Book excerpt: Africa is brimming with potential and enthusiasm. With foresight and commitment from industry leaders and support from governments, aviation could become one of the continent's great strengths. Yet today, Africa's aviation industry lags behind much of the world, the disparity visible in its run-down airports and its airlines. But this discrepancy is not inevitable.. In Fly Africa, Hassan El-Houry, a pioneer in the African aviation industry, and Eric Kacou, an African strategist and investor, explain how the continent reached its current state, examining the huge disparities between Africa's handful of hubs and its many underserved cities and countries. Then they map a route to transforming the continent's aviation, highlighting its existing champions and illustrating the effects aviation can have on other sectors. Aviation can provide a lifeline to revitalize national economies throughout Africa and contribute to development. This book--a must-read for anyone who believes in Africa--shows how it's possible.