African airlines are acquiring new widebody airliners at a greater rate than the global airline average. Last year, 32% of African airline demand was for widebodies, as against 23% for the global industry. “This is mainly because of the markets that the [African] airlines are going after – long-range, nonstop, point-to-point international routes,” explains Boeing VP for sales: Latin American, Africa and Caribbean Van-Rex Gallard.

In turn, African airlines are able to do this because of the development of very long range airliners, such as Boeing’s 777-200LR. With these new aircraft, routes that previously needed a refuelling stop can now be flown nonstop. As a consequence, new route development is happening fast. For example, in 2006, there were only 32 weekly flights involving just eight city pairs between the whole of Africa and the US. By last year, these figures had jumped to 67 weekly flights between 14 city pairs. And a lot of these flights were by African airlines.

In sharp contrast, African airlines have only a 35% share of air travel between their own conti- nent and Europe. African airlines need new widebodies to increase their share in this traffic and to significantly entrench themselves in the rapidly growing Africa–Middle East, Africa–China, Africa–India and Africa–South East Asia markets.

In the latest update of its 20 year forecast for the African airliner market, the aerospace group expects the African air traffic market to grow by an annual average of 5.1% between now and 2030. This is a little greater than the continent’s forecast annual gross domestic product growth rate of 4.4%. Of course, this growth in traffic will vary from market segment to market segment. Thus, Africa–South Asia (effectively, India) air traffic is predicted to rise by 9.7%, Africa–China traffic by 9.5%, Africa–South East Asia by 7.5%, Africa–Middle East and Africa–North America both by 6.4%, Africa–South America by 6%, Africa–Oceania (mainly Australia) by 5.3% and Africa–Europe by 4.6%. Intra-African air traffic is expected to increase by 5.1%.

With this strong growth in demand and with 45% of Africa’s airliners more than 15 years old, Boeing says that African airlines will require 800 new aeroplanes by 2030. This is an increase of 12% over last year’s forecast of 710 new aircraft. Of these 800 new aircraft, 6% would be regional airliners, 64% would be single-aisle airliners, 29% widebodies and 1% large aircraft, while 270 (or 34%) would be needed to replace exist- ing aircraft and 530, or 56%, would represent growth in the market. Add in 410 aeroplanes already in service and this would give a total African fleet of 1 210 airliners in 2030.

Currently, there are 475 Boeing airliners in operation in Africa, representing 68% of the continent’s total jet airliner fleet, with another 88 on order. No fewer than 42 African airlines operate Boeing aircraft.

Meanwhile, Boeing is consider- ing sourcing more components from South African aerostructures company Aerosud. A Boeing team of seven recently visited the South African company to establish what additional work Aerosud could do for the American group. “We’re always looking for diversity in sources of production,” says Gallard.

Aerosud has been a Boeing supplier since 2001, and supplies parts for the 737NG, 747, 767 and 777 airliners, although most of the South African company’s components are for the 737NG programme. These parts include simple curvature interior linings and vacuum formed cockpit and cabin parts and assemblies.

There is no indication yet what types of additional parts Boeing is thinking of sourcing from the local manufacturer. Since 2006, when Aerosud signed a strategic partnership with the US aircraft maker, the local company has, Boeing reports, consistently delivered between 60 000 and 80 000 parts each year.

Aerosud in based in Centurion, just south of Pretoria, and next to the Waterkloof air force base and is one of 15 companies in Africa that supply Boeing. Another South African supplier to the US group is Denel Aviation, which produces aluminium extrusions and titanium extrusions. In fact, South African companies account for some 60% of the $25-million a year Boeing spends on parts from Africa.

Outside South Africa, one of the main African suppliers to the American corporation is Matis, in Morocco, which manufactures wire bundles for Boeing (and other manufacturers’) aircraft. Matis is a joint venture between Boeing, Lavinal (part of France’s Safran group) and Royal Air Maroc.

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