Girls Fly Africa (GFA) has significant plans for its hangar facility at Grand Central Airport, where the organisation’s headquarters are also situated. The facility is set to be transformed into a multipurpose space, enabling the organisation to carry out many of its key objectives.
GFA offers valuable resources such as information on educational and career opportunities, personalised mentorship from industry professionals, hands-on workshops that foster practical skills, and targeted training programs that build confidence and expertise.
A SPACE TO DEVELOP AVIATION AND AEROSPACE PROFESSIONALS
The facility, which was previously used as an aircraft hangar, no longer serves as a space to store aircraft. However, after remodelling and renovations, the GFA hangar will become a facility where the organisation will conduct a variety of activities which promote and support the development of aviation and aerospace in Africa. That said, the hangar has already been used to conduct training programmes and to host industry-related events. However, there is a need for Girls Fly Africa to convert this venue into a space that will enable GFA to expand on its mission of supporting the industry.
CREATING A MULTIPURPOSE FACILITY
The transformation has commenced, and the first phase is already complete. This phase focused on maintenance and repairs to the existing structure. However, GFA is ready to move on to the next phase, which requires significant capital and work.
There are plans to apportion the existing structure into a space allowing various activities to occur independently or simultaneously. One section of the hangar is planned to house a flight simulator, while an adjacent section will become a training lab. The lab will be equipped with computers and 3D printers, as well as old aircraft parts, which will be repurposed for use as educational tools. Then, in the hangar’s large interior space, it is intended to position a disused aircraft. The whole aircraft shell will be used for static education purposes.
Some of the other activities that GFA intends to carry out in the space include:
- Aviation and Aerospace workshops
- Aerospace holiday camps
- Information and Industry expert’s speaker programme
- Networking events
- A collaborative hub (for developing aviation and aerospace educational materials and content)
- Aviation and Aerospace skills development programmes
Thus, once the upgrades and remodelling have been completed, the redesigned multipurpose space will enable GFA to actively participate in developing a generation of professionals who are well prepared for their roles in aviation and aerospace.
