Sade Williams (Businessday)
Associated Aviation has revealed that it would be acquiring four new 60-seater Embraer 145 aircraft from the United Kingdom, worth over $30 million, just as it has started a phasing out process of the old aircraft in its fleet.
The airline’s management in Lagos through its managing director, Cordelia Ekwueme, made this known to Business Day, at the weekend, saying it is validating its fleet, while phasing out its four 30- seater Turboprops 120 aircraft from its fleet to pave way for the six year old aircraft that are fuel efficient and more comfortable for travellers.
The aircraft she, said would be delivered into the airlines fleet, in the next three months.
She further, disclosed that two Embarer aircraft are currently on maintenance schedule approved by European Airspace Safety Agency (EASA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) abroad, adding that the fleet would be increased to five, for commercial operations on the acquisition of the other four.
“Our strategic plan is to enlarge our fleet by four aircraft, we are phasing out four, out of five aircraft, they are between 19 and 22 years old. It is a plan that has been in place, we have tested the Embraer 145 and it is an aircraft that is reliable. Our purpose is to provide the best quality service to the flying public with utmost safety and reliability.
“Therefore, for fuel efficiency, maintenance cost and passenger preference, we are purchasing aircraft that are less than six years old, because when you do the cost analysis of maintenance, it will be better to go for newer aircraft. We have two cargo aircraft and for efficiency purpose too, we will change the cargo fleet but I am not saying they are not safe”, she said.
Ekwueme, who explained that the fleet renewal had been in the plan of the management said, its engineers were licensed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) adding that they carry out only line maintenance (A and B) checks on their aircraft, while the airline has maintenance agreement with some companies in the United States, South Africa and in Europe for its C-checks.
“The NCAA does a though check on our airline all the time, in fact, their officers had to go and approve the maintenance facilities abroad before taking our aircraft there. Everything possible is being done by the NCAA to ensure safety”, she added.
She however called on all domestic airline operators to pull resources together to build an aircraft hangar for all maintenance levels in Nigeria, in order to save the industry the huge capital flight while ferrying aircraft abroad for maintenance.
“At least it takes $1 million to do a C-check every 18 months on a Boeing aircraft , I think the airline operators need to come together to see that we achieve economies of scale. It may not be an immediate thing but it will save us the capital flight”, she said.
Associated Aviation, apart from its charter operations, operates daily flights into Akure, Ibadan, Gombe, Benin and Sokoto and currently planning to to include Asaba.
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