Aviation Roundtable Lists 10-Point Agenda

President of Aviation Roundtable, an aviation expert, Captain Dele Ore says the implementation of a ten-point blueprint is the only way the aviation industry can improve.

Captain Ore enlisted the ten-point agenda to include putting in place a search and rescue mechanism to meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), professionalising the ministry of Aviation, control and management of Nigerian designated international airlines that must be in the hands of Nigerians, as well as denial of expatriate quota in areas where Nigerians are denied.

Others are the setting up of aircraft maintenance facilities and its imperatives, putting in place intervention funds for the industry for aviation agencies such as NIMET, NCAT, AIB and NCAA for research in addition to properly manage airlines on international routes, concerns on multiple entry points and or multiple designations considered as detrimental to the growth of the industry.

He also enumerated others as a review of aviation policies, which sole aim will engender more favourable policies to improve the insignificant market share of Nigerian airlines on international routes as well as consider the proper management of airlines that are qualified and also private public partnership (PPP) imperative.

Ore stated that the implementation of these agenda would go a long way in the development of the aviation industry and improve on the strides of last year as it grapples with the challenge of raising the bar in service delivery.

According to him, states in the federation should sponsor their indigenes for capacity development programmes for the training of key aviation professionals such as pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers, whose role will impact positively on the growth of the industry.

Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has given a forecast of over five percent growth in passenger figures on the average between now and 2014, even as the global body affirmed that over 3.3 billion people will be hooked to the air transport system.

IATA Chief economist, Brain Pearce said the latest five-year forecast of the association suggests that passenger growth will average 5.8 percent  through 2014, meaning that 3.3 billion people will be using the air transport system by then.

According to him, 800 billion more people will use the air transport system than as it is today which is a significant change and a challenge to the aviation industry.

The forecast takes into account two very different scenarios while emerging markets have returned to strong growth much factor than expected IATA Chief Economist said.