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Tag: Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority

  • NCAA to demolish over 7,000 telecommunication masts

    Over 7,000 telecommunication masts and towers belonging to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) providers erected nationwide may soon be pulled down by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

    Its spokesman, Sam Adurogboye disclosed this on Tuesday.

    The NCAA has given affected operators a 30-day ultimatum to comply with its directive of getting the relevant clearance.

    According to him, the NCAA is compelled to recourse to this line of action because the telecommunication providers blatantly failed to obtain the statutory Aviation Height Clearance (AHC].

    He said without Aviation Height Clearance, these masts and towers constitute danger to safety of air navigation.

    Adurogboye said Under the Civil Aviation Act, 2006, Section 30(3)(1), the NCAA is empowered to prohibit and regulate the installation of any structure which by virtue of its height or position is considered to endanger the safety of air navigation.

    He ssid: “Furthermore, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) Part 12.1.7.1.3.1 stipulates that No person or organisation shall put up a structure (permanent or temporary) within the navigable airspace of Nigeria unless such a person or organisation is a holder of Aviation Height Clearance Certificate granted under this Regulation.

    “Consequent upon this provision, the Regulatory Authority requires an Aviation Height Clearance (AHC) approval for every tower installation irrespective of the height and location.”

    Contrary to the Regulations, Adurogboye said promoters of GLO telecommunication and other defaulters have failed to obtain the mandatory Aviation Height Clearance (AHC) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which is considered as a violation of safety Regulations.

    He said several letters and entreaties sent to GSM providers from the Authority were not responded to despite the fact they were duly received by the relevant executives and duly acknowledged.

    He said:” In addition, Letters of Investigation (LOI) were written and delivered to them with no response recorded till date.”

    Recall that in a meeting with the Director General, early this year, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) members were candidly advised by the DG to ensure they obtain Aviation Height Clearance.

    This, Adurogboye said, was to reiterate the need for all masts and towers erected in Nigeria to adhere to safety regulation and ensure safety of air navigation.

    He said at the meeting, Globacom representatives were present and were asked questions concerning GLOs refusal to obtain Aviation Height Clearance Certificate.

    He said:” In response the delegates demanded to be furnished with the location of the masts. A booklet containing the coordinates and location of the masts has since been made available to the organisation.

    “As a result of the meeting, other telecommunications providers have implicitly demonstrated considerably compliance by duly obtaining the requisite height clearance from the Authority except for these few defaulters.

    “It is instructive to note that there are well over 40,000 masts and towers in Nigeria. Statutorily, all telecommunications operators should obtain Aviation Height Clearance (AHC) and ensured their annual validity.

    He said a 30-day ultimatum has been given to all defaulters in Nigeria to regularise their operations with NCAA forthwith.

    Adurogboye said:” However, if there is similarly no response, NCAA will immediately embark on mass decommissioning and demolition of all their masts and towers in Nigeria.

    “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will continue to provide a level playing field for aviation and related services to thrive in Nigeria.

    “Much more importantly, safety and security of airline operations is critical and will not be compromised.”

  • 29 airlines lost 44,712 luggage last year, says report

    At least, 44,712 luggage were declared missing among 29 local and international airlines that operated within and into the nation’s airports last year, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said.

    In a report, Air France led the pack with 6,175 missing luggage on the international scene. Air Peace led the other eight indigenous carriers on the domestic scene with 66 missing baggage within the period under review.

    While 41,498 of the missing luggage were retrieved by their owners, the others could not.

    A further breakdown of the missing luggage indicated that on the international scene, apart from Air France with the 6,175 missing luggage, other airlines involved in missing luggage were KLM with 5,088, African World Airlines, 308; Air Cote d’Ivoire, 670; Air Namibia, 221; Arik Air, 172; Asky, 1,167; British Airways; 4,273, Cam Air-Co; 109; Cronos Air; one, Delta Air Lines; 3,473, Egypt Air; 2,448, Emirates; 1,725, Ethiopian Air; 1,946, Etihad; 472, Kenya; 1,152 and Lufthansa with 3,750 missing luggage.

    Others were Mediana; 218, Med-View; 25, Middle East; eight, Mid Africa; 112, Qatar Airways; 1,238, Royal Air Maroc; 2,624, RwandAir; 1,234, South African Airways; 762, Turkish Air; 4,348 and Virgin Atlantic had 1,166 missing luggage within the period.

    On the local scene out of the eight local airlines that operated within the period under review, seven out of them except Azman Air had issues of missing baggage in 2018.

    According to the report, Air Peace had 66 missing luggage with 63 of them recovered within the period. Arik Air recorded 59 missing luggage with 55 of them recovered.

    Also, Dana Air had 34 of its passengers missing with 32 recovered between January and last December, Aero Contractors had six missing luggage with all of them recovered within the period.

    Besides, Max Air recorded four missing luggage with all of them recovered. Med-View and Overland Airways also had two luggage of their passengers missing within the period, but were later recovered.

    In all, last year, 173 luggage were declared missing, but 164 of them were recovered with nine not returned to their owners, according to the report.

    The report further revealed that last year, there were at least 15,645 flights operated on international routes, another 59,818 flights were operated on the domestic routes.

    Besides, the report indicated that last year, no fewer than 734 flights were cancelled by airlines on international and local routes. Of these figures, 190 were cancelled on the international scene, and 544 occurred within the local airlines.

    In all, there were 85 air returns last year; 25 among international carriers and 60 among the local  airlines.

    According to NCAA, the  airlines recorded 70 overbookings between January and December, last year with international airlines recording 11; 59 of such occurred among the eight local carriers.

    The report further stated that air travellers on local and international scenes experienced 92 luggage pilfering across the airports with 63 of such recorded on the international scene and the others on the local scene.

    The regulatory agency’s report emphasised that in the past year, all the international airports in the country recorded a total 1,994,099 in-bound passengers and 2,084,980 out-bound passengers, bringing the number of international passengers to 4,079,079.

    On the local scene, there were 10,092,643 were in-bound and out-bound passengers. Of these numbers, 5,033,669 were in-bound passengers, and the others out-bound passengers.

    The record showed that all the airports recorded 14,171,722 passengers in the past year.

    NCAA stated that its Consumer Protection Directorate (CPD) received 161 complaints from air travellers last year with 99 of such complaints resolved by the directorate.

    The breakdown indicated that the CPD received 74 complaints on the international scene and resolved 36. Of the 87 complaints received from the local  airlines, 63 were resolved.

  • NCAA, telcos at daggers drawn over N2b debts

    THE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) may be on a collision cause over unpaid N2billion operating charges owed by the later, The Nation has learnt.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that as part of efforts to preempt the NCAA from wielding the big stick, the telcos’ association had brokered a peace meeting with the agency’s management led by the Director-General, Capt. Muhtar Usman.

    Under the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (Establishment) Act, Section 7(1) (n), the NCAA is empowered to prohibit and regulate the installation of any structure, which by virtue of its height or position, is considered to endanger the safety of air navigation. Therefore, pursuant to the above provision, the Regulatory Authority requires an Aviation Height Clearance (AHC) approval for every high-rise structure, mast, tower installation, irrespective of the height and location.

    According to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) Part 12.1.7.1.11.the AHC shall remain in force for a period of one year, when it shall be due for renewal unless suspended or cancelled by the Authority.

    Besides, the holder of an AHC certificate shall ensure proper records of AHC granted to it and the renewal of the AHC at least 30 days to the expiry date.

    However, ALTON requested for a meeting with Usman to resolve certain perceived grey areas. Inclusive in these grey areas are that AHC should be a one-off exercise, no renewals and structures for AHC should be selective – not all, particularly if it’s not deemed to endanger air navigation.

    Responding, Usman frowned at the illegality of ALTON directive to its members to cease payments until when all related matters have been resolved.

    The President of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, appreciating the engagement, requested for the establishment of a bilateral committee consisting officials of both NCAA and ALTON, to hold periodic meetings for a smooth working relationship.

    According to informed sources, the telecom operators are indebted to the tune of over N2billion incurred over a period of time since 2017.

    Confirming this development, in an interview with our correspondent, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, NCAA General Manager of Public Relations, said, “The meeting we had with them was a kind of peace meeting. Their association came on a courtesy call and the issue was discussed. They owe us yes and they stated their reasons for defaulting in payment. But things were explained to them by the NCAA management for them to know what is involved, especially why we charge what we charge and the laws backing us or what the laws say. After this was explained they promised to take the mention back to their members with a view to start paying.

    “They owe us and they were paying at the beginning but along the long line they had the impression that we were overcharging them. But then we are not overcharging. We are only doing what the law empowers us to do. Before now they didn’t know that. It is not just mast we inspect but also high rise buildings. There are some cases where people want to build six storey building and we reduce it to at least three for them because they did not know that it is a flight path. But when you are 0planing your building, the Town planners and all the rest know who to approach or who to give certain approval. The NCAA by law we must clear what goes into the air before it has a contact with the plane. So all these were explained to them and they became clear.”

    On whether they gave any timeline on when they would start playing, the NCAA’s image-maker said they promised to get back to their members and explain the situation to them with a view to start paying.

     

  • Osinbajo: Landing in dusty environment caused chopper’s crash – AIB

    ……Attributes crash to effects of landing in dusty environment

     

    The Accident Investigation Bureau ( AIB ) on Wednesday released the report of the helicopter crash involving Agusta Westland W 139 Caverton Helicopters which flew Vice President to Kabba in Kogi State.

    The AIB attributed the February 2, 2019 crash of the Chopper marked with registration number 5N – CML to effects of a brown out generated during its landing in a dry dusty environment.

    It said Caverton should have carried out risk assessment test at the Kaaba stadium before the flight.

    Brown out in aviation par lance means a condition generated during landing in a sandy, dusty environment.

    The chopper operated by Caverton Helicopter occurred at Kaaba Stadium in Kogi State. It flew Osinbajo his entourage and three crew members.

    The chopper was manufactured in 2012.

    Speaking at a briefing at its headquarters at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, AIB Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Akin Olateru said though the investigation into the crash is ongoing, it has however issued two safety recommendations to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the operator : Caverton Helicopters Limited.

    Olateru said the NCAA should issue advisory circular to helicopter operators on the effects of brown out and how to mitigate its effects.

    The second safety recommendation, Olateru said is for Caverton Helicopters to carry out proper risk analysis and assessment before operating flights into unapproved landing pad.

    He said the final report on the accident will be released in few months.

  • NCAA yet to identify aircraft with worn out tyre

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA ) on Tuesday said it was yet to identify the airline that had a worn out aircraft tyre trending on social media

    Its spokesman, Sam Adurogboye, said though it was yet to establish the carrier whose aircraft allegedly had such a worn out tyre but insisted in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) no airline operator can embark on commercial air transportation for hire and reward without airworthy operating aircraft.

    Citing the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) Part 5.4.1.1, Adurogboye said the Authority only issues a Certificate of Airworthiness for aircraft registered in Nigeria based on satisfactory evidence that the aircraft complies with the design aspects of the appropriate airworthiness requirements (type certificate) and is in a condition for safe operation.

    He said NCAA’s Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASI), who are well trained and motivated carry out routine ramp inspection on all airlines operating in Nigeria.

    He said it is the primary responsibility of the Authority Inspectors to ensure all parts of the aircraft complies with the applicable airworthiness requirements and remains in a condition for safe operation before every flight and throughout its operating life.

    In addition to the Authority oversight roles, NCAA, he said has placed the onerous responsibility of the first line of safety on the operating airlines’ Pilot-in-Command of each flight and the assigned Engineer that authorised each flight.

    Adurogboye said: “With all the various checks and counter checks put in place by NCAA combined with that of the operators, it is therefore improbable that any airline in Nigeria will operate a service with that kind of tyre.

    “However, NCAA wishes to advise the original author of the post or any other individuals with safety related issue, if any to furnish the Authority with the identity of the airline or any of such information to enable us establish the authenticity of the claim and ensure appropriate action.

    “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will continue to carry out surveillance on the industry to ensure safety and security of airline operations in Nigeria and it is pertinent to point out that violation is viewed seriously.”

  • Dana Air wins best customer service airline of the year award

    Dana Air  has won the Best Customer Service Airline award at MamaJ’s Aviation Careers Conference held recently in Lagos, at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Annex, Lagos

    MamaJ Aviation Careers conference is an annual seminar to create a platform to introduce and mentor aspiring youths and other invited guests to the many career opportunities that exist in the aviation industry and also to celebrate and honor outstanding Aviation Professionals and stakeholders who have contributed immensely to human capital development in the aviation industry in Nigeria.

    The Media and Communications Manager of Dana Air, Kingsley Ezenwa, while receiving the award on behalf of Dana Air, said ‘I want to say a big thank to MamaJ Aviation Consult for this award. We are delighted that our customer centric products  and our efforts towards providing excellent service to our valued guests is being rewarded and this will only spur us to continue.’’

    Read Also: Dana Air introduces smart booking

    Kingsley while reacting to a comment by one of the invited guests about the short lifespan of airlines in Nigeria said,’ Dana Air will be 10 years in November and this only shows that we have a structure and management style that is worthy of emulation and we are in it for the long haul.’’

    Also speaking at the conference, the Founder, MamaJ Aviation Consult limited, Joy Ogbebo said, the conference is a non – profit career initiative to promote aviation education advocacy for youths in an emerging world.

    ‘The conference, every year brings together aspiring next generation of Aviation Professionals and Participants on the career opportunities that exist in the industry and I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors, partners and everyone involved in this project. She added’’

     

  • NCAA de-registers ten aircraft

    ……. Issues 115 AOC in six months

    Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA)  said  on Wednesday that it has carried out registration and de-registration of fifty-two (52) aircraft  as well as issued and renewed one hundred and fifteen (115) air worthiness certificates between January and June, 2018

    Its Director General, Captain Muhtar Usman made this known at the 2nd NCAA Interactive Forum with Aviation Agencies’ and Airlines’ Public Relations/Information Managers at the NCAA Annex where he called for a united approach in information dissemination devoid of disinformation and scare mongering.

    Reeling out the figures, Captain Usman said twenty (20) aircraft were registered for commercial air transport, while another ten (10) were registered for general operations. He further said ten (10) aircraft were de-registered while another twelve (12) were re-registered within the period in review.

    He said the NCAA between January and June issued thirty (30)certificates of air worthiness while it renewed eighty-five (85) air worthiness certificates.

    Read Also: NCAA reads riot act to travel agencies

    On licensing, Mukhar said  between January and June, the regulators have also issued thirty-two (36) pilot licenses, renewed seven hundred and fifty (750) pilot medical and instrument and has changed 23 foreign licenses, issued 242 cabin crew licences as well as renewed 206 cabin crew medical.

    He  stated  that the CAA has issued aircraft maintenance engineering licenses to 68 engineers and has renewed the licenses of 64 Air Traffic Controllers, 34 Flight Dispatchers and has conducted exams for 1, 537 professionals of various categories.

    On issues of flight delays and cancellations, in the period under review, the NCAA boss said there were 16,880 delays in domestic operations and 2,443 for international operations with 253 flights cancelled domestically and 95 internationally.

    On missing baggage, he said  only 25 were delayed or missing domestically while 17, 893 cases of delayed or missing baggage were reported internationally.

     

  • Revenue automation: NCAA gives foreign carriers ultimatum

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)  yesterday gave   December 31, 2018 as deadline   to foreign carriers that are yet to  Automate/Integrate on the Avitech platform for the remittance of the five per cent Ticket/Cargo  Sales Charge to do so or face severe sanctions

    The ultimatum came on the heels of regular meetings; reminders and follow ups to the defaulting airlines that have failed to comply with Federal Government’s directive on the Aviation Revenue Automation Project (ARAP), as well as abide by the provisions in the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the affected countries.

    The Federal Government in 2011 introduced  Aviation Revenue Automation Project (ARAP) for revenue collection to engender  data integrity, transparency, transaction accountability and control of revenue, which comes at no cost to airline operators.

  • NCAA chief: more Nigerians buying into Nigeria Air

    More Nigerians are buying into the proposed Nigeria Air, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director-General Captain Mukthar Usman has said.

    Speaking to reporters in Lagos, Usman said more Nigerians were showing understanding in the government’s talks with stakeholders on how to deliver the national carrier.

    He said the government was working on how to see to the carrier’s takeoff.

    Usman said Nigeria Air project arrangements would continue until it is delivered to the people.

    The NCAA boss said the seeming silence over the project was not evidence that it has been stalled.

    On the role of transaction advisers, Usman said: “It is a process, the process is ongoing and it is transparent as people can see, it is to get the best for Nigeria. Nigerians have been yearning for the gaps created by the lack of having strong and viable carrier that would mean the demands and potentials of both the domestic market, the regional market and the International market”.

    Assuring that the December take-off date is feasible, he said delivering the Air Transport Licence (ATL) and the Aircraft Operators Certificate (AOC) would not exceed 90 days.

    He said: “We still have more than 90 days to the end of the year, so, it is still feasible, all things being equal, am just talking from the regulatory point of view.”

    In July, Minister of State for Aviation HadiSirika said Nigeria Air will be launched in December.

  • Bridging African flight connectivity gap

    Air travel within Africa remains a nightmare. This is because of the absence of direct flights to major capitals on the continent. But the story may soon change as some Nigerian airlines are to begin regional flights, which may boost the continent’s socio-economic activities, reports KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR.

    Flight connectivity within Africa has received a boost, with some Nigerian carriers  getting set to begin operation on some routes on the West Coast. This will be a big relief to passengers, who have continually suffered connecting from one part of the continent to the other.

    According to experts, increased intra-African air connectivity will enable the continent  seize the opportunity for growth provided by its demographic and resources advantage.

    Stakeholders in the air travel industry have at various times rued the challenge of intra-African connectivity, which they claimed, has forced passengers on such routes to pay higher fares, suffered increased flight time and other hiccups associated with movement within the continent.

    Besides, the continent has also been at a loss economically, given that the situation has continued to be a roadblock to efforts at integrating economies on the continent due to the difficulty in movement of persons and goods.

    All these are set to change because two Nigerian carriers, Air Peace and Overland Airways, are set to commence operations into more countries in the region.

    While Air Peace has  four weekly flights from Lagos, Abuja and Accra into Monrovia this week, Overland Airways  will, with effect from August 12, launch flights from Lagos to Cotonou and Lome.

    The entrance of these carriers into the West African Coast will engender competition among other African carriers, including: ASKY Airlines, African World Airways, Rwand Air and Air Cote D‘ Ivoire, which are struggling for market share on the competitive routes.

    Investigation by The Nation, revealed that DANA Air and Medview Airlines, which had a stint on the Lagos-Accra route, have pulled out due to operational and sundry reasons.

    Investigations revealed that the pulling out of  Aerocontractors and Virgin Nigeria Airways, which  controlled the market share on the West African Coast many years ago due to challenges of capacity, bequeathed the routes  to the struggling Arik Air.

    Former Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director, Dr  Harold Demuren said Nigerian carriers could take the bull by the horn by converting the West African Coast operations to a single domestic market.

    Demuren said Nigerian carriers have the capacity to drive operations on the routes because there are no strong carriers on many West and Central African countries.

    Overland Airways Chief Operating Officer, Mrs Aunu Benson, who spoke in an interview, said the airline’s decision to begin flights into Benin and Togo Republics is to create reliable air travel services for the movement of persons and goods from Nigeria’s secondary airports into capitals of African countries.

    Benson said the beginning of domestic West African operations will provide travel opportunities for Nigerians, who hitherto could not connect flights from airports in the hinterlands to cities in West Africa.

    She said uninterrupted scheduled flights will now be available for passengers from Lagos, Asaba, Jalingo, Ibadan,  Akure and Ilorin into routes in some West African countries.

    “Overland Airways operations to Cotonou and Lome are to offer choices to customers as our contribution to regional integration in West Africa. We want air travellers in the region to team up and discover each other while enjoying the excellent services we offer. It is an expression of Nigeria’s aviation renaissance in West Africa.”

    “One of the most important missing factors facing sustainable economic transformation in West Africa is smoothinter-connectivity. Over the coming years, Overland Airways will facilitate a new environment for business, leisureliness, families, students, and more essentially bolster that bonding among the peoples and groupings in the

    region. There is need to reinforce unity and prosperity at the regional level,” Benson said.

    According to her, the airline will leverage its fleet utilisation programme to provide the right aircraft that will offer quality service on the route.

    Overland, she said, has in-house maintenance capacity for its fleet of aircraft to service the routes.

    “ Overland Airways relies on its fleet of technologically superior ATR and Beechcraft aircraft, and team of seasoned aviation and management professionals to drive its vision of providing excellent flight services in Nigeria’s and West Africa’s economies.

    ”We invite our customers to enjoy our premium services as we expand into the region to enable our current and new customers enjoy the Overland Airways experience in the region. We will continue to improve our services, and we are here to serve you,” she said.

    Speaking in an interview, Air Peace Corporate Communications Manager, Chris Iwarah, said the airline’s foray into Lagos and Abuja to Monrovia, Liberia and Accra, Ghana, will offer passengers more travel options.

    This, he said, is  the third phase in the network expansion plan  within the continent. Air Peace launched its first regional flight out of Lagos to Accra on February 16, 2017.

    The airline also added Freetown (Sierra Leone), Banjul (The Gambia) and Dakar (Senegal) to its route network on February 19, 2018.

    Iwarah said: “Monrovia, Liberia and Abuja-Accra will be joining our route network this week. We will also be inaugurating our Abuja-Accra service besides connecting Accra and Monrovia on the same date. This is our way of  expressing sincere gratitude to members of the flying public, who have continued to support and endorse the Air Peace brand. The launch of the new services will afford air travellers on the Lagos-Monrovia, Abuja-Monrovia, Accra-Monrovia and Abuja-Accra routes the option of a truly efficient, customer-centric and exceptional alternative.

    “Since the launch of the first and second phases of our regional flight operations to Accra (Ghana), Freetown (Sierra-Leone), Banjul (The Gambia) as well as Dakar (Senegal) on February 16, 2017 and February 19, 2018 respectively, we have received pieces of positive feedback, confirming how our operations have transformed air travel and eliminated the challenges of connectivity on the West Cost of Africa.

    “We are determined to offer our valued passengers  an even greater experience in safe, on-time and efficient flight services. The inauguration of our Monrovia routes would bring our regional network to five important destinations. Lome, Abidjan, Niamey, Douala, among other cities, will also come on board soon.

    “Air travel is essential to the prosperity of Africa as it opens up opportunities that did not exist before. Fostering the African aviation industry may be one of the driving forces of regional integration on the continent.  Better  connected African countries and regions through a viable air transport industry could be the catalyst that can boost intra-African business, trade, tourism as well as cultural exchange.”