AeroTrail

Introduction.

The Airports Council International – ACI Africa working paper on Safety Fundamentals: Aerodrome Certification highlights major disparities in global certification, with rates as low as 33% in Western and Central Africa and 52% in Eastern and Southern Africa, compared to much higher levels in other regions. While progress has been made through joint ICAO-ACI initiatives such as APEX in Safety and iPACK, many airports—particularly smaller ones—continue to face regulatory, technical, and resource challenges. The paper stresses that aerodrome certification must be treated as a global safety priority, urging States to prioritize the certification of all airports and to actively support industry-led initiatives, such as ACI’s pilot program, designed to help airports achieve compliance. This coordinated approach, the paper argues, is essential to closing regional gaps, strengthening regulatory oversight, and ensuring safe, sustainable growth of global air transport.

Conferences & Events.

The 9th Aviation AFRICA Summit & Exhibition 2025, held on September 4–5 at the Kigali Convention Centre, brought together over 2,000 delegates and more than 100 exhibitors, making it one of the continent’s most significant aviation gatherings. Hosted by the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority, Rwanda Airports Company (RAC), and RwandAir, and co-organized with Times Aerospace Events and UGAACO, the summit ran under the theme “Collaborating to unlock Africa’s aviation growth.” Discussions centered on sustainable aviation, infrastructure expansion, intra-African connectivity, and advanced technologies, with a dedicated Drone & Advanced Air Mobility track in partnership with the African Drone Forum. Key highlights included the live demonstration of the EHang EH216-S electric air taxi, positioning Rwanda as a frontrunner in urban air mobility, and presentations on the upcoming Bugesera International Airport, designed to handle up to 14 million passengers annually and 150,000 tons of cargo.