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Tag: Tunji Oketunbi

  • AIB boss urge pilots, others to be professional in their duties

    AIB boss urge pilots, others to be professional in their duties

    Mr Akin Olateru, the Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau ( AIB ), has  emphasised the need  for members of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers ( NAAPE ) to discharge their duties professionally.

    The commissioner’s call is in a statement by Mr Tunji Oketunbi, the Head, Public Affairs, AIB, on Sunday in Lagos.

    Oketunbi stated that the commissioner made the call when a delegation of NAAPE, led by its President, Mr Abednego Galadima, paid a courtesy visit to Olateru at the AIB headquarters.

    Olateru said the Nigerian aviation industry would experience more growth and safe flight operations if aircraft engineers and pilots in various organisations displayed professionalism in carrying out  their responsibilities.

    He lauded NAAPE for the pragmatic approach  in dealing with managements of various organisations in the industry, noting that the attitude had brought stability to the sector and enjoined them to continue  in the same manner.

    The commissioner said “there is no organisation without workers and if there is no organisation, there will be no workers. Your association has demonstrated enough professionalism.

    “It is not about money. For some unions, it is for the highest bidders, but you have been consistent with the truth.

    “Without NAAPE, there is no aviation. NAAPE is the most important union in the industry. I am not, however, saying that other unions are not important but everything surrounds aircraft. If there is no aircraft, there is no aviation.

    “NAAPE comes first in the industry. So, I will want you to urge your members to be more professional in the discharge of their duties.”

    Commenting on the release of accident reports by the bureau, Olateru observed that none of its reports had been faulted by any individual or organisation in recent times.

    He attributed this to the new approach by the current management, which removed accident reports from the apron string of individuals to collective contributions.

    He explained that because of the quality of work done by investigators, no engine or aircraft manufacturer had faulted the reports of the agency on aircraft incident or accident.

    “The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, recently told me not to rush reports that could be faulted by anyone.

    “So, I took time to go through the process to show him that our reports can’t be faulted. Our reports are not done individually again.

    “We now have groups comprising experienced and inexperienced investigators. No one personalises reports again. And after the groups have finished their work with the draft reports, we send them to stakeholders for comments and observations.

    “On getting feed backs, we now do a general review, which involves virtually all the investigators, before it goes out for proof reading,”he said.

    Olateru noted that aviation industry anywhere in the world was technical and volatile, stressing that whatever developments that took place in other sectors also affect aviation industry.

    He pointed out  that the minister  was working with Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ) to ensure that interest rate on loans obtained by investors in the sector was not more than nine per cent, which would go a long way in improving standards in the sector.

    Olateru emphasised that it required expertise for an investor to run an airline business successfully and enjoined investors in the sub-sector to allow proven professionals to run the businesses.

    In his remarks, Galadima commended Olateru for bringing stability to AIB within a short period of time.

    He promised that the association would work with the management, especially in the area of accident prevention and would sensitise members on non-hazard and violation according to Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation ( ICAO ).

    He added that “we want to see that the industry grows. We are here to see that aviation in Nigeria grows and gets a win-win for employees and employers.

    “We recognise that AIB has paucity of funds, but despite this, the bureau has been paying the licence fee to NAAPE members in the agency.

    “I will also use this opportunity to call for the release of promotion letters to our members in your organisation as the year is running out. Also, I seek proper placement as it affects our members. We will support you, but as friends, we will also tell you the truth.”

  • AIB resuscitates $5.8m laboratory at Abuja airport

    The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) said on Tuesday it has resuscitated its $5.8 million Flight Safety Laboratory at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    AIB’s spokesman, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi, said in a statement that the Bureau’s Commissioner, Mr. Akin Olateru, made the disclosure at training in Abuja.

    The training was facilitated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Singaporean Government.

    Olateru said the agency has also trained staff on the handling of the laboratory, which was constructed and equipped in 2012.

    The commissioner noted that the management had signed a contract with a Canadian firm, CEA/Flightscape in 2011 to install state-of-the-art equipment in its new laboratory.

    He said the laboratory was designed to download information from Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), among others.

    He said: “The summary of the matter is that the laboratory was not working when I took over as the commissioner.

    “I made it a priority to resuscitate the laboratory considering its importance to the discharge of AIB’s responsibilities.

    “I galvanised all the necessary quarters to achieve this mission. ICAO and the Singaporean government agreed to help.

    “First I charged our ICT compound to get the laboratory running, which they successfully did. So, I can confidently tell you that the laboratory is working.

    “However, we need the in-house capacity to manage it and maximise the benefits of the facility. This is where ICAO has come in.”

    Olateru said the optimum performance of the laboratory was central to the Bureau’s contribution to safety in Nigeria and the sub-region.

    He added that the management was not unaware of the expectation of ICAO and the West African sub-region from the  AIB.

    NAN

  • Crashed plane ‘Black box’ to be analysed in Nigeria

    Crashed plane ‘Black box’ to be analysed in Nigeria

    The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Friday said the “black-box” of the airplane that crashed at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, will be analysed here in Nigeria.

    The spokesman of AIB, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi , told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that the “black box” would be analysed at its Abuja office.

    The Embraer-120 aircraft, with registration number 5N-BJY, was operated by Associated Airlines and was on a private charter flight from Lagos to Akure.

    It crashed shortly after take-off at the local wing of the Lagos airport.

    The aircraft was said to be carrying 20 persons, including the crew, as well as the remains of the former governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu.

    Oketunbi said; “AIB will analyse the black box at its newly constructed accident investigation bureau office in Abuja.

    “Though, the laboratory is yet to be inaugurated, we will take the black box there for analysis to ascertain the causes of Thursday’s accident and how we can prevent a future occurrence.

    “However, if we encounter any challenges while doing that, we may contact our foreign partners for assistance,” he said.

    The black box usually contains the conversation between pilots and control tower at the airport prior to any accident.

     

  • Relations to get DANA Air crash victims’ items

    About 13 months after 153 passengers and crew died on board DANA Air McDonnell Douglas 83 aircraft,  the  Accident Investigation Bureau ( AIB), is now ready to  release  some items belonging to the victims of the crash to their relations.

    The belongings were recovered from the wreckage of the ill-fated aircraft, which crashed into residential buildings in Iju/ Ishaga area of Lagos.

    According to statement by the AIB, signed by its Head of Public Affairs, Mr Tunji Oketunbi, relations of the victims of the crash are advised to visit the bureau’s office at the Murtala Muhammed  International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for identification and collection of the items.

    Oketunbi said a belongings recovered from the crash site include : bags, jewelries laptops, phones, cash and identity cards that were badly affected by fire and the impact of the crash.

    The statement reads:” Accident Investigation Bureau will be releasing some items belonging to the victims of the DANA Air crash, which occurred in Iju Ishaga, on the outskirts of Lagos June 3, 2012 to the relations.

    “The affected relations are advised to visit the Lagos office of the bureau at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja for identification and collection of the items.

    “The Bureau wishes to announce that the contacts for the victims’ families obtained from Dana Air have been contacted to facilitate the exercise.

    “AIB has since been investigating the cause of the crash even as a detailed report will be issued as soon as possible.

    “The release of the items would not affect the ongoing investigation.   A lot of belongings recovered from the crash site including bags, jewelries, laptops, phones, cash and identity cards were badly affected by fire and the impact of the crash. There are also some items with unidentified owners.”