Aero Delivers New Aircraft, Commences Third Party Maintenance

Aero as part of its fleet renewal programme is taking delivery of Boeing 737-400 and -700, including the Dash 8-Q400 new generation aircraft commencing from next month.
The new generation aircrafts are expected to assist the airline in its expansion programme and add new destinations and offer greater customer service and comfort.

The new generation B737 aircraft is equipped with the latest navigation equipment with lower fuel burn and increased reliability making the aircraft more efficient, environmentally friendly and easier to maintain.

Aero, a high efficiency carrier is Nigeria’s oldest aviation company (52 years), and has been operating scheduled services since 2000 with huge success. It has consistently operated with 80% load factors over the last two years, and a completion factor of 98% for all its flights.

Captain Akinlawon George, managing director of Aero said: “We are currently focusing on a niche market of small medium sized oil and gas companies, not only the majors. We believe these companies have very great prospects in the future, and we can partner with them to grow as well. 

“Aero adhere strictly to the maintenance schedule of our aircraft as prescribed by the manufacturers and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority {NCAA}. We are audited at least four times a year by the NCAA and three of our top customers who engage aviation inspectors from Europe and the US.

“We are venturing into emergency medical evacuation, search and rescue as we expand our rotary wing fleet size”.

He added that the airline is working to expand its market domestically and regionally in the near future and guaranteed customers its commitment to the highest safety standards.

Meanwhile, following the success of Aero’s aircraft maintenance, the airline is about to commence third party C-Checks.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in 2011 approved Aero as an Aircraft Maintenance Organization (AMO) for: “A” and “B” checks on Boeing Airplanes, various levels of checks on other Airplanes, Boroscope, Wheels and Brakes (Assembly, Overhaul, Replacement, NDT),  Air Frames (NDT), and Avionics and Battery (Cap Check, Overhaul).

“C” checks on Boeing by the airline will commence soon.

With the certification of Aero as an Aircraft Maintenance Organization (AMO), Aero intends to expand existing hangar to enable it meet the requirements of aircraft maintenance work including third party work, service the West African sub-region market for third party maintenance work, provide employment opportunities, training and staff enhancement programmes for employees.

Capt. George said: “A lot has been said about carrying out “C” and “D” checks abroad. The expected savings currently anticipated from doing the checks in Nigeria are quite little due to the current taxation policy.

 “Nigeria has relatively high import duties on aircraft parts. Airlines typically fly their aircraft to, say, Turkey to have them serviced and relevant parts replaced. Once that aircraft flies back to Nigeria, the new parts are not subject to import duties as they are already installed on the plane. This puts any Nigerian maintenance provider in a big disadvantage against foreign players. A Nigerian maintenance provider would need to import all spares used in maintenance and thus incur the import duties that those maintaining their aircraft abroad avoid completely.

“The resolution to this issue can be either that spares imported as installed on a plane are subject to import duty, or that Nigerian maintenance businesses would get import duty relief. If Nigeria ever wants to allow for aircraft maintenance business to develop in Nigeria, it needs to create a level playing field between domestic and foreign operations. Right now, Nigeria is subsidizing maintenance businesses abroad and as a result is not allowing the same business develop in Nigeria.”