FG Plans National Carrier With 30 New Aircrafts.

We are aware the Federal Government plans to float a new national carrier with at least 30 brand new aircraft, but i doubt we can see the reality of that this year.
The Director of Operations, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) Mr. Henry Omeogu, in a statement while speaking with newsmen during his visit to the Port Harcourt International Airport. Omeogu explained that "though the new national carrier would be private sector-driven, fairly used or old aircraft would not be allowed to be among the fleet of its airplanes." He said the move was part of the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan for the aviation sector, adding that the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, was determined to turn around the industry. Explaining that the Federal Government was interested in raising the standard in the aviation sector to a world-class level, Omeogu disclosed that the government had begun the renovation of 11 airports across the country. “We are going to have about 30 brand new aircraft and they (aircraft) will be our national carrier. The effort will be private-sector driven. We will insist that others who would want to be part this should come with brand new aircraft,”
The FAAN director gave an assurance that by 2014, the Federal Government would have achieved nearly 100 per cent of its plans to transform the aviation sector. There has been improved security within and around airports across the country which was part of the arrangement for a new aviation industry, over 50 policemen had already been moved from Abuja to the Port Harcourt International Airport. “The President has signed performance contracts with all the sectors, and at the end of the day, any person that cannot key into the new vision of the Federal Government will naturally leave the system,” Omeogu explained that the ongoing transformation of the country’s aviation sector would provide many employment opportunities for the citizens as the materials needed for the renovation of some of the airports in the country were available, while the contractors had been paid to avoid any delay in the completion of the projects.

Flight Movie: Official Trailer 2012

Personally I'm a Denzel Washington fan. And to see him wear my kind off uniform in my kind off office just sends my adrenaline haywire. The movie Flight currently showing in cinemas abroad, but yet to be in the Nigerian cinemas. Is a story of a captains remarkable flying. Its currently number 3 in the box office with making $14.5Million in its 1st weekend and a gross earning of about $45Million in 2weeks

NAMA upgrades to automated flight plans.

Engr Nnamdi Udoh, the Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA), says Nigeria will upgrade from the analogue method of preparing flight plans to automated system on Thursday.(which is today)
He said: ``From Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, Nigeria will join the rest of the global aviation community in this development, as it has become mandatory for all contracting states of ICAO to do so.’’
Udoh said that the new flight plan would afford air navigation service providers the opportunity to make maximum use of aircraft capabilities.
He listed other benefits of the new flight plan to include:-
- ability of the aircraft to conduct flights more closely to their preferred trajectories and facilitate the
  utilisation of advanced technologies, thereby increasing efficiency.
- optimised demand and capacity balancing through efficient exchange of information.
- enhance the airlines’ use of modern capabilities on board the aircraft, as well as enhance search and
  rescue operations when the need arises.
The forum was attended by airline operators, pilots, air traffic controllers, regulators and service providers. We are moving up in the world of aviation. kudos!

Hello Everyone!!! Check out This Helicopter

The worlds first hotel Hotelicopter features 18 luxuriously-appointed rooms for adrenaline junkies seeking a truly unique and memorable travel experience.
It is a helicopter hotel! It has 18 rooms with five-star facilities!
I dey madt! Just as much as i would love to fly everything i would never fly that, let alone sleep there. joooor o. It doesn't even look aerodynamically possible.

NCAA directs Nigerian Domestic airlines to install latest safety device within six months

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in Lagos yesterday finally issued the airlines operating in the country six months to install Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) in their aircraft  or face sanctions.  

This directive was announced by the Director-General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren after presenting his paper at the ongoing Airbus Industry Workshop Training for indigenous airline operators.

He said that so far, all the country’s airline operators had indicated their interested in fixing the equipment onto their airplanes and disclosed that it cost NCAA about $30,000 (N4.8 Million) to acquire and install the equipment in its headquarters in Lagos.

Demuren said it would cost the airline more, but they could pay in installments to the manufacturer of the equipment after the initial payment of about $60, 000 (N9.5 Million) on each aircraft and then the airlines can make yearly payment till they finish paying. It is a fraction of the money they will use to buy an airplane.Well if you think this is expensive, go and try accident. lol!

  “We are giving them six months to install the gadgets in their airplanes. We need to give them some time. It is not a thing you can do in one day. After that, no aeroplane would operate in the public category carrying passengers for hire and reward will be allowed again in the country. I think it is good to promote safety in the industry,”

Any snag would be detected automatically. Every one of them wants it. It is the latest in the world. There have been complaints that pilots don’t record snags in their logbooks, but this automatically records everything. You can’t hide or change it. Everyone would have it; the airline and even the NCAA. We will know the problem and we would be able to fix it.

On the workshop, Demuren commended the aircraft manufacturer for conducting the training for Nigerian airline operators, saying that this would further boost safety in the Nigerian aviation industry.

Also speaking on the issue, Airbus International Safety Programme Director, Mr. Marc Ballion said that the AFIRS would automatically be fixed on all its aircraft from 2015.

He said with this installation, speculations arising from probable causes of aircraft accident would be over, stressing that before the airline could come out with the latest technology; it cost two years of intensive research.

He said that before the latest discovery, the company was improving in its safety record, maintaining that it would further boost safety in the sector.

“Again, we have to be predictive and pro-active in our approach to safety of airplanes and passengers in the sector. We don’t have to wait for an accident to occur before we take step. This device reveals all the components of aircraft and monitors the movement of aircraft,” Hmmmm... 

Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, issued the summon at a meeting with officials  of the Federal Ministry of Aviation.
Onyejeocha said the invitation became necessary because of the controversy surrounding the alleged discrimination against the airlines. The  airlines summoned include, Turkish Airline, Ethiopia Airline, Emirates Airline and Asky  Airline.

Aero Contractors Nigeria New 747-400

Aero Contractors (AJ), new baby a Boeing 737-400 (5N-BKR), the company's

One of the aircraft MSN: 29201|N605SC is said to be a GECAS lease, whilst the other's origin is uncertain.

South Africa: Global Aviation MD82 aborts takeoff from Joburg; no casualties.

Global Aviation's MD82 "ZS-TOG"

A chartered McDonnell Douglas MD82 flight QG-112 operated by Global Aviation carrying 120 passengers and seven crew members aborted take-off at around 07h15 this morning at Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport en route to Lilongwe, Malawi. It was later discovered that one of the tyres of the plane burst and was on fire, there-by prompting the abrupt aborting of the take-off sequence on runway 03L. The runway was later closed because of debris and also for further investigation.

According to the Aviation Herald:

"The aircraft was accelerating for takeoff from runway 03L about one minute after takeoff clearance when tower reported there was smoke coming from an engine. The crew rejected takeoff and came to a stop about 2400 meters/7900 feet down the runway indicating they might be able to vacate the runway, tower however instructed the aircraft to hold position on the runway while directing emergency services towards the aircraft.

The aircraft left debris behind while slowing and was subsequently seen on the runway with the left wing low and right wing high."

The precise registration of the plane is not yet known, though Global is known to operate two MD82: ZS-TOG & ZS-GAB

No injuries were reported and the fire was extinguished.