Posted by By Oluseto Olatuyi on
AT least nine aircraft, including a HS 125, donated by Senator Arthur Nzeribe, to the defunct Nigeria Peoples Party, may soon end up in a ‘graveyard' recently created by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria.
AT least nine aircraft, including a HS 125, donated by Senator Arthur Nzeribe, to the defunct Nigeria Peoples Party, may soon end up in a ‘graveyard' recently created by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria.
Our correspondent learnt that the FAAN perceived the aircraft as constituting an eyesore after they were abandoned by their owners.
The graveyard, located within Murtala Muhammed International Airport, is expected to serve as a dump for aircraft, which have been declared unworthy to fly by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
A source explained that the graveyard was created during the tenure of a former Minister of Aviation, Dr. Kema Chikwe.
'Chikwe constituted a committee on abandoned aircraft which littered our airports. The committee recommended the morgue and it was created. During that period, some of these abandoned aircraft were moved there," he said,
The source, who was also a member of the committee explained that the aircraft would have since been buried but for the decision of some owners of the aircraft to challenge FAAN's action over their aircraft.
The HS125 aircraft donated by Nzeribe to the NPP, is among the aircraft rotting away at the local wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
While some were totally abandoned, others were on the ground because they were due for maintenance checks.
Some of the aircraft include BACl -11, Boeing 727, Fokker 100 and HS125.
The Federal Government, in 2002, banned the use of BAC 1-11 following the crash of a plane of the EAS Airlines in Kano.
Sources added that the other aircraft, owned by the IRS, Allied Air, the NICON Airways, were parked because they were also due for certain maintenance checks.
Our correspondent gathered that they would be flown out for checks when their owners were ready.
When contacted, the Managing Director of Fresh Air, Mr. Amos Akpan, said the airline's aircraft parked at the airport were waiting for what he described as ferry flight.
'The aircraft is due for maintenance and it is waiting for slot from the maintenance workshop. The maintenance organisation has a calendar which they work with. We are waiting for the slot," he stated.
Likewise the Director of Operations, IRS, Mr. Kenneth Wemambu said the Fokker 100 on the tarmar was involved in an incident last year and it had been due for maintenance.
He, however, said the aircraft would leave for its maintenance base when a new aircraft, Fokker 100 advanced edition, arrived in the country.
At least two cargo aircraft were still lying at the international wing of the airport as at Wednesday.
One of the aircraft, marked Hydro Air, had a hitch when it landed at the airport in 2003.
Sources disclosed that the owner of the aircraft, which was no longer serviceable, was seeking compensation from the management of the FAAN and the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, for allegedly causing the plane to land on a closed runway.
The second cargo plane was impounded by Nigeria Customs Service two years ago for allegedly carrying contraband products into the country.
Our correspondent gathered that the aircraft served as evidence in the case instituted by the Customs Service against the importer of the goods.
When contacted by our correspondent, the Airport Manager, MMIA, Mr. Taiwo Okuyiga, explained that the graveyard was where airplanes that were not put to immediate use were kept.
'Some planes that have been discovered to be obsolete, that are not airworthy, are always taken to what is called graveyard. We have a graveyard at the airport, where we keep such aircraft, and where you can now cannibalise the airplanes," he said.
He, however, added that some of the abandoned aircraft were still airworthy.
He added, 'They are still airworthy and the owners have not indicated that the aircraft have been abandoned. When planes are abandoned at airports, we have our bye-laws to adopt in disposing such things,"
He also disclosed that some aircraft were moved from the apron because of the congestion at both the cargo and the General Aviation Terminal.
The Media Assistant to the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, however, said that though an aircraft on the ground did not necessarily constitute any danger to the airport environment, it could be an eyesore.
'Fundamentally, aircraft are not supposed to be on ground. When it is on ground, it could be for two reasons. It is either it is due for maintenance and the owners are sourcing for funds or that the NCAA grounded it for violation of air regulations. When NCAA grounds aircraft, it must rectify all deficiencies before it would be allowed to fly," he said.
He, however, explained that abandoned aircraft were still valuable as aluminium companies could find them useful.