In July 2021, the Ministry of Transport & Communication announced the appointment of Dr. Bao Rasebolai Mosinyi as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB). An Aerospace Engineer with over 20 years’ experience, Dr. Mosinyi took over a beleaguered Regulator that was just recovering from Covid-19 induced bankruptcy after years of presiding over a fledging local aviation industry. Many wondered whether the decorated aeronaut would be able to live up to the task. Over six months into his appointment, Dr. Mosinyi sat down with Sunday Standard to roll out his flight plan.
Barely 21 years old, a young Bao Mosinyi left Botswana for the United States of America (USA) in 1995 to study at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he later graduated with a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering. Bao Mosinyi later joined the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)- America’s version of our own CAAB, responsible for providing the safest and most efficient aero-nautical system in the world. He worked as a Resident Fellow at the FAA Technical Center for over five years; and was able to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics from Drexel University – specializing in aircraft structures.
“I conducted research on aircraft structures. The FAA fellowship gave me a lot of exposure and also paid a decent living allowance. I had my own laboratories and was supervising a team of technicians,” said Dr. Mosinyi.
His exploits at the FAA landed him a seat at the International Fatigue Congress, a congregation of elite scientists and engineers engaged in research on fatigue; often a dominant factor in the life cycle and structural integrity of aircrafts. It was there that Dr. Mosinyi was recruited by representatives of Airbus, who had apparently been tracking his career. In October 2017, Dr. Mosinyi joined Airbus- a commercial aircraft manufacturer and the largest aeronautics and space company in Europe – as an Aircraft Structures Engineering Expert.
Said Dr. Mosinyi: “I worked on weight optimization programs for all Airbus commercial aircraft, from the A-320 to the A-380, ensuring that all planes were compliant with regulatory requirements. I was laden with responsibility and power at Airbus, which made me very unpopular as I sometimes had to ground commercial aircraft with over 500 people on board because of safety concerns.”
11 years after working at the pinnacle of one of the premier design, manufacturing and aerospace solutions companies in the world, Dr. Mosinyi felt the need for a change.
“At age 44, I had done everything I could in my career as an engineer. I needed a new challenge. So I enrolled for a graduate program at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business,” said Dr. Mosinyi.
For the next 19 months, Dr. Mosinyi juggled his weekend program at Duke University with putting in at least 40 hours a week at Airbus. He still had signature authority at the aerospace giant and couldn’t leave until a suitable replacement was found. In January 2018, after obtaining his MBA (Strategy & Finance), Dr. Mosinyi moved to Connecticut to join Pratt & Whitney, a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines. Pratt & Whitney powers nearly 30% of the mainline passenger aircraft fleet and 34 armed forces around the world.
“Pratt & Whitney was a supplier of Airbus, Boeing and other large aircraft manufacturers. This was a natural move for me as I had always wanted to work for an aircraft engine manufacturer,” said Dr. Mosinyi.
He stayed at Pratt & Whitney until July 2021, when he finally answered the call for national service. It was a big change for Dr. Mosinyi, who had lived in the US and worked at the top echelons of the aerospace industry ever since he was 21 years old.
“I always knew that one day I would have to come back to contribute to the development of my country. So, when Hon. Thulagano Segokgo called I did not think twice. It was time,” he said.
BAO MISINYI: THE CHANGEMAKER
CAAB is primarily responsible for the regulation of air transport and enforcement of civil aviation regulations. It is also an airports company that develops and operates airports. Thirdly, CAAB provides air navigation services as well as development and operation of airports.
The Authority primarily generates aeronautical revenue from airports taxes and levies as well as fly overs, which are fees from airlines operating and passing over Botswana’s airspace. In 2018, CAAB raised P112.8 million in aeronautical revenue. Non – aeronautical revenue, which is generated from rentals and levies from properties and other concessions, was recorded at P33.0 million in 2018.
When he arrived in July 2021, Dr. Mosinyi found an industry that had been decimated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Containment measures and travel bans resulted in a dramatic drop in demand for passenger air and freight transport. Locally, CAAB almost went bust in December 2020 as aeronautical revenue dropped by almost 96%.
“CAAB was heavily reliant on aeronautical revenue. Secondly, the Authority was inefficient and riddled with leakages,” said Dr. Mosinyi.
In the short term, said Dr. Mosinyi, CAAB will institute a modest increase in aeronautical charges to improve income and ensure sustainability. To improve efficiency and stop leakages, CAAB has installed a cheaper airport management system that also enables the Authority to enjoy a share of the revenue generated per customer. CAAB recently signed a deal with the Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) of South Africa to improve collection of revenue generated from over flight air traffic. The Authority will also put a levy on aviation fuel; and has licensed the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to collect aeronautical charges on its behalf.
“The Authority will also generate additional income from renting out airport parking spaces and collecting the revenue in-house,” said Dr. Mosinyi.
CAAB has also entered into a 50-50 partnership with the Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA) and will explore further opportunities around real estate development at its airports.
CAAB operates Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKIA), Maun International Airport, PG Matante International Airport, Kasane International Airport, Ghanzi Airport and Selebi Phikwe Airport. Dr. Mosinyi explained that the Authority spends a lot of money maintaining and upgrading its airports so as to comply with set international standards.
“An airport is an important part of the aeronautical infrastructure. For example, SSKIA is a category 9 airport that is required to have a certain number of firefighters, ambulances and navigators. It also has to meet set safety standards. All these requirements are very costly but can be met with revenue generated from increased activity,” explained Dr. Mosinyi.
The Aviation Standards & Safety Oversight audits impose vexatious standards and recommended practices that the CAAB must domesticate and infuse into subsidiary regulations; failing which Botswana will be blacklisted through a ‘significant safety concern’ tag. With its diverse and technical manpower needs, CAAB in 2018 employed 828 people on full time basis, 94 on temporary basis and 35 interns. Its annual expenditure was P323.8 million, against a total revenue of P365.6million, of which P219.8 million was Government subvention.
“We have no choice but to reduce our wage bill,” admitted Dr. Mosiyi.
While he is no doubt a breadth of fresh air at CAAB, it will be interesting to see how Dr. Mosinyi plays the delicate balance between spending money to satisfy international audits in the face of limited revenue generating activity at Botswana’s airports.
