The Rector/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Capt. Alkali Mahmud Modibbo is making bold moves to step-up the training of pilots and engineers at his institution, by phasing-in newer-generation airplanes.
The NCAT boss divulged his plans on Thursday during a press conference with journalists who were at his institution undertaking the course: League of Airports and Aviation Correspondence (LAAC).
According to the Rector, “So far, we have Diamonds, Tampicos, Barons, and we are looking at getting more Diamonds. Seven (07) were supplied in 2020. This year, we’ll be taking delivery of two (02) more Diamond airplanes: one (01) multi-engine and one (01) single-engine. At any given time, we have at least five (05) to six (06) serviceable airplanes. While some are undergoing maintenance, others are being conserved. We have a good number of airplanes to train students at any given time,” he said.
He went on to reveal that the College intends to have a total number of fifteen (15) Diamond jets, adding that for now, the two (02) aforementioned Diamond airplanes being expected will be delivered one in February and the other in April of 2022.
Even though according to the CEO, the Diamond airplane has “the newest technology that can be found in any next generation machine” and uses Jet A1 which is cheaper than Aviation Gas, Capt. Modibbo revealed that NCAT will be taking the training of pilots and engineers to the next level by adding the Magnus jet to its trainer fleet.
“We visited the manufacturer in Hungary with the Ministry and the NCAA in order to carry out our technical inspection of the Magnus jets. Sooner or later, we’ll have those machines here. These airplanes have the advantage of being made out of carbon fibre, and so are very light. Secondly, they use petrol, making them less expensive to operate.”
According to him, the fact that the Magnus jet is designed with an in-built parachute also makes the airplane suitable for training purposes, as this added feature can give the pilot and the airplane a soft landing in case the sole engine of the trainer aircraft stops working mid-flight.
When asked about his plans for NCAT in 2022, he said: “We are going to try and conduct more trainings both internationally and locally; get the Training Provider Certificate from the NCAA for our Automatic Rescue Fire-fighting Simulator. We’re also working on the B737 certification. It’s taking us longer than we expected, but we are doing all our best to ensure that by March or April, it would be ready so that we can put it to use. You must have an international accredited certification before NCAA can give you its own. We are also looking forward to being an Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO). We started the process last year but it was put on hold. We hope it will happen this year.”
