By Chuks Okoh
Over 200 business and private flight clearances are processed monthly by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA while over 50 percent of civil aircraft registered in the country are used for business and general aviation operations.
Presenting a paper at the just concluded Nigerian Business Aviation Conference NABC organized by Evergreen Apple Nigeria, the Acting Director General, NCAA, Engr Benedict Adeyileka disclosed that astronomical growth has been recorded in the general aviation in the country in the past few years.
Engr Adeyileka explained that the growth in the sector has given the agency more challenge in their regulations as the agency in accordance with its civil aviation policy 2013 was developing regulation of air ambulance, aviation recreation organization, corporate aviation operations, aeroplane general aviation among others. The acting DG disclosed that the NCAA was amending the existing 2009 civil aviation regulations for charter and air taxi operations, helicopter commercial and balloon.
According to Adeyelika, the measure will prevent the application of the regulatory requirements meant for a scheduled commercial operator to a non scheduled commercial operator.
Meanwhile, Adeyelika has stressed the need for the aviation industry in the country to be regulated to ensure that jobless Nigerian pilots and engineers were gainfully employed. “With the type of business we have in Nigeria now it is unacceptable to have Nigerian pilots unemployed”
He said that Nigeria was presently solving other country’s problem in aviation as majority of people in the industry were foreigners occupying various positions in the sector adding that there was need to develop and encourage Nigerians.
