The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) yesterday, dispelled fears over the poor airworthiness of aircraft flown in Nigeria. It assured that there was no way a commercial operator can fly in the country with an unsafe equipment.
Spokesman for the NCAA, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, who stated this while reacting to a trending online picture of an aircraft flown with worn out tyres, a trend that called to question the quality of safety regulations provided by the NCAA in the industry, told aviation correspondents that the the identity of aircraft with worn out tyre operator was yet be established. He however urged the original author of the post or any other individuals with safety related issues on the aircraft, to furnish the NCAA with the identity of the airline or any of such information to enable the regulatory agency establish the authenticity of the claim and ensure appropriate action.
Adurogboye also explained that amid the oversight responsibility bestowed on the NCAA by law, the Nigerian civil aviation regulations however places “the onerous responsibility of the first line of safety on any airlines on the operating airlines’ Pilot-In-Command during each flight and the assigned Engineer that authorised each flight.”
Adurogboye further said that in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) which Nigeria adheres to strictly, “no airline operator in Nigeria can embark on commercial air transportation for hire and reward (commercial) without airworthy operating aircraft.”
“The NCAA issues a Certificate of Airworthiness for aircraft registered in Nigeria based on satisfactory evidence that the aircraft complies with the design aspects of the appropriate airworthiness requirements (type certificate) and is in a condition for safe operation,” Adurogboye said.
According to him, the NCAA had well trained and motivated Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASI) who carry out routine ramp inspection on all airlines operating in Nigeria.
“It is the primary responsibility of the NCAA Inspectors to ensure that all the parts of the aircraft comply with the applicable airworthiness requirements and remains in a condition for safe operation before every flight and throughout its operating life,” Adurogboye said.
“With all the various checks and counter checks put in place by NCAA combined with that of the airline operators, pilots and engineers, it is therefore improbable that any airline in Nigeria will operate a service with that kind of tyre,” he assured.