Remarks of Tony Tyler at the Aviation Day USA, New York City

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Good morning. It’s always a pleasure to be back in New York, one of the world’s great cities and the center of the global financial community. I’d like to thank the Wings Club for joining with us to host this event and Airlines for America for their strong support. Thanks are also owed to our generous sponsors. Without them, events like this would not be possible.

 

I think it is fair to say that commercial aviation and New York each make a huge contribution to the other’s success. Aviation provides the global connectivity that sustains New York’s status as the hub of the financial world and a top tourist destination; and New York is certainly among the most important destinations for the more than 80 airlines that serve the three major metropolitan airports. Thus, this is an ideal location to host what I hope is the first of many Aviation Days.

 

Looking around the room, I’m impressed by the breadth and depth of industry knowledge, and by the diversity of aviation stakeholders represented here. We have airlines, airports, equipment manufacturers, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), regulators and the investment community. We are connected through the shared conviction that aviation makes the world a better place. And the strength of aviation lies in the working together approach we take to address industry challenges. In fact, partnerships and collaboration are in our collective DNA. Perhaps that is because every single flight is the result of close cooperation between many different stakeholders, including airlines, airports, ground service providers and ANSPs.

 

Safety

Partnerships have been critical to our most successful achievement, which is safety. By working together we have made flying the safest form of long-distance travel the world has ever known. Last week we released data on the industry’s safety performance for 2015. The global accident rate was one major accident for every 3.1 million flights. This was a 30% improvement compared to the previous five-year rate of one major accident for every 2.2 million flights. Furthermore, there were zero jet hull loss accidents that resulted in passenger fatalities in 2015. The four fatal hull loss accidents all involved turboprop equipment. 

 

I must qualify this figure, because two tragedies—the loss of Germanwings 9525 and Metrojet 9268—are not included in the totals as they were deliberate events, not accidents. Indeed, 2015 is similar to 2014 in this regard. If you look at the last two years, the industry’s safety performance has been affected primarily by events that could be classified as “unthinkable”. 

 

In 2014 we had the disappearance of an aircraft with no obvious cause and another shot down over a conflict zone. In 2015 the headlines focused on two terrible air disasters: One in which a pilot deliberately took his own life and those of all on-board; and one in which the aircraft is believed to have been destroyed by an act of terrorism. There are no simple solutions to the issues raised by these tragedies. But the best way to honor those who lost their lives is by re-dedicating ourselves to making flying even safer. In that regard I am proud that IATA participated in the Aviation Rulemaking Committee created by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the subject of pilot mental and emotional health, as well as on the Task Force on Risks to Civil Aviation Arising from Conflict Zones established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

 

These tragic and unexpected events have re-emphasized that we must always be alert to emerging hazards to ensure that they are addressed before they become safety threats. One example that is in the news almost every day is drones, or as ICAO refers to them, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. 

 

Don’t get me wrong. As someone who has spent his entire adult life in aviation, it’s great to see aviation reach a new audience. We are only beginning to discover the many potential commercial applications of this technology. And it would be naïve to think that States and military forces will reduce their use of drones. They are here to stay. But we must not allow them to become a drag on the efficiency of the airways or a safety threat to commercial aviation. 

 

Of course, the great majority of drone operators pose no risk. But we do need a sensible approach to regulation and a pragmatic method of firm enforcement for those who disregard rules and regulations and put others in danger. The issue is real. We have plenty of pilot reports of drones where they were not expected, particularly in the airport environment, but also at altitude.  

 

Appropriately, there is a lot of work being done in this area. IATA welcomes FAA’s activity and is supporting the “Know Before You Fly” campaign to educate prospective users about the safe and responsible operation of drones. And we are working closely with ICAO as well as stakeholders representing airports, ANSPs and pilots, to agree a common approach. 

 

I am confident that by working together we can address the challenges posed by drones while benefiting from their tremendous potential. 

 

Other Partnership Opportunities

I also believe we have the opportunity to apply this partnership approach to other challenges facing aviation including:

 

• Ensuring our continued economic viability
• Infrastructure development
• The environment

Let’s begin with our economic viability. Commercial aviation is growing because the value it has delivered has continued to increase over the 102 years of its existence. Globally, the 3.8 billion people and 53 million tonnes of cargo that airlines will safely carry this year supports some $2.4 trillion in economic activity and some 58 million jobs. In the United States, the world’s largest single air market, aviation supports some 5.7 million jobs, including tourism-related employment, and contributes some $562 billion to US GDP.

 

Paradoxically, it is no secret that for all the value we deliver, airlines have always struggled to turn a healthy—or sustainable—profit for their investors. With a lot of hard work and the confluence of some key factors, this is changing: We expect that airlines will deliver a $36 billion profit in 2016, for a 5.1% net margin. While it’s not close to the 23% net margin that Apple delivered last year, it is considered a strong result for our industry. Even more significantly, airlines are starting to provide a normal return to their investors—without whose support we cannot meet the forecast demand for air travel. The average cost of capital is estimated at around 7.0% this year. And for the second year in a row—and only the second time in our history—airlines collectively are set to deliver a return in excess of that—8.6%. But I should also put some perspective on that profitability. On a unit basis we are looking at airlines making less than $10 for each passenger carried.

 

Spurred by the performance of US airlines, the North America region is leading the industry in terms of profitability. Airlines in the US and Canada are expected to earn some $19.2 billion in 2016, or roughly half the industry’s global profit. These profits represent the fruit of more than a decade of toil and sweat as well as financial restructuring. Consolidation has also played a role by allowing airline managements to implement significant efficiency programs and to get the economies of density from much more efficient networks. This in turn concentrates flows of passengers, raising load factors and allowing larger aircraft with lower unit costs to be used.

 

I know we will have a financial panel including our own Brian Pearce to discuss the performance and outlook for the US airline industry, so I will not go into too much more detail. But I do want to emphasize that profitability is a good thing for which no one need apologize.

 

• Profitability is enabling airlines to pay down debt—a total of $6.1 billion in the first nine months of 2015 according to our friends at Airlines for America
• Profitability means airlines can invest in fleet renewal, add new routes and improve the passenger experience, to the tune of $12.1 billion over the same period
• Profitability allows airlines to reward shareholders for their patience and support via dividends and stock buybacks; and employees for their hard work and dedication through salary increases and profit sharing
• It’s also important to note that while US airlines are making record profits for airlines, on average they are just in the middle of the pack in comparison to other US industries.

The figures I have provided describe an industry that is healthy. It is also an industry that continues to deliver great value to consumers. On a global basis, fares in 2015 are estimated to have fallen 5% compared to 2014 after adjusting for the effects of the strong US dollar. And they were down 57% compared to 1995, after adjusting for inflation and excluding surcharges and taxes. In the US, airfares including typical ancillary fees remain around 39% below pre-deregulation levels in real terms, according to A4A.

 

We should not take for granted the industry’s ability to continue to deliver excellent value to consumers while providing the connectivity that drives global GDP and job creation. In addition to exogenous factors largely beyond our control, it also depends to some extent on governments not over-burdening airlines and passengers with fees and taxes that drive up the cost of air travel to punitive levels.

 

The US government collected $22.6 billion last year in fees and taxes from aviation. But it continues to find new ways to extract dollars from airlines and passengers. A recent example is a final rule issued by the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS, which more than triples the fee each aircraft pays for inspection services from $70.75 to $225.00. Even before this outrageous increase, the APHIS fee was being used to subsidize inspections for other industries, as the Department’s own consultant determined. Now, the department appears to be doubling down on this violation of ICAO charging principles.

 

We also continue to be concerned regarding the high costs airlines are incurring to comply with onerous US Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, particularly in the area of consumer protection. The 1978 Airline Deregulation Act was enacted on the premise that the market, rather than regulators, would drive airlines to provide services that their customers value, at a price customers are willing to pay. It was also assumed that airlines rather than regulators would be best positioned to determine how to reduce the impact of disruptions to those services resulting from weather or other factors.

 

For that reason, it is extremely frustrating to our members when, for example, DOT unilaterally decides how airlines should treat passengers during extended tarmac delays--regardless of the reason for the delay--and sets draconian fines for failure to abide by the rules. Not surprisingly the rules have had the reverse effect from what was intended, by actually increasing the number of passenger disruptions and time lost to delays. This was validated—yet again—in a 2015 study conducted by researchers at Dartmouth University and MIT that stated that, “the [tarmac delay] rule is estimated to have significantly increased passenger delays.”

 

To DOT’s credit, they appear to be taking to heart some of the lessons from their efforts to regulate the passenger experience. Most recently, the department has been exploring the possibility of new rules to ensure that persons with disabilities have full access to commercial air travel. Rather than simply imposing regulations, DOT is now considering whether to hold a negotiated rulemaking, whereby representatives of airlines and disabled travelers can join together and come to a consensus on what regulations should or should not be imposed in this area. This collaborative approach offers the promise of solutions that support the interests of all parties in an effective and efficient way.

 

Infrastructure

A partnership approach will also be needed to address growing infrastructure issues in the US and around the world. I know we will hear from a panel of experts specifically focused on the heavily congested NY airspace, so I will take a high-level view.

 

According to our most recent forecast, global passenger numbers are expected to reach 7 billion by 2034, exactly twice as many as the 3.5 billion in 2015. Although the US is a mature market, domestic traffic is still expected to grow by 80% to 808 million in 2034, while total traffic to, from and within the US will grow by 83% to more than 1.1 billion passenger journeys a year.

 

It is very clear to me that we cannot keep up with this demand under our present system of air traffic management (ATM). Inefficiencies in ATM infrastructure impose a heavy toll on the global economy and they will only get worse.

 

European ATM represents the biggest challenge, but in the US, FAA’s NextGen modernization program is significantly behind schedule. According to the DOT Inspector General, full NextGen implementation will take 10 years longer than its initial goal of 2025 and cost two or three times more than the initial estimated $40 billion in public-private investment. The reality is that as it is currently structured, FAA has been unable to move NextGen forward at a pace commensurate with the requirement, although it is true that much of the problem lies outside the agency’s control. It is subject to the vagaries and shifting priorities of the annual federal budget process.

 

Given the importance of the US market, a modernized and efficient US air traffic control system is critical to the future growth of global commercial aviation and it is for that reason that we support legislation to modernize the system through the creation of an independent, corporatized non-profit entity to perform these services.

We recognize that the decision to move from a government agency to a corporatized entity should not be taken lightly. However, after more than 20 years of debate in the US and after similar (and successful) modernization efforts around the world, we believe that now is the time to move forward with this historic transformation. 

The Environment

I would like to finish with a discussion on the environment. Environmental sustainability is our license to grow. In cooperation with our partners in the value chain we have adopted a global strategy to manage our emissions based on improvements in technology, operations and infrastructure, as well as the development of a global market-based measure (MBM). We had enough confidence in the strategy to commit to carbon-neutral growth from 2020 and to a halving of net carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

 

We are making strong progress: Fuel efficiency is improving around 2% a year. Sustainable fuels for aviation have matured, although we still need governments to step up to incentivize industrial-scale levels of production. And earlier this month a CO2 standard was agreed that will institutionalize the continuous technical improvements that come with every new generation of aircraft and engines.

 

All of this represents significant forward movement. But it is not enough. We need the help of a market-based measure to meet our ambitious targets. We are supporting the leadership of ICAO in achieving a global agreement on a framework for a market-based measure at its assembly this autumn. As an industry, we are united in a preference for a mandatory global carbon offset scheme as a key tool in achieving our carbon-neutral growth commitment from 2020. IATA is working with its members on how best we can equitably divide the bill—taking into account the circumstances of mature airlines and of those that are still growing rapidly.

 

I’d like to turn to another aspect of our social responsibility--one that is particularly close to me—which is helping to stop the trade in illegal wildlife. Now, the responsibility for enforcement of the rules governing international wildlife trade is clearly with governments. But well-trained airline staff can be an invaluable source of information on suspicious passenger behavior and unusual shipments. In support of this initiative we have undertaken a number of activities:

 

• We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to cooperate on reducing illegal trade in wildlife and their products, as well as on ensuring the safe and secure transport of legally traded wildlife
• We are supporting the US Agency for International Development’s Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species, or ROUTES program, to support the development of standards and training to enable airline personnel to recognize and report efforts to transport this endangered wildlife. In fact a workshop on illegal trafficking is being held at Bangkok airport today, in partnership with USAID. 
• We are participating in the United for Wildlife Task Force which aims to identify ways the transport sector can break the chain between suppliers and consumers.

Aviation can play a role in stopping the terrible scourge of illegal trade in wildlife that threatens some of the most precious animal and plant life on our planet, and we are honored to be able to do so.

 

Conclusion

We are privileged to work in an industry that is a force for good in our world. Many industries contribute to the global community. I believe that aviation makes the global community possible, by bringing together people and businesses and creating opportunities for greater understanding across cultures. In doing so, we work together some 100,000 times a day, 365 days a year. I know you have an excellent program ahead of you, so I will leave you on that note.

 

Thank you.

Air Zimbabwe hosts 48th AGA and Summit of AFRAA

Air Zimbabwe to host premier gathering of aviation leaders in November 2016   Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, 22 February 2016: Air Zimbabwe will play host to the 48th Annual  General  Assembly  (AGA)  and  Summit  of  the  African  Airlines  Association (AFRAA) scheduled to take place at the Elephant Hills Hotel in Victoria Falls from 20 – 22  November  2016.  This  important  annual  event  which  was  last  held  in  Brazzaville–Republic  of  Congo  in  November  2015,  is  expected  to  attract  over  400  high  profile delegates  from  the  aviation  industry  in  Africa,  Europe,  Middle  East,  Asia  and  North America.   Air Zimbabwe is  the proud host of the  AFRAA  AGA  for the third  time  in  the airline history, the previous times being in 1993 and 2002. During a press conference held in Victoria  Falls  as  part  of  an  advance  visit,  Dr.  Elijah  Chingosho,  AFRAA  Secretary General said: “The AFRAA AGA is the premier gathering of African airline CEOs and senior  global  aviation  executives.  Annually,  the  AGA  brings  together  aviation  leaders and  stakeholders  to  take  stock  of  aviation  milestones  and  plan  the  future  for  the development of African aviation.” The AGA will discuss issues on the development of air transport in Africa in general and development opportunities for African airlines in particular.  Air  transport  in  Africa  is  an  economic  bridge  –  linking  people,  goods  and capital to markets and industries and integrating the vast continent.  

The President of AFRAA and CEO of Air Zimbabwe, Mr. Edmund Makona on his part thanked  AFRAA  for  the  opportunity  to  host  this  major  aviation  event.  He  stated  that hosting the event in Zimbabwe, and in particular, Victoria Falls, presented an excellent opportunity to strengthen aviation in the country and further promotes the tourism sector. “It is a pleasure and an honor to host  the 48th AFRAA Annual General Assembly and Summit in Victoria Falls. Air Zimbabwe looks forward to welcome airline top executives and other  aviation stakeholders to  one of the  most attractive tourist  destinations in the world and home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the mighty Victoria Falls.” He added.   In  addition  to  the  provision  of  an  excellent  platform  for  brand  visibility  through sponsorship,  the  General  Assembly  and  Summit  of  AFRAA  will  present  exhibition opportunities for aviation companies to showcase their services, equipment, components, supplies  and  IT  solutions.  The  48th  AFRAA  AGA  will  be  attended  by  Chairmen  and CEOs  from  African  airlines,  ICAO,  IATA,  AFCAC,  civil  aviation  authorities,  airport companies, air navigation services providers as well as aircraft and engine manufacturers, component suppliers, and many other service providers.   The AFRAA Secretary General met some stakeholders in Zimbabwe representing various government  ministries.  The  preparations  teams  from  AFRAA  Secretariat  and  Air

 2 Zimbabwe  held  their  preliminary  meeting  and  activities  which  will  culminate  to  a successful  event  in  November.  “AFRAA  and  Air  Zimbabwe  teams  are  dedicated  to ensure that delegates will experience yet another memorable AGA this year” added Dr. Chingosho.   

Abuja Declaration on Aviation: IATA and NCAA partner

L-R- Sam Adurogboye, GM, PR NCAA; Alh Adamu Abdulahi, Director of consumer protection; Mr. Ogidi Justus-Wariya, Director of Air Transport Regulations; Capt. Musa Nuhu, TA, Minister of State for Aviation; Capt. Muhtar Usman, , DG NCAA; visiting Tanja Grobotek IATA Regional director of Africa; Samson Fatokun, Area manager, South West Africa; Ewemade Atake , IATA Aviation solutions Manager, South West Africa; Alh Nuhu Ozigi, director of finance and Accounts; Engr Ben Tukur, TA-DG NCAA and Mr. Umar Dada, DFA official

In a move to further improve air transport safety in Africa, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Nigeria have pledged to collaborate closely in developing and rolling out a set of measures intended to enhance the African Union’s 2012 Abuja Declaration on Aviation Safety in Africa.

This pledge was a key outcome from a meeting held between Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority Director General, Captain Muhtar Usman and Tanja Grobotek, IATA’s Regional Director, Safety and Flight Operations, Africa and Middle East.

Captain Muhtar Usman, Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, described this endorsement of the Abuja Declaration as ”one of the most significant steps taken to boost aviation safety and development on the African continent”.  

“Nigeria is committed to supporting its implementation across the sub-Saharan Africa through developing new strategies that will see the recent gains on Africa’s safety record sustained and even improved,” he added.

Since the Abuja Declaration's adoption in 2012, Africa’s safety performance has improved significantly.  Notwithstanding these important and valuable gains, when measured proportionally, the continent continues to have the world's highest hull-loss rate per million flights.

“African safety is moving in the right direction thanks to the work done by a number of African nations including Nigeria who have worked hard to raise awareness of the importance of implementing the Abuja Declaration,” remarked Tanja Grobotek, IATA’s Regional Director, Safety and Flight Operations, Africa and Middle East.

“In 2015, we saw safety on the continent improve compared to the five-year accident rate for both jet and turboprop hull losses. Nevertheless, the challenges of bringing Africa in line with global performance remain,” she explained.  

Grobotek said “IATA remains focused on its commitment to actively contribute its expertise and resources to help African Nations implement the standards outlined in the Abuja Declaration. One such area is the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), a proven tool for raising safety. IATA has worked with a number of airlines in Africa to bring them onto the IOSA registry. Eleven have joined since the Abuja Declaration was signed, which means 31 airlines from sub-Saharan Africa now benefit from this rigorous safety audit.”

Also discussed at the meeting was the need for African Governments to accelerate the implementation of ICAO’s safety-related standards and recommended practices (SARPS), according to the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP).

The NCAA reaffirmed its commitment to improve on the effective implementation of the SARPS by the end of 2016. As at the end of January 2016, only 21 African states had accomplished at least 60% of implementation of the SARPS

Accident investigation: Amendment to regulations will enhance aviation safety-Sirika

 

From right, Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB)Dr. Felix Abali, Special Assistant (Technical) to the Minister of State for Aviation, representing the Minister of Aviation, Capt. Musa Nuhu and President, Aviation Round Table (ART), Mr. Gbenga Olowo at a stake holders workshop on Proposal Amendment to Accident Investigation Regulations by AIB held at Ikeja, Lagos.

The Minister of State (Aviation), Sen. Hadi Sirika has thrown his weight behind the just concluded amendment to Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations, 2006 that it will definitely enhance aviation safety in Nigeria aviation industry.

According to the Minister who was represented by his Special Assistant (Technical),  Captain Nuhu Musa:  “I look forward to having updated Regulations for the Accident Investigation Bureau, which will ultimately enhance the aviation safety in Nigeria.”

The Minister also said the amendment process has been duly followed as stipulated in the subsisting Regulation, 2006 with the participation of the observer to the Bureau’s Regulation Committee reporting back to the Federal Ministry of Aviation on the amendments.

 “I believe all relevant amendments are in conformity with the ICAO Annex 13 on Accident Investigation which has been included in this draft amendment before us today.”

“It is my belief that your input will be considered and included in the final Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 2016 for Honourable Minister of State Aviation assent.”-he concluded

Special Assistant (Technical)to the Minister of State for Aviation, represent the Minister of Aviation Capt. Musa Nuhu, (left)being received by Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB)Dr. Felix Abali and Legal Adviser, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) Mrs. Anastasia Gbem at the stake holders workshop.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner and the Chief executive Officer of the agency, Dr. Felix Abali in his welcome address expressed his confidence in the exercise. He said the deliberation and amendment he believed,  “will not only make the document to be more robust but will make the process more transparent and inclusive. Review is the livewire of any organisation that is serious about growth and progress. Our experience in our local environment coupled with global imperatives has made the current review a necessity.”

Dr. Abali said regulation is an important tool for carrying out the functions of accident investigation as it sets out the framework for the day-to-day operations of the Bureau. “The Bureau's enabling law, which also domesticated International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Annexe 13, forms the bedrock of the regulations. There are, however several Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) that we need to conform with.”

“Accident investigation is a global exercise and so we must align ourselves with global standards if we must be on top of our job and contribute meaningfully to global aviation safety.  The proposed amended regulations will enhance our efficiency and further empower us to deliver on our mandate.

Accident investigation is a strong pillar of aviation safety as it seeks to prevent accidents and incidents even as it enhances air safety. According to ICAO definition of accident investigation, it is a process conducted for the purpose of accident prevention, which includes the gathering and analysis of information, the drawing of conclusions, including the determination of causes and, when appropriate, the making of safety recommendations.”

Stating the objective of accident investigations Dr. Abali explained, “According to ICAO Annex 13, the sole objective of the investigation of an accident or incident shall be the prevention of accidents and incidents. It is not the purpose of this activity to apportion blame or liability. This may, however run against the expectation of many members of the public and the press, which may be understandable due to the emotion laden atmosphere that usually accompanies air mishaps.

It is also not unusual to find many people eager to know the cause of aircraft accidents, even in a matter of days. So are we but accident investigation process is more complex that many often imagine. We must be painstaking and thorough so as to arrive at a conclusion that is not only fair and transparent but can also be scientifically proven.”

Abali other words: “Besides the accident site investigation that is usually open to the public, accident investigation entails gathering information from diverse sources including documentations such as maintenance and personnel  records, regulatory authority records, flight planning documents and operators manuals.

Other sources are recordings such as flight recorders, interviews, direct observations of actions performed by operating or maintenance personnel in their work environment, simulations, specialist advice, safety databases and so on.

There are also statutory processes to be engaged before reports are released to the public. All these take time. It is therefore important to appeal to the public and concerned citizens to please show some understanding and patience during air mishaps. It may also be apt to enjoin some people who always try to preempt accident investigations to apply the brake and allow AIB to do its job.

Accident investigations are conducted with a view to reconstructing events leading to the occurrence, so as to be well positioned to locate safety hazards, conduct risk assessments and proffer safety recommendations that will mitigate or eliminate unacceptable risks.”

AIB reviews Civil Aviation investigation of Air Accidents today

The Accident Investigation Bureau is putting up a workshop reviewing the Civil Aviation Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents Regulations 2006 today 23rd February, 2016 at the Westown Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. 

According to AIB,The Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika are among the top dignitaries that would attend the event.

The workshop will also witness in attendance other top aviation stakeholders and professionals from the Ministry of Transportation, aviation agencies, airlines, concessionaires and private sector.

The Spokesman of AIB, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi said that industry professionals like revered aviation lawyer and immediate past President of Aviation Round Table, ART, Capt. Dele Ore and the Managing Director of Aeroconsut Limited, Engr. Babatunde Obadofin would also present papers that would usher in the new policy for accident investigation in the sector.

Apart from the duo, technical directors from AIB are expected to present papers while the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the bureau, Dr. Felix Abali would present the welcome address.

Oketunbi hinted that the review of the existing 2006 policy was pertinent in order for aviation industry in Nigeria to conform to the updated International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Standards and Recommended Practices, SARPS.

He also added that the review became necessary in a bid for its policy to be in tandem with its counterparts around the world.

Oketunbi noted that since the current policy, which was promulgated in November 2006 came into operations; there had been series of amendments to accident and incident investigation by ICAO especially to the Annex 13 of the convention.

The AIB spokesman said that as one of the leading globally recognised aviation investigators, it could not operate in isolation of global standards and recommended practices.

 “The management has noticed some gaps in the current regulations, which the new one will seek to address. We hereby requested relevant aviation stakeholders like airline operators, professionals, unions, oil companies operating within the sector, individuals with key interest in aviation Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs, and the general public for their valuable contributions on the proposed amendment.

“We are doing this in conformity with our regulation 22, which reads in part, ‘These regulations shall be amended from time to time to bring them into conformity with the provisions of ICAO Annex 13, any amendment thereto and the Civil Aviation Act”-Oketunbi added.

SAHCOL handles Air Cote D’Ivoire

One of the big players in the ground handling services in West Africa, Skyway Aviation Handling Comapany Limited, SAHCOL has clinched another contract in handling an airline, Air Cote D’Ivoire.

According to a statement from the company, "The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Ltd (SAHCOL) has won the contract for the rendering of Ground Handling Services to Air Cote d’Ivoire’s flight operations at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

This new contract will see SAHCOL providing Passengers, Ramp, Cargo Handling Services and Crew Bus Services to Air Cote D’Ivoire three (3) times a week flight operations to the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

SAHCOL is a leading provider of Aviation Ground Handling Support for International and Domestic Airlines operating within and into the Nigerian Airports."

Six years after SAHCOL was acquired by the SIFAX Group, the company has grown in leaps and bounds with clients and stakeholders in the International Aviation scene.

Since 2010, SAHCOL has won more than 70 % of the new Airline Ground Handling contracts signed in Nigeria. This is largely due to new investments in Ground Support Equipment, Good Customer Service, Infrastructural development and appropriate trainings of its staff.

SAHCOL is certified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), having undergone and passed the ISAGO Audits for its Headquarters, Lagos, Abuja and Kano Stations.

SAHCOL provides daily scheduled Ground Handling Services in 17 locations in Nigeria, amongst which include airports at Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Jos, Yola, Kano, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kebbi, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Enugu, Owerri, Uyo, Ilorin, Benin and Asaba

Ex-DG NCAA Capt. Akinkuotu now MD Aerocontractors

… Ernst and Young team commences audit

Captain Fola Akinkuotu 

Former Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Fola Akinkuotu has been appointed the substantive Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors.

According to a statement from the airline, the Receiver Manager of Aero, Mr. Adeniyi Adegbonmire has appointed Akinkuotu as CEO for Nigeria’s major domestic operator, as part of the second phase of the restructuring process of the airlin

Also that the second phase of the intervention was to appoint a CEO after 15 days of the tenure of Tunde Fagbemi of Springfountain, the Receiver Manager Representative (RMR).

Akinkuotu, who was the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) between August 2013 to March 2014; ‘takes over with immediate effect, following a brief intervention led by the RMR.”

Meanwhile, it is confirmed that the international audit firm Ernst and Young’s team are already carrying out the audit of the airline. According to a source in the company, “Yes the team from Ernst and Young are here and they have since commenced the audit.”

Asking the duration of the audit he said, “ they have done two weeks they might likely stay one or two weeks more.”

Recommendations to Sikorsky averted crash in Brazil –AIB

Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB while giving update on the recent Bristow Helicopters’ Sikorsky 76C ++  ditching on the Atlantic Ocean said the recommendation given on the previous accident averted a serious accident in Brazil. Responding to query on the gains of the previous accident involving the same type of machine, the Director of Engineering,  Engr. Emmanuel Diala said, “ based on the recommendations given to the aircraft manufacturer, Sikorsky on the previous accident, a serious accident involving the same type of aircraft was averted in Brazil. This is the global effect accident investigation can have”. He said they are putting a lot of effort in their investigation to avert reoccurrence in the future. Meanwhile, the Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of AIB, Dr. Felix Abali in his speech said pilots of the crashed Sikorsky 76C ++ helicopter with marked 5N-BQJ raised Emergency alert also known as ‘May Day’ twice before abandoning ship over the Atlantic Ocean. The bureau said the first cry of ‘May Day’ was declared at 78 nautical miles from Lagos by the crew, who complained of instrument problems. Immediately after that call, the helicopter descended from 3,000 feet to 1,500 feet.

Abali further said the captain declared the second ‘May Day’ to the radio operator at the offshore platform, which was relayed to Air Traffic Control, ATC, by two aircraft. He explained that one of the aircraft was following the communication and relayed the ditching, which occurred at 10:20am at 29 nautical miles away from the platform. Abali added that when the helicopter developed fault mid-air, the Flying Officer, FO, was the Pilot Flying, PF, adding that the captain took control of the chopper expecting to stabilise equipment, but failed.

The agency further stated that the Cockpit Image Recorder will be flown to the United Kingdom for downloading very soon.

AFRAA GETS ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFICATION

…“ISO 9001:2008 certification reaffirms the Association’s commitment to unparalleled service

quality through continuous organizational improvement”

Front row L-R:Mr. Sam Kimotho of Bureau Veritas presenting the certificate to Dr. Elijah Chingosho, AFRAA Secretary General 

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) announced that it has achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification after a thorough analysis of its quality management system by Bureau Veritas, an independent accredited certification body. In achieving ISO 9001:2008 certification, AFRAA demonstrates its ability to deliver a well-defined quality management system that complies with the most stringent international standards. In addition, attainment of ISO 9001:2008 by AFRAA highlights its commitment to continually

improve its operational performance and underscores its ability to meet customer needs while at the same time motivating and further engaging its employees with more efficient internal processes.

Established by the International Organization for Standardization, ISO 9001:2008 is a set of standards related to quality management systems designed to enable organizations to ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders, while complying with statutory and regulatory requirements. As the world’s most recognizable quality management standard, the ISO 9001 standard helps organizations increase the efficiency of their operations, realize cost savings and continually improve the quality of their products and services.

“The journey towards achieving ISO 9001:2008 certification commenced in September 2014. The

Secretariat documented its procedures and processes as per the ISO standards and completed all

the mandatory audits which were carried out by Bureau Veritas who ascertained that AFRAA

demonstrated commitment to quality management systems principles and clear understanding of

the ISO 9001 requirements. AFRAA staff also underwent rigorous training and currently the

Secretariat has four in-house lead auditors. With the ISO 9001:2008 achieved, the Secretariat

shall embark on the transition to the new ISO 9001:2015 standard.”

In his speech during the presentation ceremony of the certificate at the AFRAA headquarters

in Nairobi – Kenya, Dr. Elijah Chingosho, AFRAA Secretary General said, “Having achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification, we are able to validate the quality of the operational processes and the services we deliver to our member airlines and partners. This certification provides a significant differentiator that shows current and prospective customers alike our commitment to complying with the most rigid international

standards for quality systems and effective operating procedures.” Continuous improvement of

the Association’s overall performance is an important principle of this ISO standard. As the

industry changes,” he added, “we can always revise our processes to maximize efficiencies,

giving us the flexibility to react quickly to any opportunities that may arise, in order to better

serve our member airlines and partners.”

Presenting the certificate to AFRAA Secretary General, Mr. Sam Kimotho, Operations

Certification Manager, Bureau Veritas Certification (Kenya) said that Bureau Veritas was

satisfied that the management systems throughout the organization system was in accordance

with the ISO 9001:2008 international standard. “We are very positive that AFRAA will use the

newly acquired system status and knowledge as a continual improvement tool for the benefit of

its members, partners and other stakeholders,” he concluded.

Business Aviation: "African market will be “hotter” than the Asian in 2016"-Demuren

L to R Ettore Poggi - VP Africa and Director Maintenance, ExecuJet, Al Whyte - Corporate Jet Investor Editor, and Segun Demuren - CEO of EAN Aviation, proudly sport their oven glove prize, intended to help them handle business in the “hottest” market

Ahead of this year’s Nigerian Business Aviation Conference Segun Demuren, CEO of NBAC host EAN Aviation, joined a panel of experts to propose that the African business aviation market will be “hotter” than the Asian sector in 2016. Delegates attending the annual Corporate Jet Investor conference in London on 1-2 February, enjoyed a lively contest, which pitted the two emerging markets’ teams against each other to win the title of “hottest” market.

Attendees, who initially voted for Asia, had their outlook altered by the “hot” African team – Segun Demuren, EAN Aviation, Ettori Poggi, ExecuJet, Scott Plumb, JetCraft and David Minty, Investec - who together convinced the audience market opportunity would be greater in Africa.  Supporting evidence demonstrated that Nigeria still had a strong part to play as figures from the International Monetary Fund indicate Nigeria’s anticipated GDP change for this year would be 4.1%. Whilst the country’s recent economic growth has been fuelled by the hydrocarbon sector, the panel argued that Nigeria also boasts a range of industrialists that are still conducting a huge amount of non-energy related commerce intra-Africa, and continue to use executive jets to facilitate their business.

The NBAC theme of Sustaining Nigeria’s Place on the African Business Aviation landscape will further debate and discuss how the country’s executive aviation sector will continue to grow and contribute to African business aviation growth when it takes place on 17 – 18^th March. 

For more information about the programme visit www.nbac.com.ng

Nigeria Airspace managers embark on 24 hours area radar control

…reduced flight hours and fuel consumption expected

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA has embarked on a non-stop area radar control. This exploit comes with a lot of benefits for the airlines. According to the weekly publication of the agency, “the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), last week began the provision of 24 hours en-route radar service to airspace users at both the Kano and Lagos Area Control Centres (ACCs). The area radar service which hitherto was only available between Mondays and Fridays from 7am to 7pm has now been extended to 24hrs daily and seven days a week.”  Speaking on this development, the Managing Director,  Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam said ‘’this feat became feasible following an aggressive manpower training by the agency to boost capacity of safety critical Air Traffic Control and Engineering personnel required to provide the service,’’ stressing that “with this development we have further enhanced safety and efficiency in air traffic management because the use of radar  increases capacity to maximize utilization of available airspace with precision, accuracy and less workload to the Air Traffic Controllers and flight crew while also enabling aircraft to fly at optimum trajectories.” Engr. Abdulsalam who noted that the non-stop provision of area radar service was in line with the ongoing digitalization of the Nigerian airspace by the agency, expressed confidence that flight times would be further reduced due to direct routing, translating to reduced fuel consumption by the airlines, adding that round-the-clock radar surveillance would give a boost to the nation’s preparedness in search and rescue operations. It will be recalled that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on the 30th of May 2013 successfully commenced the provision of area radar control service within the Nigerian airspace, enabling the agency to seamlessly manage en-route flights digitally with efficiency and exactitude.

Press Release: AMCON TAKES OVER AERO CONTRACTORS

 

In furtherance of the statutory responsibility of acquiring Eligible Bank Assets and putting them to economic use in a profitable manner, the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) has dissolved the Board of Aero Contractors and appointed a Manager over the affairs of the airline. AMCON is both the majority shareholder and creditor of Aero.

 

An Industry based management team will be put in place to provide the highest level of professional competence which would ensure a quick repositioning of the company.

 

The management of AMCON decided to make changes in the Management of the airline to protect the brand heritage of the airline, a very well cherished value. AMCON also maintains that its intervention is in the public interest to sustain and improve the robust and premium quality service which Aero is known for in the country. 

 

AMCON would like to assure the regulatory authorities, the traveling public and key stakeholders that the airline will continue to operate on the solid foundation of safety and security with excellent customer service. 

 

AMCON has also engaged a reputable accounting firm to undertake a forensic audit of the airline's accounts over the last 5 years.

 

Signed

AMCON

NCAA suspends Bristow Helicopters' Sikorsky S-76C++ operations

...Suspension not a vote of no confidence on the airline -DG

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has grounded the operations of the Bristow Helicopters' Sikorsky S-76C++ type till further notice. Communicating the decision of the agency was the Director-General, Capt. Muhtar Usman at a briefing in Lagos earlier today. He said, "the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has therefore decided to suspend the operation of the Bristow Helicopters Limited’s Sikorsky S-76C++ type till further notice.

This suspension will enable the Authority carry out a full scale audit on its operations with particular emphasis on its Sikorsky S-76C++ type."

The DG further explained that, “these decisions are without prejudice to the investigations being conducted by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB). As a matter of fact, it will serve to assist in the entire process. The Authority will fully support AIB in the investigation.

Therefore, the Regulatory Authority views with utmost seriousness the successive mishaps of Bristow Helicopters’ operating aircraft SikorskyS-76C++ on the coastal waters of Lagos."

Capt. Muhtar said that the suspension of operations for the impending wholesale audit is not a vote of no confidence on the airline but to ascertain the adequacy and propriety of the operating aircraft type.

"This is not new in the industry, it is one of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) all over the world."-said he.

Giving the reason for the suspension, Usman said that in August, 2015, a Bristow Helicopter operated Sikorsky S-76 series crashed around Oworonshoki axis in Lagos.

"What this means is that yesterday’s incident is occurring a little over six months after the preceding one.

Therefore as a responsible Regulatory Authority, it is important to stem this rapidity of occurrence and ensure the airline carry out safe operations."