Lesotho
2.2 Lesotho Aviation
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Overview

Key airport information may also be found at: http://worldaerodata.com/

The Kingdom of Lesotho has only one international airport, the King Moshoeshoe I International Airport ( the IATA: MSU, ICAO: FXMM) .The airport is situated in the town of Mazenod, 18 km (11 mi) southeast of downtown Maseru. 23 Department of Civil Aviation Lesotho 2013 LCA (Lesotho Kingdom Version 1.05 19/33). The runway length includes a 200 metres (660 ft) displaced threshold on Runway 04. The airport does not operate at night and no flights can therefore access Lesotho country after 6 pm. The Mazenod VOR-DME (Ident: MZV) is 2.0 nautical miles (3.7 km) off the approach threshold of Runway 04. The Beria non-directional beacon (Ident: ME) is 1.35 nautical miles (2.5 km) off the approach threshold of Runway 22.

The Aviation sector in Lesotho is regulated by the Department of Civil Aviation under the Public Works and Transport Ministry. The Department is tasked to provide for Control, Regulation and Development of Aviation in Lesotho and for other matters incidental in accordance to the Chicago Convention and the Transit Agreement – as enacted by the Country Aviation Act, 1975. ACT No 32 of 1975 p. 85 (Department of Civil Aviation, Lesotho, 2013). Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) operates as the service provider for airport operations. There are 19 Aerodromes / Airstrips owned by government and private entities in different parts of the country.

The Country observes all protocols and standards as per International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) or the Chicago Convention and Transit Agreement. The capacity of Lesotho’s Aviation industry remains limited, due to its size, available funding and its position/location as it is entirely encompassed by South Africa.

The defunct Lesotho Airways was a wholly owned government airline that operated out of the Maseru Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU). In 1997, Lesotho Airways was privatised but has since gone moribund and ceased to operate. There is currently no domestic airline in Lesotho. The aviation industry is dominated by South African based companies, which control most of the flights that operate in Lesotho. There are very few Lesotho based companies, most which will rely on the South African market.

Maluti Sky owned by MGC Aviation Matekane Group of Companies went under in 2016 due to financial issues and limited market in Lesotho. Halsted’s Aviation Corporation, provides charter services, the company is based in Zimbabwe. SA Airlink – Airlink, dominates commercial flights in Lesotho, operating daily flights between Maseru and South Africa daily.

The Lesotho Defence Force has a limited capacity through its Airwings unit owns two fixed wing and one Helicopter Bell 412 model.

Aviation public entities include:

Public Aviation Entities

Website

Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS)

https://www.atns.com/

Airport Company South Africa (ACSA)

https://www.airports.co.za/   

South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)

http://www.caa.co.za/


For more information on government agency and airport company contact information, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.5 Airport Companies Contact List.

Passenger information

2017

Month

 

Domestic Flights

International Scheduled Flights

International Non-scheduled Flights

Number of Flights


 Passengers

Number of Flights

Passengers

Number of Flights

Passengers

Departures

Arrivals 

Departures

Arrivals 

Departures

Arrivals 

January

16

9

10

205

2154

1923

12

8

13

February

14

2

3

202

2294

2447

16

27

25

March

7

18

9

203

2724

2787

21

26

24

April

23

1

3

188

2283

2447

3

8

15

May

2

0

0

182

2444

2671

22

40

50

June

10

3

5

173

2272

2028

15

34

36

July

5

7

7

178

2158

2554

15

24

26

August

10

9

9

179

2352

2537

25

35

45

September

10

11

6

177

2426

2649

11

22

22

October

6

5

0

185

2328

2567

28

64

54

November

10

7

5

178

2719

2864

31

44

49

December

16

27

25

149

2004

1918

31

42

77

Total

129

99

82

2199

28158

29392

230

374

436


2018

Month

Domestic Flights

International Scheduled Flights

International Non-Scheduled Flights

Number of Flights 

Passengers 

Number of Flights

Passengers 

Number of Flights

Passengers 

Departures

Arrivals

Departures

Arrivals

Departures

Arrivals

January

6

8

4

176

2027

2132

10

9

13

February

11

10

12

168

2474

2168

19

34

50

March

13

7

4

177

2459

2648

14

19

14

April

6

13

9

174

2012

204

6

7

23

May

10

10

20

172

2191

2334

18

20

45

June

9

6

6

180

2365

2351

20

24

20

July

4

0

0

178

2329

2637

18

59

45

August

12

9

5

177

2568

2400

20

39

34

September

3

4

4

178

2690

2813

24

33

34

October

8

7

0

188

2606

2911

44

140

153

November

29

27

21

177

2609

2868

56

224

51

December

24

49

58

148

2248

2171

41

52

52

Total

135

150

143

2093

28578

27637

290

660

534


2019

Month



Domestic Flights

International Flights

International Non-Scheduled Flights

Number of Flights


Passengers

Number of Flights


Passengers

Number of Flights


Passengers

Departures

Arrivals

Departures

Arrivals

Departures

Arrivals

January

11

6

8

176

2010

2072

15

17

19

February

14

27

21

168

2208

2267

9

18

34

March

30

22

11

184

2601

2838

15

35

14

April

9

8

7

171

2238

2485

8

21

11

May

19

9

41

184

2377

2414

7

11

2

June

45

39

40

180

2308

2354

11

10

20

July

22

23

5

185

2181

2419

15

23

19

August

9

8

4

186

2477

2429

22

35

36

September

2

0

9

179

2552

2777

6

17

16

October

7

5

47

186

2430

2581

14

18

22

November

17

26

19

178

2654

2856

27

161

177

December

15

27

28

162

2107

2076

15

22

14

TOTAL

200

200

240

2139

28143

29568

164

388

384


Procedures for Foreign Registered Aircraft

Airworthiness and Engineering Inspectorate

Airworthiness Inspectorate is a subdivision of Flight Safety Division responsible for the airworthiness of all aircraft within Lesotho airspace and Lesotho registered aircraft wherever they may be. The Department of Civil Aviation is responsible for registration of aircraft, certification of aircraft and maintenance organizations. Scheduled and unscheduled audits are conducted to ensure that all maintenance activities and aircraft are compliant with all airworthiness requirements. The airworthiness section also maintains an airworthiness library/records, where every manuals and documents for every type of aircraft registered in Lesotho are available. (http://www.civilair.org.ls/indexcabc.html?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=114)

Airworthiness requirements

Aircraft Inspections

Services provided by the Airworthiness Section with regards to aircraft inspection are as follows: Carrying out aircraft inspections for the purposes of issuing Certificate of Registration. Carrying out aircraft inspections for the purposes of issuing Certificate of Airworthiness (initial issue and renewal). Aircraft inspections can be carried out locally and internationally. Issuance of Export Certificate of Airworthiness, Issuance of Flight Permits to certificated aircraft, Aircraft Maintenance Organizations: The Airworthiness Section carries out technical audits (inspections) on Aircraft Maintenance Organizations (AMO's), as stipulated in The Air Navigation Regulations 1980 as amended, that organizations working on Lesotho registered aircraft be approved by the Director of Civil Aviation.

Detailed procedures for licensing of AMOs are laid down in Safety Directive number 23 (Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance and Overhaul Organizations). The purposes of carrying out such inspections are: For initial issuance of maintenance approvals, For the renewal of such approvals, Ad hoc inspections to ensure that these organizations their work, capability and quality control comply with the requirements. Surveillance on the Aircraft Operator: As part of their mandate, the Airworthiness Section and Flight Operations Section have a   surveillance programme in place to ensure that aircraft operators comply with the applicable Civil Aviation Requirements.

The above is accomplished through: Carrying out both scheduled and unscheduled surveillance inspections Assisting Aircraft Operators with advice on how they can comply with provisions of Civil Aviation Requirements. Flight Safety Division: Airworthiness and Flight Operations whose main task is to ensure aviation safety in respect of personnel licensing, operations of aircraft and airworthiness of aircraft.


Airworthiness Records/library: Statutory Instruments concerning all aspects of documentations and manuals. The library/records also keeps various airworthiness directives from the manufacturers, the aircraft operators and the Civil Aviation Authorities.

  • Airworthiness Directives
  • Civil Aircraft Register
  • Fees
  • Forms and applications
  • Manual of Procedures
  • Licensing and Examinations
  • Certificate of Airworthiness
  • Appendix to the Issuance of a Certificate of Airworthiness
  • Certificate of Airworthiness
  • Export Certificate of Airworthiness
  • Special Flight Permit
  • Noise Certification
  • Aircraft Registration


 

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