Let Nigeria Air takeoff this year, group tells FG

The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has called on the Federal Government to remove all obstacles on the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air and ensure its take-off without further delays.

The association representing pilots and engineers in Nigeria’s aviation sector said any further delay to the project may not augur well for the sector in view of the gains of such project.

They stated this in a communiqué at the end of the Leadership Retreat for members of the National Executive Council held in Abuja.

The Federal Government had in 2018 announced the take-off of the national carrier which was expected to commence operation December 20, 2018 but was later suspended indefinitely.

The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika said the project is still on course and currently on procurement phase which would involve advertisements on local and international newspapers to solicit for private sector partners.

The pilots and engineers however want the process to be completed for the project to take off in earnest.

The communiqué signed by the Secretary of NAAPE, Abba Ocheme said, “The Federal Government is prayed upon to quickly remove all obstacles on the path of the new national carrier, Nigeria Air. The urgent need to launch the Nigeria Air requires no further restating. It is considered a great disservice to hesitate or delay this laudable project any further, considering the rich harvest of gains expected from the coming on stream of the national carrier.”

The association also urged the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) “to take urgent steps to review the Authority’s policy on Pilots simulator training whereby a pilot’s simulator certificate’s ownership is vested in the airline.”