AVIATION MEGAFORCE

Boeing should change flight controls on its 777 airliner following last year's deadly Asiana Airlines crash in San Francisco, say US accident investigators. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) primarily faulted pilot "mismanagement" for the crash, which killed three people and injured 187. The three veteran pilots were found to have committed 20 or 30 errors in the final approach. But the  agency's final report also cited the "complexities"  of the 777's auto-throttle system and auto-flight director as contributing factors. Boeing, a US manufacturer, said in a statement that it "respectfully disagrees" with the findings. The NTSB's report also faulted insufficient pilot training by the South Korean airline. The wide-bodied jetliner, with 307 people on board, descended too low and too slowly during the landing attempt last July 6. Its tail struck a seawall and tore off. The NTSB's acting chairman, Chris Hart, s...

(l-r) Emmanuel Chidera Emmanuel, Mrs Vivian Menyanga, Engr., Saleh Dunoma, MD/CE of FAAN, Kabir Mohammed,Chief Of Staff to MD/CE and Hajiya Salamatu Eluma, Director, Human Resources during the presentation of certificates to the Certified Airport Managers. The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has recorded another milestone in its capacity building effort. In line with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, FAAN has graduated three of the Authority’s staff from the Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme (AMPAP). According to the General Manager, Corporate Communication of FAAN, Mr Yakubu Dati in a press release, the AMPAP programme which commenced in 2012 was concluded in February 2014, making the successful candidates Certified Airport Managers. The certified Airport Managers who successfully completed the AMPAP, in line with the Global ACI/ICAO objectives are Mr. Kabir Y. Mohammed, Chief of Staff to the MD/CEO, Mrs Vivian Menyanga of the ...

                           The civil aviation sector  in India is on the verge of collapse with accumulated losses of Rs 49,000 crore and needs an urgent boost to prevent more Kingfisher-type meltdowns and job losses, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was told on Saturday. The review meeting saw civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju pointing out that poor returns from airports, burgeoning costs and a tax structure that hurt Indian maintenance, repair and overhaul industry was burying the sector under debt. Raju is understood to have compared the situation with what the telecom sector faced in 1999 before the then Vajpayee government worked out a rescue package that allowed mobile service providers to move from fixed fees to revenue sharing.

   Boeing  is pleased that China Eastern Airlines has committed to purchase 80 737s, including Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX airplanes. When finalized, the order will become China’s largest-ever purchase by an airline for single-aisle airplanes, worth more than $8 billion at current list prices. “We look forward to making history with China Eastern as they are poised to make the largest purchase for single-aisle airplanes by a Chinese airline,” said Ihssane Mounir, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Northeast Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We share an enduring partnership with China Eastern and we are excited to see that the 737 family of airplanes will play an important role in their continued success.” The order will be posted on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website once all contingencies are cleared.

 Former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah has been honoured with a chieftaincy title “Ada Eze Chukwu” by her kinsmen. She was bestowed with the chieftaincy title for her outstanding service to Nigeria from her community, Ogbaru LGA, Anambra state on the 7th of June. Speaking at the event which held at the Central School Field, Akili Ozizor in Anambra State, Senator Ben Obi described Stella’s exploit at the aviation’s ministry as someone who came, saw the ailing ministry and conquered it, leaving it better than she met it. “She is a visionary. She is a woman who single handedly worked and changed the 22 domestic airports in Nigeria.” He said “Stella Oduah may have stumbled into troubled waters in the course of navigating the nations industry, and one thing the people of Ogbaru have taken into cognizance is her doggedness to achieve results in the male dominated world,” he further said.

  Business jet market shows continued interest in Boeing widebody airplanes  Business Jets (BBJ) today announced the order of a BBJ 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplane to an undisclosed customer. "2014 continues to be a positive year for BBJ with strong order activity," said Capt. Steve Taylor , president, Boeing Business Jets. "Customers are showing strong interest in our wide-body VIP products and the BBJ 777-300ER is an airplane that really provides unmatched comfort and range on long-haul flights." This is the second widebody order for BBJ this year, further demonstrating Boeing's dominance in the widebody VIP market. Since BBJ introduced the 747-8 and 787 in 2006, widebody airplanes have accounted for nearly 40 percent of the total net orders for BBJ airplanes. The BBJ 777-300ER has a cabin size of 3,641 square feet (338 square meters) with a range capability of 9,220 nautical miles (17,075 kilometers). Boeing Business Jets delivers the VIP airplane...

      Supervising Minister of Aviation and Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom has  denied receiving any money from agencies under his aviation portfolio to fund his gubernatorial ambition in Benue state. A statement made available to aviation journalists and signed by the minister noted that the said report was malicious and challenged anyone with any evidence to publish same. “I state categorically that no parastatal or agency under the Aviation Ministry or any official under any of them has been tasked or is being tasked to remit any money and has ever made monthly or any payments to me to fund my campaign. I challenge any one with proof of such to step forward and publish for the general public” the minister explained. He said “My attention has been drawn to reports in some national newspapers that there is another crisis rocking the Aviation Ministry, as some parastatals in the ministry are being compelled to m...

    Arik Air has reinforced its position as West and Central Africa’s largest commercial carrier by expanding its reach to the Middle East, becoming the first Nigerian airline to offer a commercial service between Abuja, Nigeria and Dubai, The United Arab Emirates (UAE). The first commercial flight on the new route is currently slated for Monday, 28th July and will subsequently operate five weekly flights on Monday , Wednesday , Friday , Saturday and Sunday from Nigeria and return on Tuesday , Thursday , Saturday , Sunday and Monday from Dubai. Outbound flights will depart from Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS), Lagos at 1905 (local time) arriving at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (ABV), Abuja at 2020 (local time). The flight will then continue on to Dubai, departing Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (ABV), Abuja at 2150 (local time) finally arriving at Dubai International Airport (DXB), Dubai Terminal 1 at 0720 (local time). The inbound fli...

Gradually, it is becoming increasingly apparent to discerning Nigerians that air mishaps or incidents have no bearing on the safety or otherwise of the airspace. Previous air crashes in the country have been traced to poor pilot judgment, fatigue and poor aircraft maintenance. In all these hypothetical instances, disasters resulting in loss of lives and maiming and destruction have been the outcome of most crashes and early findings of the Accident Investigation Bureau often suggest all or a combination of the above causes of the crashes and not the challenge of airspace. It must also be stressed that a good standard of road network in a country does not necessarily denote absence of road accidents. Several other factors such as the health of the vehicle and the driver’s state of mind account for accidents as it were. Still it is heartwarming to note that in Nigeria the Federal Authorities are not leaving anything to chance on the question of e...

        The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, SAHCOL has again won an award as the "Outstanding Aviation Provider in Africa", in the maiden Leadership Awards for African Achievers (LAFAA 2014). The award was presented to SAHCOL in a ceremony, held at the Balmoral Event Centre, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, and had in attendance government functionaries, businessmen/women, entertainers and celebrities from Nigeria and other African nations. According to the organizers of the Leadership Awards for African Achievers, SAHCOL was picked for the award "based on your world-class services and sterling performance in the aviation sector in Nigeria and your noteworthy contributions to the task of making air travel safer in Africa." The award is a 'Pan African Platform instituted for the purpose of identifying, honouring and encouraging extra-ordinary men, women and institutions of African origin across the globe, deemed to have disti...

  Mexsat system to expand disaster-relief, remote-area communications The Mexican Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT) and Boeing [NYSE: BA] are a step closer to enhancing Mexico’s mobile communications capabilities for government applications with the completion of the second Mexsat 702HP (high power) geomobile satellite. The satellite – Morelos-3 – will join Centenario, the first Mexsat 702HP satellite, in storage awaiting launch. Together with the two Mexsat ground stations, the satellites form the Mexsat mobile communications system. “The two Boeing 702HP satellites for the Mexsat system represent Boeing’s fourth generation of satellites for Mexico,” said Craig Cooning, CEO of Boeing Satellite Systems International. “The teamwork and collaboration involved between Boeing and the Mexsat team have been instrumental in bringing the system closer to completion.” Boeing is responsible for the design and delivery of an integrated Mexsat system, comprised of thre...

 The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is to sustain its collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on strategic management of the country’s airspace to enhance the overall safety of both military and civil flights.  A high-powered delegation of the Nigerian Air Force which paid a courtesy visit to the Managing Director, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam in Lagos held crucial discussions with NAMA management on issues bordering on collaborative airspace management, civil-military coordination, training of Air Force officers by NAMA and the military radar which is the military equivalent of TRACON. The leader of the delegation and Director of Air Traffic Services, Comdr. Bello Garba , explained that  the visit was to strengthen the existing mutual relationship between the Nigerian Air Force and NAMA, stressing that “this synergy is particularly critical in view of the nation’s current security challenges”. Comdr. Garba who appreciated NAMA’s role in quel...

 The Managing Director of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam has assured the travelling public of their safety within the nation’s airspace.  According to him, ‘’all communication, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management facilities of the agency are working at optimal levels’’. He made this known at the Aviation family forum organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations in honour of Mr. Basil Agboarumi who was recently elevated to the position of General Manager, Corporate Communications, Skyway Aviation Handling Company limited (SAHCOL) held at NAMA Headquarters, Lagos . Engr. Abdulsalam added that the agency has completed the installation of new Solar Runway Lighting systems at the Lagos and Port Harcourt International airports to further enhance safety of flight operations at all times and in all weather conditions.   The NAMA boss affirmed that the agency ‘’ upholds the highest standards in air traffic ...

PRESS RELEASE Our attention has been drawn to media reports that the Ministry of Aviation under the immediate past Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah incurred a staggering debt of N174billion under the aviation Master Plan. Nothing can be further from the truth. While we commend the National Assembly, especially the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Aviation for supporting and keying into the aviation Master Plan, it is however, imperative to put the records straight on the alleged indebtedness,  the loans obtained during that period and the mode of repayment.    AVIATION MASTER PLAN: The agenda for the transformation of the aviation sector which warranted the conceptualization of the Master Plan was for the industry to be fully self sustaining by 2016; and begin to yield additional revenue for government through improved Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). In order to achieve the above objectives, we embarked on the upgrade and r...

  In 2012, the U.S. aerospace industry contributed $118.5 billion in export sales to the U.S. economy.  The industry’s positive trade balance of $70.5 billion is the largest trade surplus of any manufacturing industry and came from exporting 64.3 percent of all aerospace production. Foreign firms are attracted to the U.S. aerospace market because it is the largest in the world and has a skilled and hospitable workforce, extensive distribution systems, diverse offerings, and strong support at the local and national level for policy and promotion.  According to a recent study by the U.S. Department of Commerce, aerospace exports directly and indirectly support more jobs than the export of any other commodity.  The U.S. aerospace industry directly employs about 500,000 workers in scientific and technical jobs across the nation and supports more than 700,000 jobs in related fields.  Investment in the U.S. aerospace industry is facilitated by a large pool of...

IATA prepares recommendations, options for aircraft tracking     A global airlines industry group is preparing a set of recommendations and options on aircraft tracking to be submitted to the United Nations specialized agency on civil aviation in September, on the back of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is preparing the recommendations, which will be submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). “The loss of MH370 points us to an immediate need. A large commercial airliner going missing without trace for so long is unprecedented in modern aviation. And it must not happen again,” IATA director general and CEO Tony Tyler said while opening the 70th Annual General Meeting in Doha on Monday. “IATA, ICAO and experts from around the world are working together to agree on the best options to improve global tracking capabilities. In September, a draft of recommendations will be...