A welcome moment for South Africa's general aviation industry.
Aeronautical Aviation is ready to assist aircraft owners in returning their aircraft to service — engine monitoring, ADS-B, MPI, and avionics reactivation, all within one hangar.
The regulatory framework that the industry has anticipated has now been signed by the Minister of Transport, Ms. Barbara Creecy, and published in the Government Gazette on 21 August 2026 — Government Gazette No. 55226, Regulation No. R. 7845. It represents a positive step forward — one that establishes a practical pathway to condition-based engine management, offers owners a route back to operating in the air, and signifies a beneficial shift for the broader fleet.
Read the amendment: the Government Gazette (No. 55226, 21 August 2026, Regulation No. R. 7845)
Aeronautical Aviation has been diligently monitoring this development and preparing accordingly. For the owners whose aircraft have been standing and for the wider industry that has been watching closely, the road back to the air is now practical.
What this means for your aircraft
For every Part 91 aircraft that has been affected by the 12-year calendar overhaul rule, the promulgation of Appendix 3 opens a practical, condition-based route back to service. The path forward is not automatic — a structured return-to-service programme is required for each aircraft, and an accredited AMO must sign off on the work.
If your aircraft has been stationary for an extended period while awaiting regulatory changes, returning it to service involves more than just engine considerations. An aircraft that has been out of service for an extended period requires attention across several interrelated areas before it can return to the air:
- The MPI may be overdue.
- Avionics that have been powered off for extended periods require recertification. The aircraft battery and any backup avionics batteries are likely to need replacement or recertification. Cockpit displays must be power-cycled and verified.
- Autopilot systems require validation against their maintenance manuals, including servo checks.
- ELT servicing: ELT batteries may have expired and need replacement. The ELT should be tested.
- Static and pitot systems require calibration checks and leak tests, and the encoder and altimeter should be verified.
- A compass swing is usually necessary after any work that affects the panel, annually, or after an extended ground period.
- A test flight conducted by the aircraft owner or a nominated pilot under our maintenance release confirms that the aircraft is fit for return to flight.
None of these items are optional. Each must be signed off before the aircraft is legally airworthy for its return-to-service flight. The efficient approach is to coordinate them within a single project rather than address each sequentially through multiple providers.
What Aeronautical Aviation has been preparing
Over the past few months, Aeronautical Aviation has been developing a coordinated readiness programme for owners who wanted to be positioned early for the regulatory change when it was announced. That programme now progresses from preparation into implementation.
Our recommendation for every affected owner is to include a certified engine monitoring system in the return-to-service scope — to ensure accurate engine data capture, trend analysis, and ongoing tracking.
Four integrated capabilities sit at the centre of it:
Certified engine monitoring solutions. Aeronautical Aviation is approved to install a range of certified engine monitoring systems that deliver continuous data recording, trend analysis and reporting necessary for a condition-based maintenance programme. Our team is trained and ready to install as soon as owners have their equipment available.
ADS-B In/Out compliance. The SACAA ADS-B Out mandate has been in effect since 1 June 2025 for Class A and designated Class C airspace. For any aircraft returning to service, ADS-B compliance is a necessary discussion. Aeronautical Aviation installs ADS-B In/Out solutions across the entire general aviation sector — piston, turboprop, business jet, and rotary-wing.
Combined engine monitoring and ADS-B installation. For most owners needing both, undertaking the two installations as a single coordinated project reduces total downtime, consolidates the test flight, and streamlines recertification. This now constitutes a formal service offering at Aeronautical Aviation.
Reactivation MPI and full avionics recertification. For aircraft coming out of long-term downtime, Aeronautical Aviation conducts a comprehensive return-to-service programme that includes the MPI, avionics recertification, ELT battery, static and pitot verification, and other necessary checks. One hangar, one coordinated project, one test flight.
Equipment supply and workshop scheduling
With the announcement now in effect, demand across the South African fleet is expected to rise significantly. This serves as a positive market indicator and creates a practical constraint for every operator.
Aviation-grade certified equipment is not always readily available off the shelf. Engine monitoring kits, ADS-B transponders, GPS position sources, and related antennas are shipped according to OEM lead times, which have not shortened over the past year. Global supply chain pressures on aviation components remain a factor. As demand increases sharply across the fleet, all operators will compete within the same OEM lead-time queue.
Aeronautical Aviation's workshop scheduling process follows this standard. Reservations are finalised upon confirmation of equipment acquisition and receipt of the deposit. Owners who engage early — finalising the scope of work, placing equipment orders, and confirming their slot — gain priority in the schedule.
This is standard operational practice in a certified maintenance environment, where team capacity, equipment lead times, and installation quality must be managed collectively.
Next steps for affected owners
For aircraft owners who have recently been affected by or have postponed decisions regarding engine monitoring or ADS-B due to regulatory changes, we encourage you to reach out to our team. We would be happy to arrange an assessment call, followed by either an on-site walk-around at Hangar 202 or a scoping discussion for aircraft located outside of Lanseria. From this, we will provide a detailed scope of work tailored to your aircraft, along with a quote based on the necessary equipment, required services, and confirmed OEM lead times. We will also reserve a workshop slot for you. This assessment comes with no obligation, and the outcome will be a documented plan specific to your aircraft.
From our hangar side
The industry has been looking forward to this moment. What follows is more than just a return to service; it is a return to what many owners cherish most: flying their aircraft and being part of general aviation as they know it. Condition-monitored engines are safe and well-managed, and that confidence is at the forefront of the changes taking place.
For Aeronautical Aviation, this is also a personal matter. Our own Baron 58 will be returning to service under the new framework, and we share in the relief and quiet elation that this moment brings to the industry. As pilots, aircraft owners, and an AMO, we understand what it means to get back into the air. What matters now is bringing the fleet back to service — safely.
Aeronautical Aviation is ready to support that process. We invite affected owners to contact us to begin their return-to-service planning.
When you're ready, we're ready.
Welcome back.
Start Your Return-to-Service Plan
Reference: 36th Amendment to the Civil Aviation Regulations, Appendix 3, Government Gazette No. 55226, Regulation No. R. 7845, published 21 August 2026, effective immediately upon publication.
Aeronautical Aviation (Pty) Ltd · SACAA AMO No. 1033 · Hangar 202, Lanseria International Airport · +27 11 659 1033 · sales@aeronautical.co.za · Exceptional in Avionics.
