Blue Sky plans to challenge Air Botswana on scheduled flights

ICAO removes SSCs against Botswana

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has uplifted two Significant Safety Concerns (SSC) levelled against Botswana after the Southern African nation successfully passed an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) audit early last month.

The SSCs were originally imposed in 2013 after a then ICVM audit identified serious shortcomings in the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana's (CAAB) regulation of Air Operations and Airworthiness.

At the time, the ICAO found that major modifications and major aircraft repairs on Botswana-registered aircraft were being carried out without CAAB approval despite laws requiring its consent. The CAAB subsequently engaged PM Aviation Consultancy to provide technical support and oversight to help Botswana achieve compliance. At ICAO's behest, the authority also suspended the licensing of new aircraft while requiring all existing and start-up airlines as well as MRO centres to undergo recertification according to revised Civil Aviation (Air Operator Certification and Administration) Regulations.

As such, the removal of the SSCs and CAAB's renewed ability to certify new airlines is expected to benefit the local aviation scene most notably start-ups such as BlueSky Airways...

Botswana's Blue Sky Airways hunting for B737 Classics

BlueSky Airways (BKY, Gaborone) is looking to replace the 28 year-old B737-200(Adv) it leases from Flying Mission Services (Gaborone) with either a B737-300 or a B737-500 Managing Director Mark Spicer has told African Aerospace in an interview.

According to Spicer, the need for relatively 'newer' aircraft comes as the airline pursues its own Air Operator Certificate (AOC). Botswana's 2013 decision to recertify all locally-based carriers to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards left Blue Sky in limbo as under the country's revised civil aviation regulations, A2-FMX (msn 23520) was deemed too old for commercial operations.

“We were informed that the B737, which we previously had on the registry, was no longer qualified because they put in a 22-year rule,” Spicer said.

Unable to secure a plane without an AOC and without a plane to complete its AOC, the airline has been stuck on Phase Four of its certification drive despite being awarded its Air Services Licence (ASL) in January of this year.

As such, BlueSky has been...

Botswana's Blue Sky to develop Gaborone regional hub

BlueSky Airways (BKY, Gaborone) Managing Director, Mark Spicer, says his airline is still keen on entering the scheduled domestic and regional services market with a view to developing Gaborone into a hub. Speaking to African Aerospace, Spicer said Blue Sky was in talks with several unidentified international airlines concerning possible interline or codeshare agreements.

“We feel that a satellite hub has huge potential. We are looking at flying from Gaborone to the capitals of the surrounding countries but that will take us a couple of years to grow into. We will start with three cities and go from there… Our first route will probably be Gaborone to Cape Town,” he said.

At present, Blue Sky operates charter flights using a B737-200Adv., A2-FMX (msn 23520) sourced from parent Flying Mission Services (Gaborone). It has, in the past, announced plans to acquire four Boeing 737 aircraft which would then take it into direct competition with local state-backed carrier, Air Botswana (BP, Gaborone).

Blue Sky Airways start domestic charters in Botswana with a B737-200