I accidentally ran into this airline's website:

http://www.addisairline.com/

I had never heard of it before. I wonder how many private airliners there are that we never heard of. I'm really curious about it, but I can't open the company profile page and there's nothing when you search on Google.

there are 6 airlines including ethiopian airlines. 3 are operational .
ethiopian ,abysinian and addis airlines .3 others are in process.

Private air operators register one billion birr capital
Saturday, 20 March 2010
By Dawit Taye

Some 24 private air operators with an aggregate capital of on billion birr have been licensed by authorities to date, it was learnt.


A senior aviation official told The Reporter that out of the 24 licensed companies, 10 have already started operations. The official also said that the companies that had started operation were licensed either to provide passenger or cargo transportation services with the exception of a few that were licensed in both categories. He added that the other 14 companies were also in the process of joining the ones that had commenced operations.

The official noted that among the companies which are completing preparations to begin operation shortly, Sunshine Construction Air Transport and Air Oromia, with 34 million birr and 20 million birr initial capitals, respectively, are the prominent ones. The renowed singer Kemer Yusuf is one of the three shareholders in Air Oromia.

The official further said the government was considering relaxing the limit prohibiting private air transporters from operating passenger planes which have more than 20 seats. He indicated that a detailed study aimed at addressing the issue of whether to let the companies use planes that have seats exceeding 20 was also under discussion.

Industry professionals say the limit on seats hampers the optimal operations of private air companies and are actively promoting the relaxation of the rule.

http://en.ethiopianreporter.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2390&Itemid=26


I am very impressed by how fast this industry is growing in Ethiopia. I had no idea there were so many wealthy enough to run airlines.

I knew of Abyssinia Flight Services, Addis Airlines, Air Oromia and Trans National (or something like that - owned by Al Amoudi), but the others are new to me.

I am very impressed by how fast this industry is growing in Ethiopia. I had no idea there were so many wealthy enough to run airlines.

1) Abyssinia Flight Services,

2) Addis Airlines,

3) Oromia Airways
http://jimmatimes.com/Media/4/jpg/2009/9/08a8aaa3-a83a-e5db-714b14db791ed271.jpg

Kemer Yusuf, known as among the best Ethiopian singer of Oromo music, steps into the growing local flight business of Ethiopia by forming Oromia Airways jointly with two Ethiopians business men.


4) Trans National Airways

5) Suhura Air

6) Air Ethiopia
Provides passenger and cargo, ambulance, charter and scheduled flight services.
Capt Abera Lemi's Air Ethiopia has a 19-seater Beach 1900 aircraft from an American aviation company with a lease-purchase agreement. It can fly up to 33,000ft and cruise at 600kmh,

7) Amibara Agricultural Development PLc is licensed for pesticide spray and domestic cargo flight services.

8) Teddy Air Transport,
Tewodros Engineering Business Plc

9) AberdAir Aviation
Licensed for non-schedule passenger and cargo flight services.

AberAir, which has fully transformed to local flight service was initially hired by Petronas, the Malaysian oil and gas giant which is prospecting for oil in Ethiopia. It is a private airline which provides charter flight service.

The company is owned by British Citizens and is based in Nairobi and registered in Ethiopia as a business of two Ethiopians with initial capital of 5 million birr. The operation of domestic passenger flight service is restricted only to Ethiopian citizens.
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24)?????????


Shame on!
The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority:bash:
Check out their website - what a joke! There is no way to find out about air service licence, who's got a licence etc. etc.....:bash::bash:

Disgusting!!
http://www.ecaa.gov.et/HOMEPAGE.aspx
^^^^
This site need to be shutdown!

NATIONAL AIRWAYS TO FLOAT SHARES TO THE PUBLIC NATIONAL AIRWAYS TO FLOAT SHARES TO THE PUBLIC .


National Airways, a newly established private airline, is anticipating to float shares to the public.

The Airways was established in July, 2010 with 10 million birr capital. The company was licensed by the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) and the Ethiopian Investment Agency.

Capt. Abera Lemi, owner and CEO of National Airways, told The Reporter that the company plans to provide a scheduled domestic flight services. “So far we do not have an airline which provides a scheduled domestic flight service in Ethiopia other than the Ethiopian Airlines,” Capt. Abera said. “We need to be a strong regional airline that will provide flight services to Djibouti, Somaliland, South Sudan and Kenya.”

According to Capt. Abera, National Airways is negotiating with Ethiopian Airlines to buy five Fokke 50s that the airline had used for domestic flight services. Capt Abera wants to transform his airline into a public share company. “If you go to Kenya, Kenya Airways is a share company. Of course KLM is a major shareholder. The public and the government of Kenya has also shares on the airline,” he said. “Why can’t we have a strong regional airline in which the Ethiopian public has shares.”

Capt. Abera, who had served Ethiopian Airlines for several years, said that the law that prohibits private airlines not to use an aircraft with more than 20 years was discouraging. “It has been years since it was reported that the law would be revised,” he said. “We cannot provide scheduled domestic flight services with an aircraft which has 20 seats. The flight fare collected from 20 passenger cannot cover the fuel cost. We can not be profitable with 20 seaters. Why is it taking so long to revoke the law?”

According to Capt. Abera, Ethiopian used to fly to 54 destinations in the country but this has dropped to 16. “We can fill this service gap if we are allowed to operate type of aircraft that we want,’ he said.

Abera said that National Airways had leased 45 seater aircraft and they had to take out 25 of the seats to operate between Addis Ababa and Hargeyssa. “But we cannot keep doing that,” he said.

Capt. Abera hopes that the Ethiopian government will revise “the protectionist law” soon.

http://www.thereporterethiopia.com/News/national-airways-to-float-shares-to-the-public.html

I suppose most of these "private airlines" are really one- or two-Cessna charter operations, flying godforsaken routes such as Moyale-Dolo Odo. :lol:

Abyssinia Flight School to Merge with US Company

Abyssinian Flight School, Ethiopia is to merge with a US company internationally recognized in the sector according to Solomon Gizaw, managing director of the Ethiopian Flight School. An initial investment capital of 10-20 million US dollars is proposed.

The venture will become operational with the construction of dormitories and the set up of high technology simulators said Solomon.

The merger will establish an International Standard Flight School which will train professional pilots with the full support of state of the art simulators according to Solomon.

The Professional Pilot Training service provided will allow Ethiopians and nationals of other African countries to pursue training here instead of in the Middle East or elsewhere as is the current practice explained Solomon.

It is expected that the merger will be finalized within the next two years depending on appropriate authorization from relevant government bodies for the use of land to construct dormitories and facilities to house the simulators he noted.

Solomon declined to identify the US Company contemplating the merger as the two companies are in the midst of negotiations.

Government bodies, including the Ethiopian Airports Enterprise and the Ethiopian Civil Aviation authorities are considering the merger and how best to facilitate elements such as the lease of land according to an anonymous source at the EAE.

Abyssinian Flight School (sister company of Abyssinia Flight Services) is the only private pilot training school in Ethiopia. The company operates a fleet of eight small aircraft and is involved in charter services and pilot training.

http://www.2merkato.com/20111212658/ethiopian-flight-school-to-merge-with-us-company


There's a really good interview with the CEO on Reporter's website. He explains the challenges of the aviation sector in the country, and how it could really be a source of good income for the country. I highly recommend reading it.