Pictures from the NAF Air Expo 2012

As two years ago, an excellent set of pictures of the NAF air show 2012, held at Kaduna Airport, has been made by Nigeria’s aviation photographer, mr. K. Iwelumo.

President Jonathan opens NAF Air Expo 2012

The five-day Nigerian Air Force Air Expo kicked off at Kaduna Airport yesterday. President Goodluck Jonathan opened the air and static show, which started with an aerial display involving several NAF aircraft.

A nice series of pictures of this year’s  show is made by Ken Iwelumo.

The Federal Government announced it approved the acquisition of a N1.73 billion Cessna Citation CJ4 surveillance aircraft for the Nigeria Customs Service.

Nigerian Air Force F7 crashes at Kaduna

A Chengdu F-7NI of the Nigerian Air Force crashed yesterday near Kaduna Airport. The pilot survived the accident that happened during a training mission. It’s the third loss of this type of fighter aircraft for the NAF in less than fourteen months time, after it entered service in 2010. A F-7NI crashed at Kano Airport in March 2011 and a FT-7NI near Gboko in May 2011. This means that the Air Force has two FT-7NI (training variant) and ten F-7NI fighters remaining in its fleet.

Chanchangi resumes domestic operations once again

Chanchangi Airlines has once more resumed operations between Abuja, Kaduna and Lagos. The struggling airline was operating a B737-300 wet-leased from Jordan Aviation recently, but perhaps one of the airline’s own aircraft (5N-BMB/-BMC) have now returned from maintenance abroad.

NAF Air Expo 2012

The Nigerian Air Force will organise its second international airshow on 15-19 May 2012 at Kaduna. Click on the banner for more information.

NAF Air Expo 2012 - Kaduna

SkyJet Aviation acquires two Embraer Legacy 600s

SkyJet Aviation (owned by the Barbedos Group and based in Kaduna) acquired two Embraer Legacy 600s late last year (ZS-LRK and ZS-UBS). Barbedos Group Limited was appointed as Embraer as its executive jets authorized sales representative for West Africa. SkyJet Aviation also operates several other aircraft (ZS-KAA; ZS-KBS and M-NATH) for charter purposes.

This Week’s Update

A few short updates:

• Arik Air has officially passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).
• Angry villagers near Kaduna Airport blocked an IRS Airlines aircraft from taking off to protest the closure of a footpath near the airport by the FAAN.
• The Federal Government has granted Kenya Airways permission to operate 14 flights a week into Lagos and four flights a week into Abuja. Meanwhile, the authorities still have to approve Ethiopian Airlines’ request to operate a B777-200LR on the Addis Ababa-Lagos route.
• Several projects are ongoing to improve the aviation infrastructure in Nigeria.

Chanchangi Adds Lagos-Port Harcourt

Chanchangi Airlines resumed flights from Lagos to Port Harcourt and also announced the resumption of the Lagos-Kaduna route. No flight schedules have been published online though. The airline already operates Lagos-Abuja flights with two B733s (JY-JAD and JY-JAO) wet-leased from Jordan Aviation.

Aero Stops Jos And Kaduna Service

Aero announced it will – effective from 1 October 2010 – discontinue its daily flights from Lagos to Jos and Kaduna. Flights into the cities were launched in November 2009, but Aero says the routes are financially not viable.

Kaduna Airport is now served by Arik Air and IRS Airlines, while Arik Air and Overland Airways fly to Jos Airport.

Chanchangi B737 Mishap At Kaduna

A Chanchangi Airlines’ B737-200 (5N-BIF) operating flight NCH334 from Abuja to Kaduna made a hard landing at Kaduna on Friday, 20 August, at 21:45h. The aircraft, with 35 passengers onboard, had its tyres burst and is said to have hit a tree. None of the passengers was seriously injured. According to another source: “the Boeing aircraft ran into turbulent weather, landing several meters short of the runway and damaging the ILS antenna and many runway lights. The plane’s front landing gear and one of its rear tyres burst in the process while a substantial part of its under-belly was also damaged.” Following the incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded the aircraft, while investigations have commenced a probe into the incident.

This Week’s Update

Some bits of news over the past week:

• Arik Air will operate a B737-800 on the Lagos-London route till 25 May 2010, due to maintenance on the A345.
• After the rift with the Akwa Ibom State Government, Arik Air now angered the River State Government, after the airline published a negative report about security in Port Harcourt in its in-house magazine The Winds, calling it an unsafe destination. Arik Air terminated its flights to Port Harcourt NAF Base earlier this year, but still flies to Port Harcourt International Airport.
• The Minister of Aviation organised a meeting between Aero and Oceanic Bank to find an amicable solution for the debt issue. In the meantime, Aero is operating all its (helicopter) flights according to schedule again.
• The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) reached an agreement with the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) about the payment of debts by the airlines to the agency. Arik Air reportedly paid N50 million as part of a payment plan.
• Virgin Nigeria (briefly known as Nigerian Eagle Airlines) issued a statement, but no further comments were made on the announced name change of the airline.
• VistaJet is expanding in Nigeria. It already has two aircraft based in Lagos and concluded a three-year agreement with Nigerian businessman Kola Aluko.
• The Nigerian Air Force will build a new aircraft maintenance hangar at Ilorin Airport.
• Keep an eye on the website of the NAF for updates on the Air Expo that will be held next week at Kaduna.
• The Senate Committee on Aviation has called for a review of the N64 billion ($426 million) contract for a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The price is ‘far too high, way too expensive and outrageous’, according to the lawmakers.

NAF Air Expo Details

The air show of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) will be held at Kaduna NAF Base from 11-14 May 2010. Click on the image for more information.

NAF Air Expo