I don't think one usually can put 'Standards' and 'Local Airlines' in the same sentence, actually. Please tell me of one Lagos-based local airline (with the sole exception of Aero Contractors) that has its own hangar. Some seem to use the Nigeria Air Force hangar and others seem to just do everything out there on the ramp. That's cool; I never got to see anyone do an engine change on a 737-200 before, but does it present a professional image to passengers taxying past?
You see these tired old aircraft still with various easily-identifiable colour schemes from major airlines and the name of the local airline just stuckdaubed on there as an after-thought. You have fleets consisting of two aircraft, one from each of two local carriers just lumping together to satisfy the minimum requirement of having two aircraft.
All in all, it looks like a good chance for someone to exploit a big hole in the market for air travel to a reasonable standard. Of course the government will have to do its part by cracking down on sub-standard practices that allow people to fly these old clunkers until they fail, thereby offering crazily cheap tickets. Aero seem to be doing okay charging realistic prices, on the other hand.
One of my former co-pilots died in a BAC-1-11 crash up in Kano. That was the only job he could find, I think, but he probably deserved better. That colours my thinking in this.
I think it would be very unfair to think that, just because he's flying for a sub-standard operator, this or that Nigerian pilot is a sub-standard pilot. There is a great depth of experience in the local pilot population there that could be very useful to a good operation. Let's see if Virgin Nigeria take advantage of this.
The application process closed some time ago but so far, I have not heard of anyone getting a job. There must be some news of that coming soon. We are all looking at each other, wondering, 'What are you up to?' in terms of 'Are you to be one of the chosen?' Not that I am in the running!
Well, they could be looking for someone with just my qualifications... Catering Manager, perhaps?