THIRD ANNUAL AVI AFRIQUE SUMMIT ELICITS

Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company Limited
Eastgate Office Park, Block C, South Boulevard Road, Bruma, 2198
Private Bag x15 Kempton Park 1620
Tel +27 11 607 1000
Fax +27 11 607 1570
www.atns.com
Wednesday, 29 October 2014
For Immediate Release
THIRD ANNUAL AVI AFRIQUE SUMMIT ELICITS ANIMATED AVIATION ENVIRONMENTAL
AND SAFETY DISCUSSIONS
Pretoria, South Africa. Air traffic safety in African airspace and environmental sustainability
dominated discussions and presentations at the third annual Air Traffic & Navigation Services (ATNS)
AVI Afrique 2014 Africa Aviation Innovation Summit held on 28th October 2014, at the CSIR
International Convention Centre in Pretoria.
The summit was attended by more than 150 international and local experts, academics and
industry decision-makers who shared information on challenges and solutions in aviation and air
navigation services in Africa.
“This summit provides room for international guests to share information in aviation and navigation
services and investigates the impact of research and technology on sustainability and innovation in
aviation in Africa,” says Thabane Mthiyane, CEO of ATNS. “As we continue to serve by deploying
technologies and introducing improvements to the air traffic and navigation environment we
understand that our excellence in business can only be appreciated through financial, social and
environmental sustainability.”
There were two panel discussions; the first discussed the impact of innovation by the aviation
industry on environmental sustainability and the second, the impact of innovation on air traffic
safety on the continent with particular regard to problems, trends, innovation and contributions to
air safety.
Environmental sustainability in aviation factors on the social, economic and environmental issues,
which consist of the freedom to travel fast, reliably and safely, with the $2,2 trillion global economic
impact of aviation, and the need to reduce global CO2 emissions and reduce noise pollution.
Panellists of the first discussion agreed that it is important to consider all three environmental pillars in
aviation, including aircraft technology, air traffic management and operations, and alternative
fuels. They also agreed that political will is crucial to achieving meaningful success, that African
players can benefit from the lessons learned by their European counterparts, and that a very good
starting point to achieving their aims is implementing the industry’s environmental management
system (EMS) practices - to create awareness and educate the industry.
The second panel discussion, which resulted in highly animated contributions, focused on safety.
Panellists highlighted the need for improved in-flight communications between aircraft and ground
stations in many locations in Africa, improved ground-to-ground communications particularly
around flight plan filing, and the need to introduce new technologies such as tablets and smart
devices into commercial cockpits quicker as they reduce cockpit workload and improve processes
and ultimately safety.
ATNS/HO/BD24
Page 1 of 3
Company Registration No. 1993/004150/06
Directors: MD Mamashela (Chairman), DST Mthiyane (Chief Executive Officer), MW Ndlovu (CFO)
FZ Msimang, HT Makhathini, FKN Tlhakudi, TN Mgoduso, SV Zilwa, SG Mseleku
Company Secretary: S Mngomezulu
15 October 2014
Around 150 delegates attended from across the globe and organisations as diverse as Airbus,
NAVISAT Middle East and Africa, Denel, INDRA Navia, ATNS, the University of Pretoria, South African
National Space Agency (SANSA), South Africa’s Department of Transport, Technology Innovation
Agency, Thales, South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), SITA (air transport communications
and IT) and various official agencies from countries including Egypt, Mozambique, France and
more.
Approaches to the first topic, environmental sustainability, were equally diverse as the attendees
and ranged from innovation, research and development for sustainable technology in a global
aviation environment by Patrick Ndlovu of Denel, to Samy Turk of Egypt’s NAVISAT Middle East and
Africa who spoke about air navigation service providers as innovators for environmental
sustainability, and space-based technologies and their impact on the environmental sustainability
on the continent by Dr Corné Eloff, GEO of Intelligence at Airbus Defence and Space, South Africa.
Emanuel Chaves of Aeroportos de Mocambique raised innovation challenges facing air navigation
service providers and the aviation industry, including the need for activities stemming from a desire
to improve air traffic safety over Africa and offered potential means to achieve them while Patrick
Lefevre of Thales delivered a presentation on the impact of innovation on air traffic safety on the
continent and how FM technology can be cost-effectively harnessed to achieve it.
Earlier in the day Professor Sunil Maharaj of the University of Pretoria highlighted the continuing need
for trans-disciplinary collaboration and the growing demand for doctoral graduates to lead
engineering innovation in the future.
Perhaps most warmly received by attendees was the presentation by Siyabulela Xuza, a South
African innovator who, at age 18, created his own rocket fuel in the small Eastern Cape town of
Mthatha. He has since graduated with an engineering degree from Harvard University in the US,
where he researched clean, affordable energy after winning a gold award at the National Science
Expo in the US and the Dr Derek Gray Memorial award for the most prestigious project in South
Africa. His achievements stemmed from a dream to one day travel to Jupiter near which NASA has
since named a planetary body in his honour.
Ends,
Enquiries:
Percy Morokane
External Corporate Communication
Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company
Landline: +27(0) 11 607 1234
Fax: +27(0) 11 607 1725
Mobile: +27(0)71 445 9812
email: [email protected]
ABOUT ATNS AVI AFRIQUE AVIATION INNOVATION SUMMIT:
Now in its 3rd year, The ATNS AVI AFRIQUE AVIATION INNOVATION SUMMIT provides a platform for
aviation industry influencers, innovators and professionals to meet, network and discuss future
ATNS/HO/BD24
Page 2 of 3
Company Registration No. 1993/004150/06
Directors: MD Mamashela (Chairman), DST Mthiyane (Chief Executive Officer), MW Ndlovu
(CFO) FZ Msimang, HT Makhathini, FKN Tlhakudi, TN Mgoduso, SV Zilwa, SG Mseleku
Company Secretary: S Mngomezulu
29 October 2014
industry trends and innovation challenges facing Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) and the
aviation indu stry at large. The Summit encourages real debate and offers a unique mix of keynote
speakers and interactive panel discussions.
Avi Afrique 2014
ATNS/HO/BD24
Page 3 of 3
Company Registration No. 1993/004150/06
Directors: MD Mamashela (Chairman), DST Mthiyane (Chief Executive Officer), MW Ndlovu
(CFO) FZ Msimang, HT Makhathini, FKN Tlhakudi, TN Mgoduso, SV Zilwa, SG Mseleku
Company Secretary: S Mngomezulu
29 October
201 4

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