African Pilot Newsletter No. 09 - 2011

African Pilot Newsletter 09 - 2011

Monday 28 February 2011

“Our problems are man-made; therefore they may be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.”  John F. Kennedy

African Pilot off to Botswana this week

In order to assist with Sefofane Charter's re-branding campaign, I travelled to Maun on Sunday for the launch on Tuesday therefore this AP newsletter has been delivered to you from the depth of the southern African bush. I will be back in my office briefly on Wednesday before leaving for Cape Town on Thursday.

African Pilot to Cape Town 3 March 2011

I will be travelling to Cape Town on 3 March for a long overdue visit to African Pilot's customers in the region over the weekend as well as to attend the Swellendam airshow on Saturday 5 March. This means that I will be spending the morning of Friday 4 March at Cape Town International Airport visiting customers based at the airport, before driving through to Swellendam in the afternoon. Please contact me on our land line 0861 001130 or cellular 082 5522940 or e-mail: editor@africanpilot.co.za if we can arrange an appointment whilst I am in the 'mother city'. Thank you. 

Introducing African Pilot's aviation portal

African Pilot's aviation portal is gaining momentum as more aviation businesses becoming involved. Please visit: http://www.apmag.info/. Don't miss out on the opportunity to become part of the on-line aviation community. This is getting BIGGER and BETTER!

African Pilot's April edition

Now that the March edition has been fully distributed, our team is preparing the April edition, which will not have a specific feature due to the Aviation Services Guide that will be packaged together with this magazine. In this edition we will be featuring the brand new Cirrus SR22T (first in South Africa), Nigel Hopkins's brand new MX-2, Dale de Klerk's new Pioneer 400 and several other new innovations in aviation. For advertising positions please contact Willie Bodenstein on 0861 001130 or e-mail: willie@africanpilot.co.za. The April edition's deadline is Friday 4 March. 

Annual Aviation Services Guide

Once a year our team prepares African Pilot's annual Aviation Services Guide, which traditionally has been packaged together with the April edition for national distribution. The deadline for the AP Services Guide was Friday 25 February, but we still have some available space for late entries. Advertising positions within this important reference document cost as little as R300 for a line listing, to R6000 for a full page, including multiple detailed listings. It should be noted that the African Pilot Aviation Services Guide is the only reference document that is correctly distributed throughout the African continent due to the fact that it is packaged together with the monthly magazine. This is your last chance for a listing that will also be on the African Pilot website / HUB for a full year. Please contact Willie Bodenstein at: e-mail: willie@africanpilot.co.za or call him at 0861 001130. 

What is happening this week in aviation?

Kitty Hawk Flying Club Aviation evening

On Tuesday 1 March 2011 at 18h00 until 20h00 Kitty Hawk will present a guest speaker:
Dr. Rudi Brits and the topic under discussion will be Medical factors impacting flight safety. The clubhouse restaurant will be serving a light meal on the night and a cash bar will be available. RSVP to: Irmari, latest today Monday 28 February e-mail: office@kitty-hawk.co.za. Please also make a note in your diaries for the next talk on 5 April 2011as the club has an interesting speaker and VERY important topic lined up!

EAA Chapter 322 meeting by Gordon Dyne

Members, guests and frankly anybody who loves aviation in all its forms with a passion are advised that the March meeting of EAA Chapter 322 is to be held as usual at the Dickie Fritz MOTH Hall in Dowerglen, Edenvale this coming Wednesday 2 March at 19h00 for 19h30.

This evening promises another rip-roaring meeting under the usual stewardship of Chairman Captain Karl Jensen. Karl is a little stressed at the moment due to problems he is incurring from the CAA with regard to the installation of a new Lycoming in his beloved ZU-VAL. I am sure we will all learn more during the meeting.

After the usual half time intake of various bevies, we will be privileged to have two guest speakers who will be happy to impart their knowledge and experiences to our eager ears. Our main speaker Kevin Hopper, a member of 322, has designed, built, restored or been involved with 11 aircraft which have received EAA 'Best on Show' and 'Best Restoration' Awards. Kevin's presentation will focus on his design, construction and the flying of the Teddy, which is a Rotax powered Cub look-alike. Kevin's company Skyworx is based at Krugersdorp's Jack Taylor Airfield. It was Kevin's dedication and high standards that convinced Karl Jensen that it was Kevin who should install the new Lycoming in Karl's Cessna 170. Karl has no regrets whatsoever on this decision.

Making a second guest appearance on the 322 podium in as many months is our revered book-worm and philanthropist Brian Appleton. Brian will give a short illustrated talk on his recent trip to England where he went behind the lines at The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Should be fascinating. So I look forward to seeing you all there. Let us please have standing room only for what will be yet another tremendous evening.

For more information on EAA Chapter 322 please contact Chairman Karl Jensen on karlpix@icon.co.za or the delightful, hard working super star secretary Trixie Heron on editor@afskies.co.za. Thank you.

Other scheduled events

12 March Bultfontein airshow: ccontact Piet Vermaak e-mail: avermaak@absamail.co.za or

082 5713422. Unfortunately further details have not been supplied by the organisers.

18 to 21 March: EAA 322 Sun 'n Fun Volksrust contact Karl Jensen e-mail karlpiz@icon.co.za. Same weekend same venue!!! What a blast!!!

19 March: Mile High festival and airshow at Volksrust: Tel: 011 827 9301 contact Hannelie van der Walt e-mail: hannelie@placo.co.za or 082 3790346. This event is not to be missed. I will be flying in with my Cessna 182 ready for air-to-air photography of many of the wonderful home-built, store-bought, aerobatics, helicopters and other special planes that attend this most enjoyable weekend. 

26 March: SAPFA Fun Rally in Durban at Virginia airport contact Mary de Klerk e-mail: maryd@expandingbranding.co.za. Willie Bodenstein will be covering this event for African Pilot.

RV-10 project up for grabs

Due to unforeseen circumstances one of Robin Coss Aviation's customers has had to give up his dream project, therefore a brand new RV-10 build project available. The aircraft kit will be arriving next week in the country, so don't delay! This RV-10 could be yours! Take this spot in the production line.

R600 000 deposit secures the deal.

Equipment: 2 x Dynon EFIS SkyView, with Garmin avionics and built in autopilot available.

Contact Robin Coss for further information:
info@cossaviation.com or 021 385 1601 or 082 894 0986.

Want to travel to the ultimate aviation Mecca?

Oshkosh AirVenture is around the corner and if you have Avgas or JetA running in your veins you must undergo this pilgrimage at least once in your lifetime. This will be my 11^th visit to Oshkosh in a row because I regard EAA's AirVenture as the most important annual aviation General Aviation event in the world. You will walk your feet into a coma, but there are remedies. You will laugh so much in the South African camp that you split your sides. You will meet sooooo many wonderful people involved in all types of aviation. You will take so many pictures that will keep you busy for a month after you return. You will have many stories to tell, some incredibly hard to believe and others that are genuine.

Want to visit Oshkosh this year?

I have travelled to Oshkosh with Neil Bowden's Air Adventure Tours ten times - always camping and enjoyed every living moment of the experience. There are only three things that I don't like about camping: The bogs, the walk to the ablutions and having to pack up to go home. Last year's rains and flooding was an exception and EAA has undertaken serious earthworks constructing water drainage channels during the year so that there will not be a repeat of the flooding if there are exceptional rains again. The ablutions have been upgraded with flushing loos and many other upgrades have taken place. The comaradie within the South African camp is exceptional and at the same time you are a 'stones throw' from the entrance gates to the exhibition grounds. Neil can be contacted on his e-mail: neil1@telkomsa.net or call him on 084 6745674. The present price is R17 850 per person excluding airport taxes.

Alternative Oshkosh trip

Travel with Calvin Fabig's Designer Tours, which offers a variety of other US destinations attached to the AirVenture Oshkosh tour or you can choose to only do the Oshkosh tour. Calvin arranges for accommodation in hotels nearby and understandably this tour is more expensive. Get ready to book now, because Calvin only has 30 places and these are being booked up fast. Prices start at R26 400 per person sharing but please contact Designer Tours on 021 788 8440 or e-mail: calvin@designer.co.za for exact details.

EAA AirVenture opening concert

After a full opening day of flying on Monday, 25 July the excitement continues into the evening as the legendary rock band REO Speedwagon performs its classic hits in concert, courtesy of Ford Motor Company. The performance, free of charge to all AirVenture guests that day, will be held adjacent to the Ford Motor Company Hangar immediately following the afternoon air show. “The opening day concert is the marquee kick-off event to what is sure to be a week filled with highlights for AirVenture attendees of all ages,” said Tom Poberezny, EAA and AirVenture chairman. “This marks the sixth consecutive year Ford is making this popular opening day tradition possible. By securing another fantastic band in REO Speedwagon, AirVenture 2011 promises to get off to a rockin' start!”

AWSA News ‏

Amendments to Part 187 of the Civil Aviation Regulations

A draft copy of a Gazette has been placed on the SA CAA website in which amendments to Part 187 are published. Part 187 covers the fees charged by the SA CAA. The Gazette is not numbered and the monitors of AWSA are unable to determine if the Gazette has been published or not. The new fees come into effect on 1 March 2011. These amendments were published in September 2010 for comment.

A copy of the Notice is attached at: http://www.awsa.co.za/sites/default/fil. 

Passenger safety charges

In a previous edition of the ASWA News it was indicated that the Passenger Safety Charge had increased from R10 to R12. The previous fee was in fact R11.

Board of the Civil Aviation Authority

An amended list of members eligible for appointment to the Board of the Civil Aviation Authority has been published in Gazette 33982 of 4 February 2011. This list was amended as a result of objections against the list previously published.

A copy of the Notice is attached at http://www.awsa.co.za/sites/default/fil

ICASA delegated functions to the SA CAA

Included in Gazette 33995 is an agreement between the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa and the SA CAA in which certain functions of ICASA are delegated to the SA CAA. The functions delegated relate mainly to the testing and issue of Restricted and General Radio licenses for pilots and operators of ground radio stations.

A copy of the Gazette is attached at http://www.awsa.co.za/sites/default/fil.

Boeing airline planning seminar

More than 40 representatives from 15 airlines and two financial institutions joined Boeing in Johannesburg, South Africa, this week to discuss the latest industry trends and share thoughts and ideas for maximizing success in one of the world's toughest industries. The participants joined Boeing's Sales team for Africa to attend Boeing's five-day intensive course that covers many aspects of the aviation industry.

The Boeing team organized the seminar as an opportunity to share business best practices with the various airlines and financiers. Throughout the week, eight Boeing executives and subject matter experts presented information on the aviation market outlook, fleet planning and optimisation, aviation economics, branding and positioning as well as various other critical aspects to operating a successful airline. In addition delegates were engaged in group discussions of experience and knowledge. Boeing forecasts delivery of more than 700 airplanes with a value of approximately $80 billion for the African airplane market over the next 20 years.

“The African economy continues to outpace global economic growth,” said J. Miguel Santos, Boeing Sales director for South Africa. “Aviation is a big part of this growth, both for stimulating the economies, but also as the economies grow, more people are in a position to travel to and from the regions of Africa.”

Boeing wins aerial tanker saga

On Thursday the Pentagon announced that Boeing had been awarded a $35 billion contract from the US Air Force to produce 179 next-generation aerial tankers.  Boeing would be paid more than $3.5 billion to deliver the first 18 of the new aircraft by 2017. Nearly a decade ago the USAF put the contract up for bid and since then Boeing and Airbus owner EADS were locked in a titanic struggle over the lucrative contract. Several twists and turns ensued involving charges of impropriety, jail terms and intense political pressure by lawmakers from several states where the planes would be built.

The first plan was to lease and eventually buy 100 modified B767 tankers from Boeing but that plan was scrapped amid charges of impropriety between a Boeing and Pentagon officials in 2002, landing several Boeing executives in jail. When bidding was reopened EADS partnered with Northrop Grumman to build tankers in Mobile, Alabama, based on its civilian A330 airliner. Boeing's bid involved a designed based on it B767 airliner. The Pentagon awarded a 179-plane deal to EADS in 2008, but Boeing protested and government auditors agreed with enough parts of the protest to cause the deal to be scrapped. Northrop dropped out of the second round of bidding leaving EADS to compete with Boeing alone.

Nano Hummingbird means that bird may be watching you

The next time you see a hummingbird at your birdfeeder, make sure it's a flesh-and-blood bird and not a mechanical impostor. The 6.5-inch-tall Nano Hummingbird 'two-wing flapping wing aircraft' from AeroVironment has demonstrated precision hovering, fast forward flight and even a 360-degree loop, doing a pretty good imitation of the real thing.

Surging oil prices due to political turmoil in the Middle East

The political unrest that has swept the key oil-producing Middle East and North African region, including Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and Iran, has stoked fears of disruption to global crude supplies and led to price spikes. The troubles have kept oil at two-year highs, with Brent North Sea crude for delivery in April up 22 cents at $106 a barrel. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for April, rose four cents to $95.46.

“Oil is a big problem because it could change the picture completely” for the sector, said the chief of IATA, which represents some 230 airlines comprising 93 per cent of scheduled international air traffic. Bisignani said high energy prices could turn what had been “forecast to be a profitable year into a very complicated year”.

The forecast was based on an oil price of $84 per barrel for Brent crude. On Tuesday Libya was gripped by turmoil as leader Muammar Gaddafi ordered his supporters to crush an uprising and warned he would fight to the death to remain in charge of the country he has ruled since 1969. “This is my country, my country,” he raged on national television. “I will fight to the last drop of my blood.” The violence across the country, inspired by the toppling of the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt, has seen hundreds of ordinary citizens killed at the hands of Gaddafi's henchmen. Uprisings have broken out across the region, including in Morocco, Yemen, Bahrain and Iran. However, further crude oil price rises could be capped after Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said the OPEC oil cartel would step in to meet any supply shortage caused by the turmoil.

Editor comments

The leaders of the ruling ANC party in South Africa should sit up and take note of uprising developments in North Africa, because in many instances the ruling party has failed dismally to address the real issues of their voters. In real terms most ordinary citizens of South Africa are worse off today than they were 18 years ago when the first democratic election was won by the ANC party.

China to spend $230 billion on aviation sector

China plans to invest more than 1.5 trillion yuan ($228.2 billion) in the aviation industry over the next five years to meet surging demand as its economy booms. By 2015, the country is expected to have more than 220 commercial airports and its fleet size will expand to more than 4 500 planes, Li Jiaxiang, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), told reporters.

“The ability of the civil aviation sector to serve the national economy and the public will be further strengthened” by that time, Li told a news conference. Currently the country has 175 commercial airports in operation and keeps more than 2 600 aircraft in its fleet, according to Li. China has 43 airlines, including eight privately owned carriers. The major airlines are Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.

The government encourages private investment in the civil aviation sector and three new private airlines will soon submit business applications to the regulator, Li added. Demand for air traffic is booming as the world's second-largest economy roars ahead on near double-digit growth and increasingly affluent Chinese people are travelling more frequently.

A total of 267 million air passenger trips were recorded in China in 2010, up 15.8 percent from the previous year, official figures showed. Li admitted the country's expanding high-speed rail network could lure passengers away from airlines, particularly on short-haul trips under 500 kilometres (310 miles), but said the competition would spur airlines. “The impact of high-speed trains will help the civil aviation sector to improve its management and control ... and provide faster and more convenient service to the passengers,” he said.

US drone kills five militants in NW Pakistan

Late on Sunday a US drone attack killed at least five militants in northwest Pakistan's lawless South Waziristan tribal district, officials said. The drone strike was the first since a US gunman shot and killed two Pakistanis in the eastern city of Lahore on 27 January, triggering a diplomatic row between Pakistan and its key terror ally the United States.

“Five militants were killed in a strike a house used by militants” a military official said. An intelligence official who confirmed the attack put the toll at six dead and three wounded. The unmanned aircraft fired three missiles at the house in Kaza Panga village, 15 kilometres west of Wana, the main town in South Waziristan.

Washington has been at pains to play down talks of a rift with Pakistan over the detention of Raymond Davis, a US diplomat who shot the two men in a busy Lahore street. The US has argued that Davis, who claims to have fired in self-defence, should be released under diplomatic immunity. It was not immediately clear if there were any high-profile victims in the latest drone strike on the tribal areas, which are close to the Afghan border and a key battleground in the fight against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. The United States does not confirm drone attacks, but its military and its Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operating in Afghanistan are the only forces that deploy them in the region. The US strikes are deeply unpopular among the Pakistani public, who see foreign military action on Pakistani soil as a violation of national sovereignty.

Missile attacks doubled in the tribal areas last year as the covert campaign was stepped up, with more than 100 drone strikes killing over 670 people in 2010 compared with 45 strikes that killed 420 in 2009. Pakistan tacitly cooperates with the bombing campaign, which US officials say has severely weakened Al-Qaeda's leadership. Washington says the strikes have killed a number of high-value targets, including the former Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud.

AgustaWestland debuts the AW139M helicopter

AgustaWestland announced the debut of the AW139M, the customised military version of the multi-role, AW139 helicopter, integrated with proven US military technology for the US Air Force's Common Vertical Lift Support Programme. The AW139M is being featured at the AFA Air Warfare Symposium and is offered for the US military market.

“AgustaWestland meets every US Air Force CVLSP mission requirement while offering substantial acquisition and operational savings,” said R. Scott Rettig, chief executive officer, AgustaWestland North America. “The innovation and investment made by AgustaWestland ensures the lowest risk, most cost effective replacement for the CVLSP platform.”

Manufactured in the company's Philadelphia facility and tailored with US military technology from suppliers across the nation, the AW139M includes a high-definition FLIR, self protection equipment including infrared detection and countermeasures, avionics and heavy duty landing gear. For military missions, the AW139M features a low thermal and acoustic signature and is available with a full ice protection system, allowing all-weather operation at the US Air Force's northern-tier missile bases.

Skymark Airlines of Japan confirms order for four A380s

Japan's third largest and fast growing airline Skymark, signed a contract for four A380s with Airbus, firming up a Memorandum of Understanding announced in November 2010. The contract was signed on Thursday 17 February, during a ceremony held at Airbus'headquarters in Toulouse, France, in the presence of Skymark Airlines President, Shinichi Nishikubo, Airbus President and CEO, Tom Enders and Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers, John Leahy, together with Airbus Japan CEO, Stephane Ginoux.

Today, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and Air France operate the aircraft on daily services to Narita Airport. Starting from 27 March 2011, Singapore Airlines will extend its A380 operation from Narita to Los Angeles, while Korean Air's first A380 service to Narita is scheduled on 1 June this year. Airbus currently has firm orders for 244 A380s from 19 customers worldwide, whilst 43 aircraft have been delivered to five customers.

Rest rules could create pilot shortage?

American Airlines says proposed rules intended to reduce pilot fatigue would require it to hire an additional 2 325 pilots at a cost of $514 million annually and seemed to suggest the industry-wide effect could be crippling. The rules would effectively decrease maximum time on duty for pilots. In November, American offered public comments on the rules, saying “if AA needs 2 300 more pilots to meet the proposed rules, other certificate holders will need many additional pilots as well.” Stakeholders also claim that the regulation's cost will be substantially higher than the FAA's estimate of $1.25 billion over 10 years. The Air Transport Association says the rule would cost more than 15 times that figure. As for the total number of pilots needed to meet the requirements of the bill, American said, “The industry figure will be so large as to raise the question of from where they all will come.” American wasn't the only carrier to express concern.

FAA overturns airport glider ban

In a precedent-setting decision, the operator of a Southern California airport has been ordered by the FAA to allow resumption of glider operations or risk losing its federal grants. As we reported in 2009, Riverside County evicted more than 40 gliders and closed the grass strip they used, citing safety concerns. The agency ruled last week the county's reasoning was 'flawed' and after studying the issue, determined the airport layout will accommodate the 'safe simultaneous operations of glider and powered aircraft.' The crux of the matter was whether safety was used as a cover for discrimination against the gliders and the FAA suggested the eviction was an 'unreasonable denial' of use at the airport. 'The (county) is obligated by its grant assurances … to operate the airport, not just specific pieces of infrastructure on it -- on reasonable terms and without unjust discrimination,' the FAA said in its decision.

Man told plane was stolen two years ago

On Wednesday, a man walked into the local Sheriff's office to report that his aircraft, a 1955 Cessna 310, had been stolen from Turlock Airport (roughly 90 miles east of San Francisco), about two years ago. It seems the victim bought the plane on the east coast back in 2007, flew it across the country and parked it in his hangar. Details are sketchy, but the victim apparently left his plane unchecked until the FAA contacted him to let him know the aircraft had been sold in 2009, or was otherwise out of compliance. When the victim went to check on the aircraft, he discovered it was missing. Merced deputy Tom Mackenzie told local newspaper The Merced Sun Star that it appears the aircraft had been flown off the airport and that the criminal had then forged signatures on a bill of sale dated April 2009, before selling the aircraft to another person.

Editor comments

Does this not sound so similar to what happened at a certain used plane seller based at Lanseria International Airport some years back?

GAMA: No turnaround in 2010, but perhaps this year

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association released its annual industry report on Tuesday, showing that aircraft deliveries continued to fall in 2010 despite improvements in the global and US economies. Deliveries of GA aircraft fell by 11.4 % overall in 2010 compared to the year before. Piston deliveries were down by 7.7 %, from 963 units to 889; turboprops declined 17.7 %, from 441 units to 363 and business jets fell from 870 deliveries in 2009 to 763 last year, a drop of 12.3 %. John Rosanvallon, CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet and chairman of GAMA, said shipments traditionally lag an economic recovery by one to two years and signs are good for the industry to start a rebound in 2011.

SA to join counter-piracy fight by Leon Engelbrecht DefenceWeb

Cabinet has tasked Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Lindiwe Sisulu with developing a strategy to address the threat of piracy in Southern African waters. Sisulu told a media briefing this morning the Valour-class frigate SAS Mendi was already off Mozambique informally collecting information on piracy and cooperating with authorities there “to ensure maritime security in Southern African waters.”

Government spokesman Jimmy Manyi at a post-Cabinet media briefing earlier said the executive had “noted the increasing threat of piracy in South African waters and agreed to explore initiatives aimed at assisting Somalia to counter some of the root causes of piracy.” Government also “further supported the implementation of the Eastern and Southern African-Indian Ocean (EAS-IO) strategy to combat piracy along the coast of Somalia and the greater Southern African waters.”

Manyi said the strategy, once completed, would be put to Cabinet for consideration. He noted the “strategy that will focus on South Africa's stance in relation to stabilising the political situation in Somalia; the legislative framework dealing with criminals involved in piracy; the positioning and strengthening of South African naval forces' capacity in relation to the continent and other countries; and co-opting assistance from neighbouring countries.”

Sisulu added at a Cabinet cluster briefing afterwards that depending on the contents of the strategy and Cabinet's decision, Project Biro, the SA Navy programme to acquire new patrol vessels to replace some nine obsolete and worn-out small ships may again move to the proverbial front burner. “The frigates are too big and expensive to operate for counter-piracy patrols,” Sisulu said. She averred that Biro 'was shelved last year' as it was 'not such an immediate option for us.'

South Africa's “main priority is the continuity of trade and the smooth movement of cargo within the SADC (Southern African Development Community) maritime zone.” Sisulu continued that the Cabinet decision follows a pirate attack on a Mozambican vessel in that country's territorial waters on 28 December. Afterwards Maputo asked for South Africa's assistance in combating the scourge under an existing Memorandum of Understanding.

The decision comes as Reuters reports that pirate gang leaders have agreed to pay al-Shabaab insurgents, who profess loyalty to al-Qaeda 20% of all future ransoms. They also agreed to have hijacked ships anchor at the port town of Haradhere, pirates sources old the news service. “After negotiation we signed the 20 percent ransom share to Al Shabaab and they released our leaders today. Now our relationship with Al Shabaab has improved,” a pirate who identified himself as Ali told Reuters by phone from Haradhere overnight.

Last week Reuters also reported piracy was evolving into a trans-national, organised criminal network that risked becoming ingrained in the country's economic and social structures. Donna L. Hopkins, coordinator of Counter Piracy and Maritime Security for the US government, said it had become apparent that other nationalities were hoping to reap the benefits of what has become an increasingly lucrative activity. Reuters has previously reported the arrest of pirates hailing from Kenya, Yemen and Ethiopia (which has no coast), in addition to Somalis. “Somali piracy has grown from being essentially a garden variety, local, off the coast protest against illegal fishing ... into a seriously networked and capable, trans-national, organised and criminal enterprise,” she said. “We think there are other fishermen, fishermen other than Somali nationality, who are colluding in this business and helping to share the spoils.”

Ransom payments have shot up over the last five years and now average around US$4.5 million to US$5 million per ship, from around US$150,000 to US$300,000 previously, according to Dieter Berg, head of the marine division at re-insurer Munich Re.

Last week Norwegian shipping magnate Jacob Stolt-Nielsen added stronger measures were needed to deal with pirates, saying “The only way to put this business in decline is to hang them.” He expresses his frustration at what he claims is the international community's half-hearted approach to piracy, as pirates are often captured and released but seldom tried successfully in international courts. For instance, on 12 February, the Danish command ship HDMS Esbern Snare stopped a suspicious vessel with two skiffs on its deck. A boarding party found equipment used for pirating ships, including boarding ladders, automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades. 14 suspected pirates were arrested and two Yemeni hostages released, but the pirates were taken ashore and released as there was not enough evidence, despite all the equipment found, for a conviction in a Danish court. “The only language these pirates understand is force,” Stolt-Nielsen told the Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv (DN). “Sinking their ship will all hands aboard is the way to solve the problem.”

Experts say 2011 will be one of the worst years for piracy. Presently there are approximately 700 crew and 30 ships being held by pirates, with many of these being used as bargaining tools and human shields, it is common for pirates to bring hostages out on deck and beat them if a warship comes too close. Indeed, pirates are becoming increasingly violent and willing to retaliate against international naval forces. On January 26 an element of the international anti-piracy contingent unsuccessfully tried to free the crew of the captured Beluga Nomination and killed a pirate in the process. In retaliation the pirates murdered a Filipino crewmember.

Last month the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) warned that an “unacceptably high proportion of ships transiting the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean” were not taking the threat of piracy seriously by heeding warnings or taking measures to protect their ships. In a circular letter to IMO members, the United Nations, intergovernmental, non-governmental and other organisations, the IMO said that naval forces off the coast of Somalia have observed many ships in area that are not registered with the Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa; are not reporting to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Dubai; show no piracy deterrents and are not acting on warnings of pirate activity. At least 25% of commercial ships passing through the Gulf of Aden ignore safety precautions.

“NATO has taken to phoning up ships within 50 miles of a mothership sighting to warn them of the risk because ships are not reading the warnings they put out,” spokesman Colonel Richard Spencer said. “They are sailing blind,” he said. “There is a reason why some flags consistently have the highest number of ships taken. I'm speechless as to why some flag states are not doing more.” He said naval forces had “observed non-compliance” on the ships of the top four flag states, Liberia, Panama, Marshall Islands and Bahamas.

In its annual report last month the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said pirates murdered eight seafarers and seized a record 1181 hostages as well 53 ships last year, a new low point. According to the IMB, the number of pirate attacks on ships around the world has risen every year for the past four years, with 445 incidents in 2010, which is an increase of 10% over 2009. 1050 crewmembers were taken hostage in 2009 compared with just 188 crewmembers in 2006. 293 incidents were reported in 2008 compared to 263 in 2007. The 2010 attacks included two confirmed cases of piracy in the Mozambique Channel between Africa and Madagascar near the Comoros in late December and two failed attempts some 200 kilometres east of Quelimane, capital of the central Mozambican province of Zambezia. The city is about halfway up the Mozambican coast and some 300km north of Beira.

Aviation humour

The United States Air Force has a high security, super secret base in Nevada, known simply as 'Area 51'.

One afternoon, a Cessna landed at this 'secret' base. The aircraft was immediately impounded and the pilot was interrogated.

The pilot's story was that he took off from Vegas, got lost and spotted the Base just as he was about to run out of fuel. The Air Force started a full FBI background check on the pilot and held him overnight during the investigation.

By the next day, they were finally convinced that the pilot really was lost and wasn't a spy. They re-fuelled his airplane, threatened him that if he lands again he would spend the rest of his life in prison and let him go.

The next day, to the total disbelief of the Air Force personnel, the same Cessna landed at the base again. Naturally the MPs surrounded the plane...only this time there were two people in the Cessna.

The same pilot jumped out and said, “Do anything you want to me, but my wife is in the plane and you have to tell her where I was last night!”

Until next week, please be 'Serious about flying'.

Athol Franz (Editor)

African Pilot 'Serious about flying'.