Aviation
Arik Air Operates Ist Nigerian Registered Plane To US
Arik Air has operated the
first Nigerian registered commercial aircraft to the United States of America.
The airline operated its scheduled Lagos-New York flight using an A330-200 aircraft with registration number 5N-JID.
The feat by Arik Air is made more outstanding given that the operation of the flight was staffed by Nigerian crew members.
According to Arik Air Senior Vice President Operation / Deputy Managing Director, Captain Ado Sanusi the airline’s latest milestone was the result of almost three years of preparation during which time the airline received the part 129 approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and was also awarded the Extended Range Twin Operation (ETOPS) approval.
Arik Air commenced direct flight operations from Lagos to New York in November 2009, using its foreign registered A340-600 aircraft operated by Hi fly of Portugal and it was the first direct flight between Nigeria and the United states to be operated by a Nigerian airline in the last decade.