Facts About Commercial Aviation in Nigeria

[Hani]

The following was written by an unknown person working for
Hoeffener International Inc.

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Facts about Commercial Aviation in Nigeria

First off: No one in the Government of Nigeria has a clue as to what they are doing when it comes to aviation. They are full of their own importance and totally ignorant of the world of aviation outside of their fantasy and belief that the sun rises and sets on Nigeria Airways.

Myth: Old aircraft have more accidents then newer aircraft

Fact: In the last 10 years on a per ration basis the newer aircraft have had more accidents and deaths

Myth: If Nigeria forced a ban on aircraft older then 22 years the accident rate would go down.

Fact: The airfares would have to be three times as high to afford the aircraft and the accident rate would go up because there is no infrastructure to maintain more modern aircraft. The present training schemes used by the air carriers is barley adequate for the earlier aircraft and totally inadequate for modern aircraft. Air accidents would rise, not go down.

Time for a serious slap of reality;

Based on number of hours flown, Nigeria has one of the worst safety records in aviation.

Upon meeting your previous minister of aviation, a ignorant woman if ever I saw one, surrounded by ass kissing idiots I realized there is no hope. One of her associates accused the west of selling only bad aircraft to Nigeria. Soon all followed the same song accusing the world of cheating Nigeria and selling bad aircraft.

What ignorance, what arrogance and what sheer stupidity. Nigerian airlines buy the aircraft they can afford. Those aircraft happen to be older. Older aircraft are not bad. As a matter of fact there are more older aircraft flying in US fleets then ever have seen the skies of Nigeria. Their accident rate is almost zero while the accident rate of the newer aircraft is far higher as a percentage of hours flown.

The reason airlines modernize their fleets is to maintain stockholder equity, comply with newer and more stringent noise regulations, dispatch reliability and lower fuel costs. Safety is not the reason. The older aircraft are safe. (safer then some of the newer ones)

Insurance for liability is the same for older aircraft as it is for newer aircraft. Hull insurance is different. A newer aircraft say a 1982 MD-82 will cost five times as much as a 1973 B-727, carry the same amount of people and fly the same distance. Insurance for hull on the old 727 is around $200,000 per year while the MD-82 is around 1.5 million per year. The 727 cost 1.5 million the MD082 costs 14 million used.

The MD-82 uses a JT8D-217 or 219 engine that costs new over 5 million, and around 1.5 million to rebuild. The 727 uses a JT8D-9 or 15 engine that costs $600,000 to rebuild. Both engines have the same time between overhaul.

Spares for the MD-82 will cost between four and five times as much and the maintenance interval is the same.

The fact is, more MD-82's have crashed then the older DC-9's they replaced. No they are not any safer.

The BAC-1-11 had the best safety record of any aircraft in the world until Nigerian operators got their hands on them. 19 our of every 20 BAC-1-11 aircraft involved in an accident happened with a Nigerian airline. I know, stupid question, is it the aircraft or the operator, you decide.

No finance company or leasing company fill finance aircraft for Nigerian operators or lease to them unless the aircraft is one they have no hope of leasing to anyone else. Nigerian air carriers have no concept of regular payments and stop paying whenever they feel like it. Repossessing an aircraft in Nigeria is very difficult and no one wants the challenge. Until Nigerian operators prove that they can be responsible in payments, no one wants to finance them. Bottom line, if they want an aircraft, they have to pay cash.

Financing is possible if a Nigerian airline put together a good operation, with a professional business plan, management and competent personnel. Just putting together a professional business plan is beyond the scope of a Nigerian airline. the problem is they would have to hire professionals to do it and that would cost money they refuse to spend. A good business plan put together by a professional organization would cost around a million dollars.

Maintenance and training are the two most ignored items in Nigerian Aviation. Both cost money and both are essential to a safe operation. The government and operators would rather blame accidents on bad aircraft then face the fact that Nigerian maintenance is substandard and so is flight crew training.

I will bet you $1,000 that you can not get on any Nigerian air carrier aircraft and find one working flashlight. They are required to be located at strategic points thought the cabin. I will bet another $1,000 that you can not find a proper first aid kit on any Nigerian aircraft. The box might be there but you will find the seal broken and the contents missing. If there are any contents you will find them as being out of date. Now do you think the rest of the aircraft is maintained in the same manner? You bet it is.

Yes there are solutions, but Nigerian operators refuse to listen. The government refuses to hire a professional team to deal with the operators.

Albarka had a good chance, but it chose the Nigerian way of doing things. I have guaranteed Maj. Gen Marwa that if he does it the Nigerian way he will achieve Nigerian results. I have also assured him that there is no reason to reinvent the wheel. All he has to do is follow a successful, accident free and profitable model and he will have accident free and successful results. I know, or should know, you can take a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Stupid me for ever thinking any different.

In my learned opinion and observation Albarka has chosen the Nigerian road to disaster. It is a miracle that it has not had a fatal accident yet. I know as a fact that there were many instances where, but for the grace of God the aircraft would have been a ball of flame with roasting passengers. Albarka is puttering along on Enchala power, soon they will run out of Enchala power. Do you want to be on the aircraft when it does?

[Boss Raptor]

Aside of the rude comments about Mrs. Chikwe which are totally misguided and untrue in my opinion...

The rest is more or less an accurate picture!

[CV990]

Cannot agree more with Hani's analysis (to the exception of his statement on head of Nigerian Civil Aviation on which I do not have any clues...)

Having operated BAC1-11's in various remote places of the planet for the last 5 years (sh.t.y rwys, high altitudes, bad alternates ,extreme high/low temps, no ground support etc...) I can only claim that this a/c is one of the most reliable tools I have ever had the privilege to build up professional experience on (more than 6000 hours of ACMI operation on 2 a/c without a single flight cancellation !!... OK, delays of 2-3 hours but nothing that really seriously affected the operation). This achievement could only be made possible thanks to 3 key factors :

1. Comprehensive mx schedule;
2. MX financial provisions available in the bank and not only on the paper !
3. Competent team of pilots and engineers;

OK, the 1-11 is built like a brick sh.thouse.. and flies like it as well.. is not exactly an "idiot proof" a/c but is certainly an excellent workhorse if put in the right hands....


I miss the noise of starting Spey 512-14DW

:D :D :D

[sokoyu]

Is aviation in other West and Central African countries in the same state, or is Nigeria different from the rest?

[ZAZOO]

Haba, This Hani guy don finnis us for here ooh, hey!:rolleyes:

Well sha I must find a way for madam Chikwe to read this one with the help of my friend for madam ministry:cool:

Oh by the way Hani not all is that way for here ;) , you know some of us flying some real recent machines here, like me for example you should see my thing not even 2000hrs on the thing and that goes for the rest of the fleet:D

And e bi like say you and Marwa no get on too well from the way you dey talk:eek:

Hi Boss long time how you dey Sir, went that way I told you about and doing fine, only had to get used to seeing my ASI needle drop down to zero while still in the Air:eek: made me jump the first time:D

Zazoo
"On top of the world and looking down on creation"

[Hani]

Once again, same unknown author posted the following about the EAS BAC-1-11 crash in Kano. His email is at the bottom.
I had to edit the post as it was too long to be posted.

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The EAS Crash is Kano

The BAC-1-11 500 series is an outstanding aircraft unless it is operated incorrectly. It is a early technology jet, simple to operate and fly. Yet it still has to be flown by the book. Something that is impossible in Nigeria.

Nigerian operators, the FAAN ( Nigerian incompetent aviation authority ) and untrained Nigerian pilots are incapable of comprehending that there is a correct way to do something and an incorrect way. With absolute stubborn persistence using the worlds most stupid logic Nigerian air carriers, the pilots and the FAAN absolutely refuse to adhere to even the most basic principals of modern aircraft operation.

There are critical items called 'weight and balance' 'density altitude' and 'runway analysis'. No Nigerian carrier, none, not Albarka, not EAS, not KABO not one takes this serious. As such the BAC-1-11 that crashed crashed because of total stupidity.

The air temperature at Kano is hot, the aircraft is heavy and the crew used 'flaps 18' for takeoff. ( that is a take off flap setting approved for the aircraft provided the "density altitude is low and the a runway analysis has been preformed and it can be shown that at this flap setting can meet 'second segment climb performance at that flap setting'.

Segment climb is the abilaty of the aircraft to lose an engine after v1, accelerate to v2, take off and clear the end of the runway at an altitude of 35 feet and be able to climb to a safe altitude, accelerate to BSEC ( best single engine climb speed).

With a flap setting of 18 degrees had the pilots consulted the books, done the analysis they would have found that the BAC-1-11 can not meet that performance at KANO on a hot day. At that flap setting the aircraft will not fly if it loses one engine. To their amazement they found that the book was right.

The Nigerian response is 'BAD Airplane' 'We should have more modern aero planes, not this old rubbish'. The problem is that more modern aircraft are even more critical and are not as forgiving as to stupidity as is the BAC. IF Nigerians can't fly a simple BAC by the book, expecting them to fly a more critical aircraft by the book is ludicrous. There will simply be more crashes.


For modern aircraft to increase their efficiency they have increased the complexity of the aircraft and made the flight envelope more critical in order to reduce drag. More exacting maintenance and operation is required. It is this simple, if Nigeria can't even handle the older technology, how in the name of God can it handle a more demanding technology which requires the old technology to be mastered first.

To operate a Jet airliner there is a series of charts called the D-basic charts. These are complex and to be used a person has to be trained. These charts come with the aircraft and are included in the 'weights and balance manual' and the 'performance manual'. These dictate the way the aircraft will perform under certain situations.

They are the data basis for the aircraft. To use them for every flight is impractical as it takes a good hour to do a runway analysis for any giving situation. To overcome this airlines ( not Nigerian Airlines ) use the services of several companies like Jeppessen to prepare Runway analysis charts for every runway that the airline will be using. This becomes the runway analysis book where there is to be one copy in the aircraft and one copy at dispatch.

The pilot or dispatcher first calculates the take of weight. Then goes to the runway page of the airport and runway he will be using. Going down the chart the inputs the airport temperature and it gives him his flap settings that guarantee a proper second segment climb ability in the event he loses and engine. If the chart says that he can't meet this performance he must reduce the aircraft weight by removing passengers, fuel or baggage. Once he has his final weights ant the distribution of the weight he consults his weight and balance chart and determines if the aircraft is within CG limits and what the trim setting, v1, vR, V2 and BESEC speeds will be. This is essential.

Is this done in Nigeria. Absolutely not. The operators, the pilots and FAAN know that this is supposed to be done. However to compensate for ignorance they pretend, yes pretend that they do it.

Every take off in Nigeria on a BAC-1-11 is done at flaps 18 and the take off trim is set to 2.5 degrees nose up irregardless of the weight and balance or the runway analysis. How can that be you ask?

As to the trim setting, the BAC is such a forgiving aircraft that if you consistently use 2.5 degrees the chances are that you will always be able to handle the aircraft even it it is loaded outside the CG limits.

The Flap 18 setting allows for a lower take off speed of 10 knots on the average resulting in a little less tire ware and a shorter take off distance. Using the combination of the trim setting and the flap setting the aircraft will handle very well provided nothing goes wrong.

The books show that in high temperatures flap 18 take offs are not recommended because even though the aircraft will get airborne earlier, the extra ten degrees of flap setting will increase the drag and the slower speed will require a greater rudder input in the event of an engine failure. Bottom line, the aircraft won't be able to climb. With one engine out the aircraft will not be able to accelerate to a speed where it can climb because of the extra drag and the pilot can't reduce the flap setting because if he does his speed is to low for the reduced flap setting and he will fall out of the sky. This situation is called 'getting behind the power curve'. Once behind the power curve there is nothing the pilot can do except crash.

Had the pilot used flaps 8 for take off and done an runway analysis along with a proper weight and balance the aircraft would have flown even with the engine failure.

Last year, but for the grace of God Albarka would have lost a BAC-1-11 and on many other occasions came close. A Incompetent Albarka pilot, in the habit of ignoring the aircraft operating parameters, even though they are placarded on both sides of the cockpit went to full flaps at 40 knots above the maximum allowable full flap extension speed. This time it ripped off the flap. The flap left the airplane and by sheer luck he didn't kill everyone. If that had happened in a more modern and less forgiving aircraft he would not have been so lucky. Even simple things like complying with the manufacturers posted maximum speeds for a certain configuration are not known by most Nigerian pilots and certainly not known by anyone at FAAN.

I had occasion to quiz several Albarka Captains as to the allowable engine operating temperatures and parameters of the aircraft that they are operating. Not one knew the limitations. This is not new to me I have found this to be consistent since 1991 when first I was involved with Nigerian operations. They didn't know the aircraft then and they don't know it now.

When outside sources are brought in they are politely listened to and ignored. If the criticism hits bone they are cut down as being insulting and rude and then told that Nigeria has a perfect system and that they should not say such bad things things.

I can give you some classic examples. There was a time OKADA had a lot of aircraft, they also had a lot of engine troubles. Rolls Royce sent down some experts to find out what the trouble was. It turned out that the problem was that the pilots were not operating the engines correctly. The director of OKADA took this as an insult and had the technicians from Rolls Royce killed. Rolls Royce refused to ever overhaul an engine for OKADA again.

Now FAAN in it's wisdom rather then try to hire some competent outside help has decided to ban the BAC-1-11 as a rubbish aircraft and force operators to only bring in aircraft 22 years or newer. The fact is that if the operators can not operate a simple BAC-1-11 it will be impossible to operate a more modern MD-80.

Not only are these aircraft more critical, they cost a heck of lot more, five, six and even ten times as much as the aircraft they are flying now. If they can't afford maintenance on the aircraft they are flying now, how do you think they are going to afford maintenance of these aircraft where one engine overhauled costs more then a BAC-1-11.


Why do you thing the UK has banned any and all Nigerian aircraft from flying over the UK or operating into the UK. Is it politics or is it possible that the CAA in the UK knows something FAAM doesn't?

Nigeria is impossible! Stay tuned, more Nigerian accidents are waiting to happen. You to can become a statistic, just fly on Nigerian registered aircraft and wait for your number to be up.

There are some exceptional Nigerian pilots that understand the problem, are professional and know what they are doing. They are like a voice in the wilderness. Even they have no power to change the great Nigerian airline operators methods of operation or FAAN's total incompetence, ignorance and unparalleled stupidity.

Here is something you may not know. Countries aviation capabilities are rated. The official rating for Nigerian airlines is category three. A category 1 country can fly to the USA and the US will not monitor them. A category 2 country has restricted rights to US aerospace and may operate into the US with supervision. A category 3 country may not fly into the US and is considered unsafe. Unofficially Nigeria is considered a category 4 country. (category 4 = hopeless)



You can email me at mailto:[email protected] subject=Nigerian Aviation