternative. Town and Harare, and Cape Town and GGhanaian carrier, honoured of the Golden Stool, the royal throne of one of its aircraft after the King.

From its South African bases, Airlink Airlink will continue to provide travel- Victoria Falls bring convenience. The traf- Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the King of the the Asante Kingdom. The Asantehene, through one of his

connects to several cities and resorts in lers with safe, reliable and affordable fic is there and I am sure their statistics Asante Kingdom with a citation. Eric Bannerman, chairman and Chief chiefs, thanked Goldstar Air for the visit

southern Africa, including Lubumbashi connectivity between South Africa and are showing that. The major attractions The airline company congratulated Executive Officer of Goldstar Air, visited and honour and the royal gathering gave

in the Democratic Republic of Congo, destinations throughout southern Afri- in southern Africa are Cape Town and the Asante King for his ‘bold, proactive, the Otumfuo community at the Manhyia the traditional shout, called “pre”, to

Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Maseru in ca," said Foster. Victoria Falls. And it will be good for those and decisive and remarkable leadership Palace in Kumasi. acknowledge the gesture of Goldstar Air.
Lesotho, Sikhuphe in Eswatini, Bula- The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) tourists who only want to look at the skills’ that have made the Asanteman Bannerman said the citation represent- The Ashanti Region is the cultural

wayo in Zimbabwe, Gaborone, Maun has said one of the biggest develop- highlights of the region," Chidzidzi said. Q Kingdom more visible on the world map. ed the company’s love for him as one of heartbeat of Ghana. Q
World Airnews | February 2021 World Airnews | February 2021
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