All things being equal, the Sierra Leone airspace will witness increased activities in the next one year.

Indications to this came as FS’ aviation sources hinted of ongoing plans to issue certificates to air operators and clean up the nation’s aircraft registry.

This, form parts of the efforts being made by the Civil Aviation Authority in Freetown to resolve the decade-long challenges facing the aviation industry. Chief among this is the present restriction of Sierra Leone registered aircrafts from European airspace. A negative development affecting airlines flying directly to Freetown.

Director General of CAA, Mrs Musayeroh Barrie speaking in Freetown recently disclosed that the industry has been facing various challenges since 2008 and that the government is poised to resolve them. According to her, Sierra Leone has been blacklisted from flying European airspace since 2008. “Sierra Leone has been on the European Blacklist, which restricts aircraft registered in Sierra Leone from flying into European and UK airspace”. This has not allowed for airlines to operate direct flights from the United Kingdom and the United States to Freetown.

“We are engaging counterparts in these regions on how to remove Sierra Leone from the blacklist”.

Also, the CAA is said to have engaged the UK safety Commission in Brussels on the way forward on lifting the restrictions on Sierra Leone flights. The commission, according to her has acknowledged Sierra Leone's efforts in improving safety and security in the aviation industry; “but noted that Sierra Leone had not registered any aircraft since 2008.” As a result, she said the Civil Aviation Authority is working to issue Air Operator Certificates and maintain the aircraft registry.

The director general emphasized the need to encourage connectivity and compliance with regulations to attract airlines flying into Freetown. Efforts are also underway to increase flight frequencies, with the current frequency at 47 times a week. Brussels Airlines is set to increase its frequencies from 3 to 5 times a week, and there are plans for chartered flights.