Aero Acquires Three New Aircraft, Soon

One of Nigeria’s major airlines, Aero Contractors, says it will be taking delivery of Boeing 737-400 and 700 as well as Dash 8-Q400 with effect from this month.

The new generation aircraft are equipped with the latest naviagational facilities with lower fuel burn, thus making the aircraft more efficient, environmentally friendly and easier to maintain.

The Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Capt. Akin George explained that the airline was focusing on a niche markets of small and medium – size oil and gas companies, saying that “we believe these companies have very great prospects and we can partner with them to grow”.

According to him, “Aero adheres 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 U.S.

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

The Aero boss noted that the airline was working to expand its market domestically and regionally in the near future and assured customers of its commitment to the highest safety standands.

In another development, Capt, George has decried the absence of runway lights in the nation’s airports.

“Airport infrastructure needs to be over-hauled; lack of runway lights in Lagos alone cost Aero N60 million a year, lack of night operations at the airports is a loss of  $35 million and lack of lighting of taxiways means a drastic reduction in safety of passengers.

Failure of runway lights in lagos, Abuja, Enugu and Calabar has cost Aero an additional N40 million in 2012 alone”,  he said.

The Lagos runway 18L, which is meant for domestic airlines was rehabilitated four years ago but the airfield lighting has not been installed since them, a period that recorded three Aviation ministers.

It would be recalled that the chairman of IRS Airlines, Isiaku Rabiu had once commented on the effect of non-installation of airfield lighting on the domestic runway of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

Reward Akwu