FG considers 15yrs age limit for aircraft Written by Shola Adekola and Clement Idoko (NigerianTribune)

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.
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