BY CASSEY KAYULA –
THE Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has granted Mahogany Air a certificate of operation on its routes.
The airline, granted with the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) has since commenced operations.
Mahogany Air has become the second local airline other than  Proflight Zambia to be operating in the country.
CAA director general Gabriel Lesa said the authority was committed to ensuring that it created an enabling environment that  will see more airlines investing in the Zambian aviation industry to contribute to the   country’s economic development.
He said this at the handover of the AOC in Lusaka on Friday.
“In line with international standards and recommended practices, the CAA will carry out strict due diligence on all players in the aviation industry.
“So that Zambia maintains high standards of safety in order to ensure the safety and security of civil aviation and maintain the confidence of the travelling public as well as stakeholders,” Mr Lesa said.
Mr Lesa said the CAA would facilitate the entry of new players such as Mahogany Air to follow through the complete five phase process of AOC in line with the acceptable international standards and recommendations.
“As you may be aware, before the CAA can issue an AOC, it is our responsibility to ensure that applicants that want to conduct commercial air transport operations under the Civil Aviation regulations undergo the five phase certification process.
“The certification process may appear to be complex undertaking, particularly for  first operators but it is a vital process that ensures that the CAA only grants the certificate after thoroughly assessments have been done and this takes quite some time,”  he said.
Mr Lesa said the CAA recognises the responsibility of commercial air transport operators to provide air transportation with the highest degree of safety possible and in the public interest.
He said the certification process was designed to ensure that prospective AOC holders understood and were capable of fulfilling this duty.
Mahogany Air chief executive director Jim Belemu said Zambia was posed to become the hub of aviation with the lifting of the ban from the euro zone.
Dr Belemu said Mahogany Air was targeting routes like Ndola, Livingstone ,Solwezi, Chipata, Mansa  and Kasama among  other provincial  centres .
Other routes are South , East and North Africa.
“We aim to remove the elitist stigma that may surround commercial aviation at present, of course, accessibility will largely depend upon affordability and we feel that the support and co-operation from the highest levels will be necessary to achieve this mission.
“As we endeavour to become the leading airline for the Zambian government, the Authorities and industry players,” Dr Belemu said.