Along with partners Armscor and the Department of Defence (DoD), usually in the form of the SA Air Force (SAAF), the Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa (CAASA) is committed to particularly the aerospace component of the biennial Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition.
The vision of a general aviation (GA) hub at this year’s AAD is the brainchild of CAASA and its partners. Chief Executive Kevin Storie is on record as saying response was that good, the hub required an extension. His forecast of having CAASA members using the GA hub to exhibit products and services is reality and will no doubt feature in planning for AAD 2026, which CAASA is scheduled to host.
GA hub exhibitors at Air Force Base Waterkloof last week were Drone Ops, CFS Aviation Group, Zeel AI, Hussar Security & Defence Solutions, Concilium/LiveU, The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), Vertical Solutions Africa Aviation and DJA Aviation Insurance.
CAASA members, in addition to the in-house expertise in the association, also have access to nine aviation-related associations by way of affiliation. They are HASA (Helicopter Association of SA), AMOSA (Aircraft Maintenance Organisations SA), ASAAT (Association of Southern African Aerospace Traders and Allied Industries), AAA-SA (Association of Airports and Aerodromes Southern Africa), AATOSA (Association of Aviation Training Organisations of SA), ANSO (Association of Non-Scheduled Operators), CUAASA (The Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Association of South Africa), AADO (Association of Aviation Design Organisations) and AQSASA (Aerospace Quality and Safety Association of Southern Africa).
The general aviation (GA) hub at this year’s Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition was further evidence of efforts by the CAASA to enhance the standing – and understanding – of commercial aviation in South Africa.
