FG considers 15yrs age limit for aircraft

OPPONENTS of the use of old aircraft in the country's airspace may have won the struggle, following the
Federal Government's declaration on Thursday that
it was considering reducing the age of aircraft that
could be certified to operate within its airspace to 15
years.
This is against the current 22 years age limit policy.
Speaking at the ministerial conference on Aviation
Safety in Africa, in Abuja, Nigeria's Minister of
Aviation, Stella Adaeze Oduah, said government was
not unmindful of the short term impact of the policy.
She, however, added that when implemented, it
would encourage the growth of domestic airlines.
She explained that the main issue was how to
strengthen the carriers and enhance their viability.
The Aviation Minister said the issue of aviation safety
on the continent was worrying, noting that available
empirical data still indicated that, "Africa is at the
lowest rung of the ladder in terms of ensuring safety
in our airspace."
She was, however, optimistic that the appalling
record could be changed through collaborative and
cooperative engagements of African nations and
institutions.
Government equally disclosed that it would fashion
out appropriate guidelines and institutional
framework that would facilitate the growth of
domestic airlines and the emergence of a national
carrier driven by core private sector with substantial
public ownership.
This revelation was made by President Goodluck
Jonathan at the conference. Represented by Vice-
President Namadi Sambo, Jonathan challenged
aviation stakeholders all over the continent to chart a
path for safety and sustainable aviation
development.
He lamented that the aviation safety situation in the
continent had become a source of concern both in
Africa and the international community, just as he
called for development of initiatives, resolutions,
declarations and action plans to address the
situation.
He, however, noted that despite the initiatives,
resolutions, declarations and action plans currently in
place to address the issue of safety deficiencies in
Africa, the overall success had been too little and too
slow to achieve the stated objectives, mainly
because of the lack of political will, as well as
institutional and procedural constraints.
President Jonathan urged experts to assist the
country on ways to remove geriatric aircraft from the
nation's airspace as one of the first steps in tackling
air disasters, including the implementation of
rigorous oversight functions by the civil aviation
authority.
The president further disclosed that his
administration was working towards the construction
of a Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) hangar that
would assist domestic airline operators to maintain
their aircraft in the country rather than ferrying
airplanes due for heavy maintenance abroad.
His words: "Nigeria faced aviation safety challenges
in 2005 and 2006, and recently, many lives were lost.
This is unacceptable. Nigeria has made significant
improvement in aviation safety matters. We have
made giant strides in making our airspace the safest.
We have all it takes to grow our airlines.
"The efficient infrastructure drive safety and airport
upgrades are currently ongoing. The success story of
Nigeria in aviation safety matters indicates that
safety can be achieved in Africa with hard work and
focus," he added.
He further disclosed that the government was
working at securing single digit interest loan for
airlines, a departure from 15 per cent banks were
reported to charge on interest on loan taken by them.
In his remark, ICAO president, Roberto Kobe
Gonzalez, urged Africa to put in place sustainable
safety programmes with corresponding investment,
just as he appealed to investors and states to
collaborate, so as to tackle the challenges of air
safety in the continent.
In the same vein, Commissioner for Infrastructure
and Energy, Africa Union (AU), Dr Elaim Ibrahim,
expressed her dismay over the backward position of
the continent in addressing aviation safety issues,
adding that the onus laid with the ICAO, the global
aviation regulatory body, to provide the legal
framework for all contracting states.
In attendance at the conference were ministers of
transport/aviation from 33 African countries, AU,
Airport Council International (ACI), ICAO, the
International Air Transport Association (IATA), African
Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), the United
States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing and Airbus companies, among other international
aviation bodies.