“you must expand your infrastructure as much as possible in order to centralise costs and generate revenue..”
Jonathan is an aerospace professional who has managed intricate offshore company ventures and initiatives pertaining to the aviation and global industries for more than 20 years. He places a lot of attention on multi-party negotiations, M&A, company strategy, and product development. Jonathan’s primary focus areas are IT integrations across the whole aeronautical ecosystem, aerospace company growth, and strategic consulting. Jonathan has vast experience in corporate management and international trading in a range of areas, including North America, Latin America, Asia, and Europe, thanks to his work as an airline pilot and aircraft engineer. Jonathan Norman chairs the airport for the Americas Aviation Festival and serves as managing director of Normanas Aerospace.
Jonathan shared some of his opinions with Fidel Post regarding the aviation industry in general. excerpts
FP: What ambitious and all-encompassing plan does the Ethiopian Aviation Forum, which is recognised as the premier forum for African flying elites, address? And what are the forum’s main objectives?
Mr. Jonathan: The Ethiopian Aviation Forum was created after three years of preparation. It wasn’t an unforeseen circumstance. The event is being produced by our company, Normana’s Aerospace, in collaboration with GFOX Aviation, the organiser in Ethiopia. Speaking with Aviation, we began as assets three years ago in the Ethiopian city of Nishkor Foy, where we received a lot of support.
Speaking with Aviation, we began as assets three years ago in the Ethiopian city of Nishkor Foy, where we received a lot of support. from Geta Job Magazine, from the DG. From then on, we developed a plan and presented it to Ethiopia. Personally, I am the Asian chair of the Americas Festival in the United States, which is ranked among the top 10 events in the world. We gained a solid reputation in the Northwest aerospace industry for assisting aircraft firms, and I also conducted a few additional events in South America and Central America. Our main strength at Norma is our strategic business, which offers a wide range of services.
Specifically, Ethiopian Airlines, the event organiser, is one of the services. Starting an event is something that you cannot do from day to day if you want to achieve what we are going for. That doesn’t occur in reality.
It might be marketing, but it’s not taking place. Since you plant the seed in the area, this is always the most difficult step. Therefore, we believed that an event focused solely on aviation was necessary for Africa. Since there isn’t another, the majority of the events combine local or international politics with some aviation-related business. And because we believed that was what Ethiopia and Ethiopian Airlines offered, and that was the value we wanted to add to the equation for the Ethiopian government, we wanted to keep it straight to the point. We have been clear about our ideas from the start, and we believed that if we work together to accomplish this, we can concentrate on the Asian market.
The government, which consisted of top directors, needed to have a very firm agenda with certain standards. Because obtaining global sponsors was the goal, and obtaining global sponsors requires decision makers. You won’t obtain international sponsors if you don’t do that. They thus wholeheartedly concurred with us that our vision was the same from the start. Actually, due of their strong alignment, working with the Ethiopian government has been fantastic. I never experienced this issue with them. We were focused on completing the necessary tasks. We then discussed the Ethiopiaright set compliance, which is a lengthy process but is also a component of Ethiopia’s success story.
Their success is a result of their compliance. As a result, we are simply learning. I believe the event went really well. Other CEOs gave me a lot of reviews. Our social media distribution is excellent. Since LinkedIn is somewhat of a network for the aviation industry, that is essentially where we operate. Additionally, our reach is incredibly broad. Furthermore, that will be the future goals. Your seed is the first year. It requires a time of maturity. Once more, this implies you must complete it in the first and fifth years. I therefore believe that we will refine the agenda going forward.
With regard to the aviation industry, we plan to diversify our attendance. Airlines are therefore necessary in the first year. In 2026, it will probably be shipping logistics and MROs. Airlines and MROs will be involved the other year. As a result, you give X-AIDs a respectable two-year window to adapt and resume generating value. It’s quite hard for X-AIDs to contribute to the agenda’s content if you contact them once a year because there are occasionally just ten months between meetings. As a result, getting there takes some time. the evolution of the airline we are talking with, the CIA, and the airport. Ten months from now.
FP: What makes the aviation forum worth attending?
Mr. Jonathan: Our objective is to attend the Ethiopian Aviation Forum. With Ethiopian Airlines and the Ethiopian government, we intend to forge a long-lasting alliance. We therefore want to develop a solid reputation in Addis for many years to come. We already have a crew here. We have a normal crew here. Additionally, GFOX Aviation maintains an office here as well because of their close proximity. As a result, we don’t plan to depart. We will be here indefinitely. We were one of the foundations that Embraer used to get in touch with Ethiopian stakeholders and government.
Although they had a long-standing relationship with the EMPI, they made use of the forum this year to help the Ethiopian government’s efforts to strengthen the aviation industry and to publicly promote it. Embraer supports the EMPI community throughout the Americas and is a great sponsor and partner for us. what they have in common and their relationship with Rex. I would discuss the Brazilian government, with whom I also have communication. And from the standpoint of aviation, Ethiopia is currently Africa’s aviation hub, therefore I believe that the partnerships that the Ethiopian and Brazilian governments might have are fantastic. Additionally, it is without a doubt Africa’s largest airline. is a worldwide carrier. ET has an international reputation. It comes from more than just Africa.
It is regarded as a global powerhouse. Since Embraer is situated in Brazil, I believe the synergies they would gain from collaborating with that country—another global powerhouse and a major hub for the aviation industry—can only be positive. Therefore, I believe that this connection will be quite successful. Alright, the third. I have to go with these men, so I’ll be gone for a few minutes.
FP: Strengthening the African Aviation Network entails initiatives to advance intra-African dialogue travel and expand global partnerships, which will ultimately propel economic growth and tourism. How, then, can this be done?
Mr. Jonathan: On the first day of the event, as well as at every other gathering I have been in Africa, this was a hot issue. Intra-African travel is incredibly underappreciated, if you must be honest. Both national politics and rules are to blame for this. As an airline or the aviation sector, you can adjust your figures, so I don’t think there’s anything like that that airlines can do after this. Be extremely effective in your business and reduce expenses to a level that the community can easily afford.However, if you are slammed with 100% taxation or incredibly high airport fees, you know what I mean? I was listening to ET yesterday, and for instance, Kenya Airways was required to obtain the international travel permit. According to Kenya Airways, the ticket alone costs $112 for the flight from Nairobi to Entebbe, Uganda. In addition, it just includes the online ticket and taxes. What is the cost of the ticket for that distance, then? It’s a pretty small journey, you know. This distance is really short. The journey from Nairobi to Entebbe shouldn’t take longer than an hour, perhaps an hour and fifty minutes.
You know, so for that distance, you’ll need to get a ticket for $400 USD. That’s really not a factor in the global equation. What’s wrong there? Two things, in my opinion. First, I observe that high management at the government level is ignorant of the current state of affairs and the realities of the aviation business. The aviation industry is extremely complex and challenging. Therefore, you must expand your infrastructure as much as possible in order to centralise costs and generate revenue. Having stated that, an internet consolidation in Africa is really necessary.
Because, you know, there are simply too many people on the internet that are having trouble running their businesses and are still the same as when I was in South America. I am from South America, and that is how things used to be there, you know. Furthermore, you must acknowledge that you lack knowledge of the nation’s sovereignty despite your support for it. You must be treated that way because, you know, nobody is a business. Additionally, it’s quite difficult to do without consolidation. Thus, consolidation takes place in the US. South America is an example that might be compared to Africa, where consolidation took place.
FP: In order to advance the network, BRICS members are investigating and implementing cooperative strategies in the aviation sector. What relevance and possible outcomes may the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer “Embraer”‘s declaration of interest in acquiring a number of Ethiopian flying segments have in this context?
Mr. Jonathan: When you look at the bricks, I mean that the ways that Ethiopia and Brazil do government-level business are extremely similar. Consolidation is therefore necessary, and I believe that one of our responsibilities is to provide the speakers and agenda items that would enable politicians and business executives to get the knowledge and abilities necessary to boost the economy.
If that problem is not fixed, intra-African travel will remain underdeveloped because the cost of travelling within Africa is by far the greatest in the world. So, I think that’s how you pursue them. In response to your question about the struggle, I think some progress has been made. I believe that more needs to be done to increase awareness of… I believe that rather than considering aviation as a business endeavour, Africa continues to perceive it as a national security issue.
FP: A number of obstacles confront African Aviation, including high operating expenses, cracks in the foundation, security issues, and unaffordable administrative circumstances. Which industries are hampered by these issues, then?
Mr. Jonathan: In Africa, I observe that airports are treated as military infrastructure or as a national security asset. For instance, when you arrive at an airport in Africa, you must first pass through security. The airport does not have general access zones. You simply enter and pass through security. You receive check-in counters after security. Following the check-in counters, you receive immigration, enter the area, and board the aircraft.
Upon returning home, you exit the aircraft, pass through security, and then proceed through immigration. In the world, that is not standard practice. Airports around the world offer wide general areas to guests with unfettered access. You are at the airport if you choose to pick up your family. Additionally… I wanted to express my gratitude. Thank you, huh? That was excellent, thank you. It’s all right. The problem is that their mindset needs to change. Airports are commercial organisations. Reliability for aeroplane operations and revenue generation from terminal business are the airport’s goals.
That’s the world’s airport at the moment. each and every airport. All 20 of the airports I work with are the same. There are still relatively few airports in Africa that comprehend that idea and use the airport as a weapon of defence. Therefore, there needs to be greater awareness of that issue, and I believe that the best way to do that is to arrange for airport executives to visit countries outside of Africa in order to have an understanding of how airports are run across the world. That is very different from the way airports are run in Africa, and I firmly believe that there is a significant shortcoming in the continent’s airport management system. And it’s worse than airlines in that regard. They are much behind the curve. Significantly below the curve.
The good news is that, for example, many airports throughout the world receive assistance from Normana Aerospace. And we can help you a lot with that. However, it isn’t about assisting in the development of a new marketing strategy or the modification of communication tactics. The entire business plan needs to be changed at the governmental level. They have to understand that airports, like airlines, are there to make money. In addition to conducting business, they provide a platform for air travel, which benefits the community. They have to make money at the end of the day. Africa as a whole needs to understand that.
FP: Traveler activity and operational proficiency are increasing, and the African aviation market is seeing a strong recovery and development. What are the main factors influencing this development?
Mr. Jonathan: Africa is still getting over COVID, in my opinion. It’s most likely 90% recovered. It should be back on track by the end of the year. However, I do believe that the market will continue to improve in that regard. Africa is becoming more well-known as a travel destination. I believe that the traffic market in Africa is improving due to a number of variables, and it is expanding at the same rates as they are. Without a doubt, it helps everyone. Last year, Kenyaalways had an amazing turnaround.
And they are returning to positive levels and growing considerably. South Africa and Airways’ final board consolidation and restoration to the level of the air service that existed ten or twelve years ago will cause a substantial shift for the continent. Another participant that is sometimes overlooked in the conversations is Royal Air Morocco. Africa is not as important to Royal Air Morocco’s network as international travel and Europe. Royal Air Morocco makes a significant contribution to North African markets.
Egypt Air, of course, performs the same tasks as Cairo and Cairo 2. And if those airlines are assisted by government regulations, AFRA, and ACIAfrica to facilitate changes in regulations with the traffic numbers they are receiving, and they start to see positive numbers and improve their networks and connectivity within Africa, I believe that Africa will see a huge, huge… increase in traffic in the next ten years. Yes, that’s fantastic, and if you’re done, perhaps we can leave.