Skyleader heralds Tanzania’s aviation breakthrough

Built at the Morogoro regional airport factory by Airplanes Africa Limited (AAL), this all-metal two-seat ultralight aircraft has either a tricycle towed fixed landing gear and a steerable nose wheel, or a retractable gear.

The aircraft can be used for recreational flying, pilot training and special operations.

The Morogoro plant assembled Tanzania’s first aircraft back in October 2023.

Located around 190 km west of the capital, it plays a pivotal role in aircraft assembly, by capitalising on the company’s branches in the Czech Republic, China, Germany and Russia.

The director of the Morogoro plant, Eng Igor Stratl, underlines that Tanzania’s “reputation for security, stability and peace” were key factors for the company’s implementation and expansion.

AAL is the first company in Tanzania to manufacture an aircraft with both commercial and personal applications.

It benefits from the country’s conducive investment environment and people’s willingness to embrace new technologies. The company employs many graduates of the National Institute of Transport (NIT).

According to Mussa Mbura, director general of the Tanzania Airport Authority (TAA), “the investment by AAL not only generates revenue opportunities for the government but also fosters job creation for Tanzanian citizens”. He says that additional aircraft assembly is “imminent.”

AAL plans to launch the Skyleader 500, an economic aircraft designed for agricultural activities in rural areas.

The company’s ambition is to market its aircraft beyond Tanzania. There are interesting opportunities in the region.

This historic milestone has no doubt hooked Tanzania on board the booming aerospace industry in Africa, especially with South Africa (since the 1920s) and in the north, notably with Morocco (since the 1950s).

Government-private partnerships, investments in fleet renewal and expansion, in cargo facilities, and in research and training through the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), are keeping the local aerospace sector on an upward trajectory.