The Federal Government Thursday took delivery of a Beechcraft 350 aircraft worth 8.5million Dollars for calibration of navigation equipment in Nigerian airports.
The Honourable Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika who was on ground to receive the aircraft at the General Aviation Terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, said that the aim of acquiring the aircraft is to calibrate the Nigerian airport equipment and to aid the country’s flight operations.
Sen. Hadi Sirika reiterated that aviation industry have not had airport calibration equipment in the last two decades.
Speaking further, Sen. Sirika asserted that Nigeria stands to save a lot of money by acquisition, adding that federal government paid about 500,000 dollars to the South African Government to calibrate the airports equipment last year.
The Aviation Minister further affirmed that the equipment will improve over all safety in the aviation industry.
The Minister expressed gratitude to the President for his prompt action in the decision to acquire the aircraft.
Speaking earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Cross Wind International Limited, Air Commodore Tukur Hambali (Rtd) said that the aircraft, built by Textron Aviation Service, Kansas, USA would greatly improve safety in the Nigerian Aviation Sector.
Enefaa Bob-Manuel
Head, Media and Public Relations
