A landmark Pretoria High Court ruling has removed Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) requirements from the licensing process for international airlines operating to and from South Africa, providing greater regulatory certainty for foreign carriers serving the country. The judgment follows legal action brought by business organisation Sakeliga against the International Air Services Council (IASC), which had sought to consider B-BBEE compliance and other race-based

Gulfstream Aerospace has unveiled its latest business jet developments to the European market, with the Gulfstream G300 and G400 making their public debut at the company’s exclusive Discover the Difference event in Farnborough. The showcase featured a full-scale mock-up of the new super-midsize G300 alongside one of the three G400 flight-test aircraft currently participating in the certification programme. The event provided customers and industry stakeholders with an up-clos

Before Bell delivered the first certified helicopter, the future of vertical flight was proven with an egg. While pilots and engineers struggled with the uncertainties of rotorcraft technology, a single demonstration showed how physics could not just make it possible, but safe. This became the spark that led Bell into pioneering a new era of aviation. A Visionary in Aviation Larry Bell’s lifelong passion for aviation led him to start the Bell Aircraft Corporation, now Bell Te

A major step forward in developing South Africa’s future aviation workforce has been marked with the launch of the WorldSkills South Africa - Elangeni Aircraft Maintenance Academy, a pioneering initiative aimed at bringing specialised aviation training opportunities to young people from underserved communities. Officially launched at Elangeni TVET College’s Inanda Campus, north of Durban, the academy is the first facility within South Africa’s public education sector dedicate

By Garth Calitz The Industrial town of Secunda was the temporary home of the prestigious Presidents' Trophy Air Race for the 2026 edition. Secunda was built around the world's largest coal-to-liquids fuel facility operated by Sasol. This monster of industry is painfully visible from the airfield. Established in the 1970s to produce synthetic fuel and reduce the country's dependence on imported oil, the town has become a major economic hub in the area. Likewise, the Secunda F

By Garth Calitz After a long afternoon of waiting to find out who did what in this year's Presidents' Trophy Air Race, the Gala Dinner finally arrived. The formal function was held at the Boesies, which is located on the Lake Umuzi campus, which is a stone's throw from the Secunda Airfield. Tarry and Iaan Myburgh, the dynamic couple who were the driving force behind the 2026 PTAR, were forced out of their comfort zone completely when the regular MC, David le Roux, had to att

By Garth Calitz The proposed development of Cape Winelands Airport has reached a major milestone after the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP) officially concluded the appeals process relating to the project’s Environmental Authorisation. In a final ruling, the Minister for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Wilhelm Bredell, dismissed all remaining appeals lodged against the development, effect

By Rob Russell Airbus Helicopters recently held an event at the Denel Overberg Test Range to show off their multifunctional flexrotor and discuss their various UASs and what they can do and where Airbus is taking drone development. The event was hosted by Nam-Binh Hoang, MD of Airbus South Africa. After welcoming everyone, he gave a brief overview of what Airbus does in Southern Africa, the services and support it provides in the Commercial, Helicopter, Defence and Space fiel

Saab has officially rolled out the first Gripen F two-seat fighter aircraft destined for the Brazilian Air Force, marking a significant milestone in the long-standing partnership between Sweden and Brazil. The aircraft was presented during a ceremony held on 2 June at Saab's production facilities in Linköping, Sweden. The Gripen F is the two-seat variant of the latest-generation Gripen E fighter and has been specifically developed to meet the evolving training and operational

Boeing's MQ-28 autonomous combat aircraft has successfully completed its first international flight operations, conducting a series of test missions in the United States airspace and marking a significant milestone in the programme's development. The Australia-developed aircraft recently conducted three operational test flights over the Pacific Ocean from the Point Mugu Sea Range at the U.S. Naval Base Ventura County, California. The deployment marks the first time the MQ-28