Page 7 - World Airnews September 2020 Edition
P. 7

NEWS


                                    GETTING BACK


                                    TO BUSINESS






































                                             so that they can pool resources and travel   third with over two million, Brazil is second
                                             in one car.” he said.              highest with over three million and the USA

                 eneral Aviation is never going   As far as the sales market is concerned, Kig-  has over five million.


         Gto be the same again. We are       gen said, now is the time to purchase as own-  The webinar looked at how general avia-



          going to have to invent new ways of doing   ers are either off-loading or looking to buy.  tion is being affected by Covid-19 and what

          business. Things have changed, and they   He said the South African market is en-  needs to be done to survive. The question


          are going to keep on changing.     tirely different from that of Nigeria – where   was posed “How will GA survive when there
           These are some of the comments made   more expensive jets are being purchased.  has always been such a strong parallel link


          by Gavin Kiggen, vice president Africa   Kiggen was commenting after a recent   between commercial and GA indicators?”

          ExecuJet – an industry professional with   AFBAA webinar that looked at the state of   The current situation shows that OEMs are

          many years’ experience – in light of the   the general aviation industry in the world   delivering less, and that there are huge lay-

          Covid-19 pandemic and the effects it has   and South Africa in light of the Covid-19   offs and retrenchments among Bombardier,




          had on this sector of the aviation industry.  pandemic. Recent statistics from John Hop-  Textron and Gulfstream. This will affect South




           Following the lifting of restrictions in   kins University reveal that South Africa is   African AMO's, FBO's and sales organisations.


          South Africa to level two – allowing for   the fifth highest in the world with 559, 859   Consider that during the quarter that end-
          leisure travel between provinces - Kiggen   cases, fourth is Russia with 890 799, India is   ed March 31, piston airplane deliveries had
          said this move has not been good for the                              declined 11.7 percent, with 219 airframes;
          charter industry as airline fares are rock                            turboprop airplane deliveries dropped a


          bottom and it is just not cost-effective to                           whopping 41.8 percent, with 71 airframes;

          put even a Pilatus PC-12 in the air.                                  and business jet deliveries declined 19.1
           As far as the December season goes, he                               percent, with 114 airframes when compared

          said, he is worried about how the indus-                              to the same time period in 2019.

          try will fare as South Africa sits with the                             On the rotorcraft side, turbine helicopter

          fifth-highest number of Covid-19 cases in                             deliveries declined 18.3 percent with 85

          the world.                                                            airframes, while piston helicopter deliver-
           “We are going to have to give our clients                            ies declined 43.9 percent sending just 37
          a reason to fly with us. We are going to                              machines out the door. Of the 404 total


          have to operate on a different level and in                           delivers in the first quarter, the major-

                                                                                ity–294–went to North America, 98 to
          a more intelligent way. For instance, we                              Europe and nine to South America.

          will start to bring back some staff to our



          national office as clients want to interact                             Industry experts and stakeholders are

          with people, not computers. We will not                               awaiting second quarter delivery numbers
          bring back a full complement, only half.                              that should appear later in the year that will



          Teams will work in shifts, and we will also                           reflect a better picture of the impact the
          select those that come from the same area                             Covid-19 virus has had on the industry. Q
                                                   World Airnews | September 2020
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