Inside the Fragile Systems Supporting Africa's Fleet Expansion
Inside the Fragile Systems Supporting Africa's Fleet Expansion Derek Nseko The easiest way to misunderstand African aviation is to look at the airplane. On the continent, the real question begins only after the delivery ceremony is over. Who will maintain it? Who will train the crews beyond the first intake? Where will the spare engine come from when the first one goes off wing? How long will a grounded aircraft sit before it flies again? And when the OEM’s global system is under strain, where do we fit in the queue? Those questions define whether an aircraft becomes an asset or a liability. They are also why so many airlines on the continent struggle not because demand is absent, but because the ecosystem around the aircraft is too thin to sustain the ambition placed on it. Of course, aircraft choice itself still matters. Right sizing remains critical, and routes and networks must be aligned with the realities of demand. But even the most well-matched aircraft will falter ...