NCAA mulls review of rules on six aircraft for new airlines

An aviation think-tank group under the aegis of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ART) has called on the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to review Part 9 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) which specifies aircraft requirements for airline operators. Part Nine of the NigCAR 2023 deals with air operator certification and administration […]

An aviation think-tank group under the aegis of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ART) has called on the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to review Part 9 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) which specifies aircraft requirements for airline operators.

Part Nine of the NigCAR 2023 deals with air operator certification and administration and explicitly makes provision for the new aircraft requirement with existing airlines given the grace of January 2025 to embark on a fleet expansion programme for a minimum of six operating aircraft for their AOC to remain valid.

The provision partly reads: “The Authority may deny an application for an AOC if it determines that: The applicant is not adequately equipped or is not capable of conducting safe commercial air transport operations or unable to maintain its aircraft.

“The applicant does not have: (i) for scheduled operation, at least six (6) Nigerian registered airworthy aircraft capable of servicing its approved routes on commencement of operations provided that no AOC holder in scheduled operations will have a minimum of four Nigerian registered airworthy aircraft at any given time.”

There has been an uneasy calm over the provision which might see many airlines affected while prospective carriers might not take off.

Daily Trust, however, learnt that the NCAA is tinkering with the provision as recently hinted at by the acting Director-General, Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo.

ART, in a statement by its General Secretary, Mr Olumide Ohunayo, reiterated the review while advocating for a new layer in the provision to cater for some smaller airlines.

It said, “Further to our meeting and discussions with the DG and the NCAA management staff on Thursday, Dec. 28th, 2023, our executive summary position paper sent to the NCAA dated 21 March 2023 and our presentation to the Committee on Civil Aviation Policy Review: “We hereby reiterate the urgency to review PART 9: Air Operator Certification and Administration bordering on the Issuance or Denial of AOC whereby another layer of scheduled operator licensing be urgently initiated for operators whose total fleet seat should not be more than a 100.

“On exceeding 100 seats they must apply for the prevailing category of AOC which will go through all the necessary certification processes as may be applicable. We believe this approach will encourage and stimulate the growth of new entrant low-cost carriers who will be granted fee exemptions and tax holidays. It can also encourage the existing carriers to set up subsidiaries that are independently managed and complementary.”

The group said this is in line with what is obtained in the USA under Part 135 for commuter and on Demand Operations vis-a-vis Part 121 Operations.

“Our proposal is not for the NCAA to create a restricted airline operation with stringent safety regulations to encourage new entrants into operations that would expand airport access and create new markets.”

It highlighted the benefits of the proposal to include more aircraft and jobs for different professionals in the industry; Improved use of airports otherwise termed unviable or dormant in Nigeria; Increased use of our air space; Increased patronage and the enplanement of passengers and cargo; Increased revenue to all agencies and entire aviation value chain; Increased aviation contribution to the country’s GDP and Veritable ground for training pilots, engineers and allied professionals.