By Dr Moses Amweelo The R44, built by the Robinson helicopter company of Torrance, California, has been the world’s top-selling helicopter for the past almost seven years. The company was founded by Frank Robinson in 1973, employs a labour force of 600 employees and produces more helicopters annually than all the other North American manufacturers combined. The four-seat model R44 Robinson helicopter has a maximum range 130 miles per hour cruise speed and hydraulic controls. It has the same performance and handling characteristics that expensive turbine helicopters have. Namibia is the only second country on the African continent where a helicopter is used to bring live traffic reports to a radio and television audience. The other one currently in operation every morning is in South Africa where the Vodacom traffic helicopter combs the roads of bigger Johannesburg. With the inauguration of the Telecom Namibia traffic helicopter supported by Pepsi and Comav on the commercial radio station Kosmos 94.1 on the 1st October 2004, Namibia entered a partnership where the electronic media, business and the aviation sector take hands to save the lives of Namibians, and to make sure that our country will benefit from the many advantages of modern technology. The traffic helicopter service is a symbol of how Namibians use their skills, passion and know-how. It is indeed a giant leap forward to reflect the level of our technological depth and is a proud addition to our already professional traffic control system. This is a milestone for Namibian skills and professionalism. News and traffic helicopters are among the most valuable instruments to be used by the electronic media (e-media) worldwide, to inform their audience. Today, Namibia is amongst the most advanced countries in the world. You will find this approach towards traffic reporting in the Washington’s and London’s etcetera, of this world. On the 1st October 2004, Windhoek’s name added to the list. We must not just experience this technological leap as a valuable asset for ourselves. This traffic-helicopter service also impresses the many foreigners and tourists that visit our country. I would like to thank Kosmos 94.1 for this initiative as well as Telecom Namibia, Pepsi and Comav for their support. Without sponsors like them and their willingness to contribute to projects like this kind and without their initiatives nothing would be possible. They are technological trailblazers in many respects. Their names fly high every morning and their logos impress and inspire fellow Namibians to greater heights. May the Telecom Namibia traffic helicopter with the support of Pepsi and Comav on Kosmos 94.1 fly high? The AB 139 Helicopter The Agusta AB 139 helicopter is manufactured by Agusta company in Milan, Italy. It is a new generation medium twin turbine helicopter which is setting up a new standard against which all new medium twins will be measured. This state-of -the-art helicopter is designed with inherent multi-role capability and flexibility of operation. The AB 139 helicopter has a capacity of up to 15 passengers or six stretchers with four medical attendants at the highest speed in the most spacious cabin and with the best power reserve than any other helicopter in the medium twin-engine class. The AB 139 category A class 1 helicopter has a maximum range (standard fuel) of up to 400NM (740 km) with no reserve, and it has a maximum speed cruise speed of 290 km/h. It is also worth noting that the AB 139 helicopter is very reliable because it can operate in all weather conditions and can perform in hot temperature and high altitude conditions. Agusta has established a service centre for spares and maintenance in Pretoria, South Africa and recently established an assembling plant in South Africa, which means spare parts and aircraft on the ground will be available within a short period. Since this multipurpose helicopter is the first Agusta AB 139 helicopter on the African continent, Namibia has become the leader in utilized such “state-of-the -art” technology. Finally, we would therefore like to express our words of gratitude and appreciation to the company (Agusta company in Milan, Italy) for its immense contribution, guidance, advice and its unflinching support and encouragement that it offers to every individual who committed and dedicated themselves until we achieved our goal. In the same vein we are prepared to go an extra mile to ensure that our objectives and goals are interpreted accordingly in the execution of our monumental assignments in the air transport sector.