AVIATION MEGAFORCE

  President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday directed the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning to look for special funding for the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.  Speaking at the inauguration of the new Terminal Building, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the President also directed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to conclude the documentation of the approved 12,000 hectares of land to accommodate the runway and other developmental projects. Further, the President tasked the Minister of Aviation to fast-track the airport concession programme, to boost aviation practice in the country and make the aviation industry reflect global standards.  The President noted that the completion and delivery of five brand new international airport terminals since 2015, which were at 11% completion level then, aligns perfectly with the Aviation Roadmap, developed in 2016, for the purposes of establishing critical infras...

Arik Air has announced that it's  Dash 8 Q-400 aircraft operating the Lagos-Asaba flight this evening made an air return to base due to  technical issue. The aircraft, reportedly landed safely and the Pilot in Command, in compliance with safety procedures, decided to disembark the passengers on the airside of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The aircraft, according to Banji Ola,the spokesman of the airline was later taxied to the hangar for maintenance action. A substitute aircraft was immediately deployed to service the Asaba flight . The airline apologized for the inconvenience the incident might have caused the passengers,just as it said their safety was of utmost priority.   "

Normalcy has returned to the nation's airspace as  Air Traffic Controllers stepped down it warning strike which informed spacing of traffic flow by 20 minutes at four major airports in Lagos,Abuja, Portharcourt and Kano. The  suspension,according to a statement signed by the Managing Director of the Agency , Capt. Fola Akinkuotu is to allow " for a follow-up meeting between NAMA management, Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Association, scheduled to hold later today".  Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) reassured airspace users and the general public that the Nigerian airspace remains safe for seamless and economic air travel.  The agency expressed regret over streaks of  inconveniences caused earlier today by the warning strike. S

  Domestic flights may experience some hicupps in their routine operations as Air Traffic Controllers embarked on a two day warning strike begining from today. They are to do this by slowing down  traffic flow,spacing departure time by 20 minutes  on domestic flights at the four major airports in Lagos,Abuja, Portharcourt and Kano. It will be recalled that an Air Traffic Controller,Anniekan Effiong slumped and died early hours on Monday while on duty at Abuja tower . This informed an emergency meeting of the executive council of NATCA yesterday.  "The Executive Council of our noble profession met yesterday and discuss extensively on the state of ATC operations vis-a-vis our collective survival within the system. "After deliberating until the wee hours of this morning, the council has resolved as follows: "1. That the ATC system and operations in Nigeria has been skewed and operated with complete disregard to the well-being of ATCOs. "2. That the managers of the syst...

The Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB -N) has been mandated by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to lead the Investigation into the crash of a military aircraft that occurred on Friday in Kaduna, in which the Chief of Army Staff died.  The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the accidented Beechcraft 350 aircraft have been recovered and investigation has commenced.  Investigators will download and analyse vital information contained in the recorders at the AIB-N’s world class Flight Safety Laboratory, in Abuja . The crash, which occurred on landing, claimed 11 lives including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, his aides, and the flight crew.  The mandate given to AIB-N is based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two agencies on July 1, 2020 covering areas of mutual assistance,a press statement by Tunji Oketunbi , General Manager, Public Affairs said.

  The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu has been appointed a member of the World Governing Council of Airports Council International (ACI). He, alongside two others,  Mr Emanuel Chavez of Aeroportos de Mozambique (President)  and Mr. Dewananda Chellen of Airports of Mauritius Co. Ltd (Member) were appointed as representatives of Africa on the Board. The appointment takes immediate effect.A statement by  Henrietta Yakubu (Mrs.),G eneral Manager, Corporate Affairs announced  today in Lagos.

The Federal Government, has approved the sum of  N1.7bn for the design of second runway at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja .   The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who briefed State House  Correspondents on Wednesday, said the sum of  N1, 659, 592, 908.78 was approved for the proposed second Abuja Airport runway . The amount, according to the Minister, covers consultancy services for design, with  a completion period of 12 months. He explained further: “Today in council, a memo from Aviation was considered and it is the consultancy services for design; pre contract services for the construction of a new runway here in Abuja.  “The contract went to a consortium of consultants, at a total contract sum of N1, 659, 592, 908.78, this included 7.5 percent of Value Added Tax VAT also with an exchange rate of N360 to dollar and this was approved”.