The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian College of Aviation Technology

  • NCAT graduates first set of multi-crew

    The Flying School of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State, has graduated  four  participants in its first Multi-Crew Cooperation Course N0. 1 (MCC.1).

    According to the Chief Information Officer of the College, Balarabe Mohammed, three participants  were sponsored by Arik Air, while the fourth was on the bill of NCAT.

    At the ceremony, the Rector/ Chief Executive of the College, Capt. Abdulsalami Mohammed, explained that the course was the first of its kind and designed to train single seat pilots in the team skills necessary for the safe operation of complex, multi-crew, jet aircraft.

    He revealed that the training focuses on teaching participants the fundamentals of operating as a crew in the multi-crew airline environment, adding that the course offers participants  the opportunity to practice and develop the skills necessary for leadership and support roles in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation ( ICAO).

    The head of Flying School, Captain Mohammed Barau, said the fresh graduates are the brand ambassadors of the NCAT in the civil aviation industry.

    He urged them to know the technological world in real time and help the  comatose civil aviation industry.

  • NCAT introduces latest flight training courses

    The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria has introduced new flight training courses.

    The management  of the College disclosed this on Tuesday.

    The College said it has introduced four flight related courses, which it listed to include: Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL);  Multi Crew Course (MCC); Jet Orientation Course (JOC) and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) English Proficiency Test.

    The College said while the ATPL course, would require takes a 10 weeks duration for online students, it would require 10 days for regular students to complete  the programme.

    The College said there would be provision of a week’s revision for students undergoing the ATPL, course.

    NCAT management said: Other courses including the MCC would take a week to complete like the JOC programme. Interested flight officers should contact the head of Flying School in Zaria.”

    Read Also: How to create jobs for pilots, by NCAT rector

    2010, about 6,500 students had graduated from the college, which offers course in flying, aircraft maintenance, air traffic control and aeronautical telecommunications.

    NCAT, formerly known as Nigerian Civil Aviation Training Centre, was established in 1964 and  is funded by the Civil Aviation Department in the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Aviation.

    The management said: “The College has a fleet of about 26 training aircraft. 14 single-engine TAMPICO TB9, five  single TRINIDAD TB20,  three  twin-engine Beech 58,  two  BELL 206 Helicopters, a B737 aircraft for cabin crew training and  one  TBM 850 aircraft for flight training.

    “The College has graduated over 6,500 aviation professionals.”

  • Union commends Buhari for signing of executive order on local content

    Union commends Buhari for signing of executive order on local content

    The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing Executive Order 5 to improve local content in public procurement with science, engineering and technology components.

    The General Secretary of NAAPE, Mr Aba Ocheme, told the News mens on Wednesday in Lagos that the move was a welcome development.

    Ocheme said that no fewer than 500 young Nigerian pilots and engineers, who studied at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, and Kaduna State and in other countries, were currently unemployed.

    “For us, it is a most welcome development vis-à-vis our campaigns over the recent past on issue of foreigners taking over jobs that Nigerians are amply qualified for.

    Also, the failure of government apparatus to enforce the expatriate quota law.

    “So, the executive order is not on its own, a new instrument to curtail this malfeasance. It only indicates a refocusing of government’s attention in that direction.

    “If will continue to do it the way we have been doing it, obviously we are not going to make a headway,” Ocheme said.

    He said the union was desirous of working with the Ministry of Interior to weed out expatriates who were not needed and also ensuring that the law on expatriate quota was fully implemented.

    Read Also: 2019: Group urges Nigerians to support President Buhari

    “Without the involvement of NAAPE, the Ministry of Interior does not possess the capacity to understand how the aviation industry runs. They have no personnel who are specially trained in these areas.

    “We think our involvement is the only guarantee that what is needed to be done will actually be done.

    “Because, we know what is going on and we are in the best position to advise government appropriately,” Ocheme added.

    The news men reports that the executive order signed by the president on Monday is expected to promote the application of science, technology and innovation toward achieving the nation’s development goals across all sectors of the economy.

    The president, pursuant to the authority vested in him by the constitution, ordered that all ‘‘procuring authorities shall give preference to Nigerian companies and firms in the award of contracts in line with the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

    The executive order also prohibits the Ministry of Interior from giving visas to foreign workers whose skills are readily available in Nigeria.

    NAN

  • NACAN decries low number of personnel at airports

    The National Air Traffic Communicators Association of Nigeria (NACAN) says the inadequate number of its personnel for operations in the country’s 24 functional airports is worrisome.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NACAN’s President, Mr George Nkambo, spoke at the association’s fourth general meeting in Lagos on Tuesday.

    Nkambo disclosed that there were only 97 trained and licensed communication personnel nationwide, which was grossly inadequate to cover operations across the nation’s airports.

    According to him, the management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) did not employ personnel into the department between 1989 and 2012.

    He, therefore, appealed to the management to approve the basic training at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology for officers to be properly integrated into the mainstream.

    According to him, this will assist in addressing the acute manpower shortage in the department.

    Nkambo said that NAMA, as an air navigation service provider, had the responsibility of rendering its task with high sense of professionalism as outlined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) annexes.

    The NACAN president also decried the inability of his members to attend mandatory local and foreign courses to build their capacity due to lack of funding by management.

    He explained that air traffic communication was an important part of air traffic service in NAMA as spelt out in ICAO Annex 10 volume II, which was necessary for exchange of air traffic service messages.

    Nkambo, however, commended the NAMA’s management for converting some personnel from within the agency who applied for conversion after meeting the requisite criteria, into the department.

    The NACAN president also called for provision of modern facilities across the airports to improve the safety of air navigation in the country.