NCAT’s 6 trainer aircraft still stuck in Austria

Nigeria’s newly acquired single engine Diamond trainer aircraft are still stuck with the manufacturers, Diamond Aircraft Industries GMBH, Vienna, Austria as flight restrictions by some countries on the flight path have made it impossible for them to be flown to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria.

Recall that the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika had done the factory acceptance of the six Diamond DA40NG for NCAT at the factory on January, 23, 2020.

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The six aircraft are part of the 15 Diamond DA40NG and five DA42NG aircraft to re-fleet the college and replace its old aircraft that consumes excess fuel with expensive spare parts. Two twin engine aircraft were earlier received.

Speaking exclusively to our correspondent, the Rector of NCAT, Capt. Abdulsalami Mohammed said: “Because of the travel restriction and quarantine requirement, the aircraft couldn’t be delivered. As it is now, the pilots are having difficulty finding the proper route to bring the aircraft in.

“They would have to sleep over in two places and the countries are not allowing foreign flights in. One of the countries is Algeria and they are not allowing international flights.”

The delivery of the 20 aircraft will lead to reduction in operating costs for the college as they run on Jet A1 as well as improvement in safety as student pilots will be exposed right from the very start with the kind of equipment they will meet in the field.

Similarly, NCAT is also unable to install the recently acquired B737 flight simulator.

The $21m next generation Boeing 737 flight simulator equipment was recently delivered to NCAT Zaria but it has not been installed because the technicians are unable to come to Nigeria.

“On the B737 simulation aircraft, we are still waiting for the people who will do the installation. They haven’t been able to come to Nigeria because of the COVID-19 lockdown. The simulator has been in Zaria,” he explained.