Air Nigeria pilots strike
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Vicar, while I respect your post and opinions and yes they are based on facts, Im not sure if you are aware that things have greatly improved since 2007. Runway lights, resurfacing of runways, TRACON (Total Satellite Radar Coverage), US Cat I, consolidation and recapitalization of airlines, among others, are few of the numerous visible ameliorations that took place on the ground in recent years. Of course its good to keep a healthy skepticism and seeing is believing. I can see your point as a pilot, local ATC needs to improve and now. Govt isnt investing enough in capacity building and training. Just imagine how much ATC training all the money wasted on govt official first class tickets can buy. Finally I ask you to consider how tough it can be in LOS Tower with unreliable power, understaffing, etc. in light of the Dana crash the whole aviation environment in Nigeria needs a total overhaul and rethinking...Its a systemic failure.
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Sir Balewa,
You need to realise that this same big Jim that you have beef with is the same reason behind my advice to those who seek it from me about Air Nigeria. I have not in any way made any reference to its employees or their professionalism or integrity.
Anyone can criticise their former employee who may or may not have been exploiting an opportunity, neither do i even know what he looks like let alone know anything about him, one certainty is that there's no smoke without fire. Any particular reason behind them not having many serviceable machines, as i hear?
You need to realise that this same big Jim that you have beef with is the same reason behind my advice to those who seek it from me about Air Nigeria. I have not in any way made any reference to its employees or their professionalism or integrity.
Anyone can criticise their former employee who may or may not have been exploiting an opportunity, neither do i even know what he looks like let alone know anything about him, one certainty is that there's no smoke without fire. Any particular reason behind them not having many serviceable machines, as i hear?
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Thank you guys, for responding to my post without attacking me, it is greatly appreciated. i want to assure all of you that I was not bashing Naija, I was just venting about the situation with aviation in the country. I want to add that I do not know the current DG of the NCAA, but what i have heard is that he is an honorable man and in no way did I mean to imply that he was corrupt. Maybe some others in the NCAA are corrupt but I will not point fingers. Let's just say that **** happens, of that I know as a fact. As for improvements in the aviation sector in Nigeria, I totally agree that it has improved, but a lot still has to be done, and I honestly believe that we as pilots can make a valuable contribution in changing things. The professionalism that we portray outside Nigerian airspace should be the same that we have when we fly within Nigeria. I was not flying in Nigeria in 2007, I started in 2008, and I saw the improvements with lighting, or reflectors on the runways, ILS in ABV, OWR, radar, etc. Under the current DG-NCAA, we must admit that there was a lot of improvements made. But the bottom line is, a lot still needs to be done to improve safety. The culture of dash, of swaggar, of profiling, of in-descipline must change. Pilots must have the balls to stand up and not be bullied by management, they must stand together and stop being used to fight each other, e.g, local pilots against expat pilots, etc. They must stand up as professionals, and conduct themselves as professionals, and not allow people to treat them like bus drivers. I have flown with many Nigerian pilots, and generally they are great guys and very good aviators given the environment they operate in. I have a lot of respect for a very good friend of mine, Fola who used to be at VK, Arome from Arik, these two gentlemen are first class aviators, and honorable men. But what happened to them? Both were either force out of their respective airlines for one reason or another. There are others I can mention, both at VK and Arik that I have a lot of respect for. I just want to say to my fellow aviators in Nigeria, please make a difference, regardless of what the cause of the crash at Dana was, there are major problems that have to be addressed and fixed with aviation in Nigeria and you can make a difference. As for the strike at VK, more power to the pilots and engineers, I support you 100 percent. There are excellent pilots at VK and they have been taking a lot of crap for years. Stay the course gentlemen and ladies, I truly do admire your stance, you should teach the pilots at Arik a thing or two about honor and integrity. Keep the blue side up.
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Yes NAIJANINJA there are reasons.!
They have their second Embraer on check in Lisbon it left about 2 weeks ago.
Two B737 in Egypt completing their C checks and one more B737 in Romania also on C check.
The aircraft on the fire service side of the MMIA 2 side of the ramp I gather from one of their captains will leave for check once any of the others on check is ready cos it is now due also.
These has actually hindered them from operating fully and is not helping their operations.
Hopefully they will learn from this experience and plan their maintenance schedule better just like Aerocontractors have after operating B737 for a while, not too long ago they had planes parked with all sorts of issues and biggest of them was No Cash.
I only deal with facts.
Regards
Two B737 in Egypt completing their C checks and one more B737 in Romania also on C check.
The aircraft on the fire service side of the MMIA 2 side of the ramp I gather from one of their captains will leave for check once any of the others on check is ready cos it is now due also.
These has actually hindered them from operating fully and is not helping their operations.
Hopefully they will learn from this experience and plan their maintenance schedule better just like Aerocontractors have after operating B737 for a while, not too long ago they had planes parked with all sorts of issues and biggest of them was No Cash.
I only deal with facts.
Regards
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B737 in Egypt
EGYPTAIR MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING’s hangars received two aircraft B737-300 from Air Nigeria for a comprehensive overhaul. During NDT check a crack was detected in the Main Frame of one aircraft. After contacting Boeing; the manufacturer; they recommended performing repairs by EGYPTAIR MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING as it is one of the mainstays of the aircraft and needs high experience and advanced technology. Such cracks are usually repaired by the manufacturer as it is a critical repair.
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Im not sure if you are aware that things have greatly improved since 2007. Runway lights, resurfacing of runways, TRACON (Total Satellite Radar Coverage), US Cat I, consolidation and recapitalization of airlines, among others, are few of the numerous visible ameliorations that took place on the ground in recent years. Of course its good to keep a healthy skepticism and seeing is believing. I can see your point as a pilot, local ATC needs to improve and now. Govt isnt investing enough in capacity building and training. Just imagine how much ATC training all the money wasted on govt official first class tickets can buy. Finally I ask you to consider how tough it can be in LOS Tower with unreliable power, understaffing, etc.
. TRACON is not satellite coverage. It stands for Total Radar Coverage of the Nigerian Airspace project and is made up of 4 primary and 5 secondary radars co-located in Nnamdi Azikiwe, Murtala Mohammed, Mlam Aminu Kano and Port Harcourt International. It also has ptovision for 5 stand-alone SSR radars to be located in Talata Mafara, Maiduguri, Numan, Ibura and Ilorin. The primary radar has a 65 NM range and the SSR 250 NM, the coverage areas overlapping to provide the total coverage of the airspace.
Doctor Demuren has been a shining beacon and many of the huge improvements in the last few years have been due to him pushing them through. sadly there are still too many of the old guard in NCAA and NAMA for one man alone to be able to achieve the many, many things remaining to be done
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Classic 737s maintained abroad, in Y2012...SHAME !
Private individuals, state and the federal governments, the larger/largest publicly quoted companies and the largest ones privately held, and other sources of funds fellow ppruners may think of, some thirty years since the dawn of private airlines in Nigeria and several more years since airline service was available locally, it's high time we maintain commercial aircraft locally !
If it's experts in financing or airline management, we have them in abundance. If it's money, there's enough slushing around locally, never mind the billions all sorts of organizations insist we have abroad.
The part I shy away from (truth is bitter, they say), is the fact that those who can effect things really don't believe in Nigeria, so, they save their money elsewhere or hang on to it. If they did, I don't think that in 2012 they couldn't hear from their local aviation cousins that apart from building the nation (what nation), they would make their money back. Or is it the local aviators who aren't spreading shouting hard enough?
Either way, it's a sad and sorry report that outdated types have to be flown abroad for "C" checks, in Y2012, of all years.
May God help this country.
If it's experts in financing or airline management, we have them in abundance. If it's money, there's enough slushing around locally, never mind the billions all sorts of organizations insist we have abroad.
The part I shy away from (truth is bitter, they say), is the fact that those who can effect things really don't believe in Nigeria, so, they save their money elsewhere or hang on to it. If they did, I don't think that in 2012 they couldn't hear from their local aviation cousins that apart from building the nation (what nation), they would make their money back. Or is it the local aviators who aren't spreading shouting hard enough?
Either way, it's a sad and sorry report that outdated types have to be flown abroad for "C" checks, in Y2012, of all years.
May God help this country.
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BALEWA, pls appreciate local techs
That you don't trust Nigerian technicians/engineers, I suspect, is the reason why, some 30, 40 years on, you still think maintenance should be done abroad.
The flight deck should even help shield the more shield-able inadequacies of their earth-bound brothers (if there are any at all), instead of exposing them: let's call it tact, prudence, wisdom or the like.
So, we should keep sending out scarce Dollars at the unnecessary and avoidable rates we are today, and helping developing countries like Egypt and Ethiopia progress at our expense? Nada, brother, nada!
Some four, five years back, I spoke with Victor Egonu at Benin Airport, where he'd just flown in Fresh Air's 732 on a CBN cargo charter. We explored a local simulator for the rash of B732 operators, identifying some16-18 machines in their fleets, which would make such plan cost effective. He agreed in full, only pointing out ruefully, that the average pilot would probably prefer the foreign travel and the you-know-what that went with it. But the point is, he thought it was progressive and boded well for Nigeria.
Now, compare a sim to the benefits a progressively large maintenance complex and all the attendant ancilary industries could bring to us.
Balewa, let's try build this nation in our small ways. The bastards at the top only have time for their Swiss accounts. As is clear from the on-going, they have no time for us
The flight deck should even help shield the more shield-able inadequacies of their earth-bound brothers (if there are any at all), instead of exposing them: let's call it tact, prudence, wisdom or the like.
So, we should keep sending out scarce Dollars at the unnecessary and avoidable rates we are today, and helping developing countries like Egypt and Ethiopia progress at our expense? Nada, brother, nada!
Some four, five years back, I spoke with Victor Egonu at Benin Airport, where he'd just flown in Fresh Air's 732 on a CBN cargo charter. We explored a local simulator for the rash of B732 operators, identifying some16-18 machines in their fleets, which would make such plan cost effective. He agreed in full, only pointing out ruefully, that the average pilot would probably prefer the foreign travel and the you-know-what that went with it. But the point is, he thought it was progressive and boded well for Nigeria.
Now, compare a sim to the benefits a progressively large maintenance complex and all the attendant ancilary industries could bring to us.
Balewa, let's try build this nation in our small ways. The bastards at the top only have time for their Swiss accounts. As is clear from the on-going, they have no time for us
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Totally agree with you matey......
Its just that the infrastructure in Nigeria and the attitude of people towards work here is poor and very bad. But who knows maybe things might change. Going back to the original point of this thread its so sad to see how the guys here are spreading lies and twisting stories about Air Nigeria. Its so disgusting.... apparently I gather from my colleagues there that some of their own pilots and engineers are broadcasting this false stories or twisting the right information around.
Also was told that they know this group of persons and that some or most of them have signed up with a new airline starting end of June.
This is not the way and very unprofessional.
Like the other post concerning the abandoning of their crew in Dakar,
I did see that crew in dakar last week myself and spoke to their captain. He showed concerns but for goodness sake to write such trash is so sad.
Why suddenly Air Nigeria has become an airline full of tales and scary stories.
Not good whoever you guys are.
Its just that the infrastructure in Nigeria and the attitude of people towards work here is poor and very bad. But who knows maybe things might change. Going back to the original point of this thread its so sad to see how the guys here are spreading lies and twisting stories about Air Nigeria. Its so disgusting.... apparently I gather from my colleagues there that some of their own pilots and engineers are broadcasting this false stories or twisting the right information around.
Also was told that they know this group of persons and that some or most of them have signed up with a new airline starting end of June.
This is not the way and very unprofessional.
Like the other post concerning the abandoning of their crew in Dakar,
I did see that crew in dakar last week myself and spoke to their captain. He showed concerns but for goodness sake to write such trash is so sad.
Why suddenly Air Nigeria has become an airline full of tales and scary stories.
Not good whoever you guys are.
Last edited by BALEWA; 12th Jun 2012 at 20:25.
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But Sir Balewa,
I see you are somewhat sympathetic to VK, am just curious to know if you've thought of the following:
With the revelations in the previous posts in this thread or the new one about the Dakar crew; would you say that Air Nigeria is being properly run inline with acceptable standards as we speak?
Would you accept your loved ones to fly Air Nigeria right now knowing that VK could leave your loved ones stranded in Dakar without sorting them out?
Going back to the reasons behind the strike, is big Jim yet to wake up to a sensible level of thinking that would bring about a change of attitude in the way he's running the airline?
I see you are somewhat sympathetic to VK, am just curious to know if you've thought of the following:
With the revelations in the previous posts in this thread or the new one about the Dakar crew; would you say that Air Nigeria is being properly run inline with acceptable standards as we speak?
Would you accept your loved ones to fly Air Nigeria right now knowing that VK could leave your loved ones stranded in Dakar without sorting them out?
Going back to the reasons behind the strike, is big Jim yet to wake up to a sensible level of thinking that would bring about a change of attitude in the way he's running the airline?
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Ok Naijaninja.....who would you prefer have my family fly.?!
ARIK...! Yup they do... who's next let's see Aero...well I'll consider but after I have taken a peek at who's in the flight deck believe me..and then lets see IRS well I hardly go up north.
Anyways its all good I'll end my VK flag waving here and wish u happy flying..
Regards
ARIK...! Yup they do... who's next let's see Aero...well I'll consider but after I have taken a peek at who's in the flight deck believe me..and then lets see IRS well I hardly go up north.
Anyways its all good I'll end my VK flag waving here and wish u happy flying..
Regards
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You didn't answer the real questions posed about how VK is being run. Are you also trying to say something about SOME of the chaps flying the carriers you listed?
As you know, there are two sides to a coin, so like K'naan said man, wave your flag o!
As you know, there are two sides to a coin, so like K'naan said man, wave your flag o!
Last edited by NaijaNinja; 13th Jun 2012 at 07:46.
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air nig. strike
Cudos to The Vicar for a well written post. The truth is that we as aviators have forgotten one major fact,as a bond we are unbreakable,but as an individual!we are expendable. We all should work together to rid the ills in our various carriers,other wise we will continue to be victimised.Fortunately we now have crops of young ladies and Gents straight out of school. How do we orientate/Guide/ and instill professionalsm in them? When we ourselves allow operators to not only run the office,but also meddle with the Flightdeck?sentiments aside,there has been tremendous improvement with infrastructure and the industry as a whole,but with out our collective efforts,it is just another bout of politics withen our COVEN.
