Foreign countries have been earning huge revenue from Nigeria’s inability to conduct major maintenance checks on domestic aircraft. The amount is believed to run into several billions of naira. But, last week’s approval by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), to Aerocontractors Airlines to carry out ‘C’-check on some Boeing aircraft series at its Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO), will reduce the loss by domestic aviation industry, saving operators millions of dollars, time, and the inconveniences associated with offshore maintenance of airplanes, KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.
Logged by huge maintenance costs, domestic airline operators may soon have their burdens lifted – at least by a certain margin.
This is because of the approval granted the AeroContractors Airlines by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to conduct ‘C’-checks on certain Boeing aircraft series at its Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) workshop in Ikeja, Lagos.
They include Boeing 737-300; 400; 500; 600; 700 and 800 series.
The approval is the first by NCAA to any airline.
The approval is for comprehensive 18 months maintenance repairs on aircraft, otherwise known as C-check.
Prior to the approval, Nigerian carriers with Boeing 737- Classics ferry their aircraft to either Morocco, South Africa, Ethiopia, Europe, Middle East, United States or South America for the mandatory 18 months C-check, which costs operators an average of $2 million per aircraft.
According to investigations, there are 24 Boeing 737-Classics on the fleet of domestic carriers.
Boeing Aircraft constitutes over 60 per cent of the planes in the fleet of indigenous carriers, many of which have Boeing 737, 500, 400, 300, and 800 series in their fleet.
Majority of the active domestic carriers, such as Arik Air, Aero Airlines, Air Peace, AZMAN Air, Medview Airlines and Hak Air, have Boeing aircraft dominating their fleet.
Domestic airlines will save over $ 48 million spent on offshore maintenance of 24 Boeing 737– Classics.
In an interview, Aerocontractors of Nigeria Managing Director Captain Ado Sanusi said: “We are proud to receive the certification by NCAA to commence this service for airlines across the West African sub region.
“This is the first in Nigeria, and West African aviation industry and is a huge boost to our position as a maintenance facility. We are pleased to announce that our hanger has been expanded and all necessary facilities and manpower for the C-check maintenance have been put in place”
“This is a great relief for Nigerian airlines, as local maintenance of aircraft up to C-check level will bring huge savings in foreign exchange in aircraft overseas maintenance.
“This will reinforce the strength and quality of our brand. We will continue to offer the most reliable, safe and secure operations, which the airline is renowned for.”
Describing the maintenance facility as a major instrument for Aero’s turnaround efforts, Sanusi said other operators in West and Central Africa would benefit from the facility.
He said Aero had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an Europe-based engineering firm, AJ Waters; South African Technik, and Ethiopian Airlines for pooling of expertise and tools to carry out the C- checks.
He said Aero invested over N60 million on the expansion of the hangar.
He, however, appealed to the government to grant the maintenance facility the status of a free trade zone to enable the airline import and export aircraft, tools and spares across the world without Customs inhibition.
“On the whole, we look forward to greater feat as we bravely march out of our downturn to a future that is set to be even brighter than our past glory.”
Air Peace Chairman Allen Onyema said the government should encourage more operators to set up aircraft maintenance centres to reduce the huge costs spent on heavy aircraft repairs.
He said: ‘’What I will advise the government to do first is that; it must facilitate the establishment of a very good maintenance hangar that can do up to D-check and the whole world will be coming here to maintain their plane and we will be getting foreign exchange.
‘’Air Peace alone spends huge foreign exchange to maintain our aircraft overseas. None of our planes come back with less than $3 million for every C-check because we do comprehensive C-checks.
“This year alone, we have sent about seven aircraft overseas for C-check; that is over $21 million from one airline alone. You can imagine if the hangar is situated in Nigeria. If this money is domiciled here and used here, it will create a lot of jobs. So, we need a maintenance hangar.’’
Investigations revealed that Nigeria has over 350 aircraft, both scheduled, charter and privately owned ferried overseas for major repairs which result in capital flight
Speaking in an interview, former spokesman for Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) Mohammed Tukur said a partnership between government and private investors would bring about the establishment of more maintenance facilities that woud save airlines over 50 per cent cost on aircraft maintenance.
Earlier in the year, Chief Executive Officer of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) Captain Jari Williams called on the government to accelerate the establishment of a functional Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) facility.
Such facility, he said, will serve domestic and regional maintenance requirements of the sector.
Nigerian airlines, he said, are expected to spend over N560 billion for the maintenance of over 350 aircraft expected to go for ‘C and D checks by the end of the year.
The huge sum covers, maintenance costs; aircraft ferry; labour, spares and crew allowance and accommodation during the period of the checks.
Former Chief Executive Officer, Aerocontractors of Nigeria, Captain Fola Akinkuotu, said the high cost of C-check usually force some domestic carriers to abandon their airplanes in countries of repairs.
Akinkuotu said airlines could make significant savings if maintenance facilities were available in-country.
