The first aeronautics engineering school is expected to be established in Tanzania to enable the country to get qualified aviation technicians, the local media reported on Friday.

In collaboration with Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology ( DIT), the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) is undertaking the task to establish the aeronautics school, the first of its kind in Africa, the local daily the Guardian reported.

John Njawa, TCAA Director of Safety Regulation, was quoted as saying on Thursday that the fast-growing aviation industry was facing deficit of qualified aeronautical engineers, which "shows an urgent need for the country to have its own school of aviation to offer aeronautical mechanical studies ".

Processes are now underway between TCAA and DIT to ensure that the project kicks off, Njawa said, adding that the initiative was even more important because most of available technicians are too old to continue working.

In 2006, French-Italian aircraft manufacturer based in Toulouse France-ATR and Tanzania's Precision Air signed a technical support agreement, which includes the training of four technicians in France in aeronautics every year for a period of three years.