THE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is set to expunge from its register over 300 aircraft it deems unsafe to fly the nation’s airspace.
The plan was disclosed to the operators of the identified aircraft, who have been asked to forward their objection or claims within four weeks from today.
Director-General of NCAA, Harold Olusegun Demuren, stated in the circular that the de-registration of the aircraft types was in compliance with the Aviation (Air Navigation) Regulation Part 4, Section 4.2.2, which mandates the authority to cancel the registration of aircraft considered no longer flyable or that have a certificate of airworthiness which lapsed for five years or more.
Airlines harbouring the unflyable aircraft to be de-registered include the liquidated Nigeria Airways, which certificate of airworthiness expired in 1994; Nigeria Police, Concorde Airlines, AeroContractors, ADC’s B727-231, Pan African Airlines, Fougerolle Nig Limited, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, Triax Airlines, BAC1-11 belonging to Chanchangi Airlines and Kabo Air Limited.
Others are Gas Air, Chrome Air, Savanna Airlines, Bristow Helicopters; an aircraft in the Presidential fleet; Life Flour Mills; Aerodrome Redhill, Surrey, England; an aircraft belonging to Rivers State government; Peugeot Nig. Limited and several others.
Some of the operators have more than six different aircraft types which certificate of airworthiness had expired, while many others are no longer in use or have been abandoned in different airports across the nation.
Most of the aircraft are however still in the register of the regulatory body, long after the aircraft have ceased operations.
The abandoned aircraft range from BAC1-11 to B727, Piper, Jetranger, Bell, Beach Baron, Cessna, Sky Hawk, B737, HS125, Embraer, Tampico, F-27, Gulfstream, and Fairchild.
Demuren had two weeks ago told The Guardian that the NCAA was determined to rid the country of aircraft that are not airworthy, stressing that it would no longer be business as usual.
He also frowned at the illegal operation of aircraft in the airspace.
The NCAA chief disclosed that all illegal operators would be penalised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The move, according to him was part of ICAO’s renewed efforts to check the recurrence of air mishaps in the Africa region.
ICAO had requested for aircraft names to help it check the smuggling into Africa of aircraft which have been barred from operating in Europe and the United States.
Before now, BAC1-11, F-27 and aircraft of more than 30 years were regular features in Nigeria’s airspace. Some observers had blamed this situation for the increasing frequency of air accidents.
The crash involving an EAS aircraft in Kano in 2002 forced the Federal Government to peg the maximum aircraft age to 25 years.
Demuren noted that suppliers of such rejected aircraft operated through powerful cabals, which use the holy pilgrimages and claim that they are over-flying Nigeria’s airspace to bring in such planes to the country.
He pointed out that he had had cause to reject or ground aircraft that failed to meet airworthiness status.