NCAA Begins Checks Of All Airlines’ Aircrafts!

…As FG temporarily suspends Dana’s Operations

Information made available to Societyowng.com revealed that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (N.C.A.A) is putting structure in place to conduct a air worthiness check for all planes operating in the nation’s air space.

This development is coming on the heels of the national pains and agonies trailing the crash of Dana Air flight McDonnell Douglas MD-83.

All the 153 passengers aboard the flight perished- this is outside of additional casualties from the building it crashed into and two others structures affected.

The event transpired on Sunday June 03 2012- at Iju area of Lagos state.

Different reasons have been thrown up for the mishap- but the one an aroused society seize on is non air worthiness of the plane and almost zero maintenance culture.

Though speculation and different theories are on parade about the history of that particular flight and the airline- on going investigation is yet to fully establish these claims.

The Presidency ordered the Minister for Aviation, Stella Odua to head the probe body into the grievous affair.

As part of the recommendation for comprehensive finding- the operations of Dana Airline (owner of the ill fated flight) has been temporarily suspended.

And all flights grounded to undergo air worthiness checks.

Digs by societynowng.com however revealed that with the recent plane crash tagged ‘becoming one too many’- the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority is set to evaluate all flights operating the nation’s air space.

Insiders revealed that the idea is to employ a pre emptive effort to dump ‘death traps’ out of the system. And assure an aggrieved public of government’s responsibility.

Relating to the recent air mishap- insiders confirmed the team of Insurers and management of the affected Airline- along with a selected stake holders met today ( June 06) to conclude key areas regarding payment of the compensation to relatives of the victims.

The call for the Air checks of all commercial airlines in the country is not unconnected with need to change grounded public perception that the nation’s air space has become a dumping ground for ageing air crafts.

The citizenry have taken steps to show this conviction with a widespread compilation reproduced below, now used to buttress this conviction.

‘Below is a list of airlines operating in Nigeria and their average fleet age, as seen on planespotter.com , bearing in mind the oldest allowed in Nigeria is 22 years while Russia is 10 years.

Air Nigeria
Fleet Size: 12 Aircraft
Average Fleet Age: 13.5 years
Oldest Aircraft: 18.2 years

AeroContractors
Fleet Size: 11 Aircraft (+ 1 On Order/Planned)
Average Fleet Age: 19.7 years
Oldest Aircraft: 20.7 years

Africa Charter Services
Fleet Size: 2 Aircraft
Average Fleet Age: 32.1 years
Oldest Aircraft: 32.8 years

Air Taraba
Fleet Size: 0 (+1 on order/planned)
Average fleet age: 10.5 years

Arik Air
Fleet size: 21 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 5.5 years
Oldest Aircraft: 11.3 years

Axiom Air
Fleet size: 1 Aircraft
Fleet age: 24.5 years

Bellview Airlines
Fleet size: 2 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 31.9 years
Oldest aircraft: 33.2 years

Chanchangi Airlines
Fleet size: 6 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 25.6 years
Oldest aircraft: 30.2 years

Dana Air
Fleet size: 4 Aircraft (used to be five until Sunday’s crash)
Average fleet age: 21.4 years
Oldest aircraft: 21.7 years

First Nation Airways
Fleet size: 3 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 18.4 years
Oldest aircraft: 19.3 years

Government of Nigeria
Fleet size: 2 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 9.5 years
Oldest aircraft: 12.1 years

IRS Airlines
Fleet size: 5 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 21.6 years
Oldest aircraft: 22.5 years

Kabo Air
Fleet size: 5 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 34.5 years
Oldest aircraft: 41.3 years

Max Air
Fleet size: 6 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 24.1 years
Oldest aircraft: 25.7 years

Overland Airways
Fleet size: 2 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 22.2 years
Oldest aircraft: 25.6 years

Tradecraft Airlines
Fleet size: 1 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 25.4 years

Transky Airlines
Fleet size: 1 Aircraft
Average fleet age: 28.2 years