FlightGlobal
• David Kaminski-Morrow
A TRACEP-Congo Aviation Let L-410 crashed in Kenge, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Sept. 25 while flying from Kikwit to Kinshasa. Congolese military officials said at least 14 people died, including two senior military officials; other reports gave differing casualty totals.
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A TRACEP-Congo Aviation Let L-410 crashed in Kenge, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Sept. 25 while flying from Kikwit to Kinshasa. Congolese military officials said at least 14 people died, including two senior military officials; other reports gave differing casualty totals.
South African aerospace firm Paramount has launched the V-Raven, a vertical-takeoff-and-landing uncrewed aircraft optimized for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The company cites eight hours of endurance for its baseline ISR configuration and plans to introduce a light-attack variant.
Ethiopian Airlines has suspended scheduled flights from Addis Ababa to Mekelle, Axum and Shire in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region after Tigrayan forces reportedly took control of Mekelle airport. The disruption underscores renewed security risks and threatens air access to a region already facing instability and constrained essential services.
Togo-based ASKY Airlines plans to expand to 30 aircraft and 40 destinations within five years, including the launch of intercontinental services to Europe. The carrier also intends to establish a $100 million maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Lomé, strengthening its planned regional infrastructure footprint.
The African Airlines Association expects East African states to introduce free-route airspace operations in the first quarter of 2027. The planned change would mark a regional shift in how aircraft are routed through controlled airspace, with implications for airline operations and air traffic management.
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Ethiopian Airlines has received two additional new Boeing 737 MAX 8s, bringing its MAX fleet to 31 aircraft and its total fleet to 167. The deliveries reinforce the carrier’s continued fleet expansion and modernization strategy in Africa’s growing aviation market.
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Ethiopian Airlines suspended service to Mekelle, Axum and Shire after regional forces seized Mekelle Airport amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia. The cancellations underscore the immediate operational impact of deteriorating security conditions on air connectivity to Tigray.
Outgoing Kenya Airways CEO George Kamal outlines the carrier’s turnaround plan, including fleet recovery and expansion priorities, while discussing the broader future of African aviation. His departure adds a leadership transition to the airline’s effort to restore operational capability and pursue growth.
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