The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted technical approval to Arik Airlines to begin flights to the U.S. from November 29, the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority Harold Demuren, said yesterday in Lagos.
The announcement came after both parties met on the technical review of the aviation industry to certify Nigeria for category one status. According to Mr. Demuren, Bellview Airline and Nigerian Eagle Airline, formerly Virgin Nigeria Airways, will also be certified for direct flights to the U.S.
No Category One yet
The NCAA also said that Nigeria had not yet achieved the desired Category One status.
It had been hoped within the aviation sector that category one status could be achieved before the end of the year. The authority disclosed, however, that Nigeria will be able to achieve the status by the end of the first quarter of 2010, saying that new issues are being examined by officials of State's aviation Authority."Basically by the end of the first quarter of next year we must have achieved our aim," Mr. Demuren said. "You should know that anytime these FAA officials visit the country, they come up with certain areas that needs to be treated.
"How to get it
For Category One status to be obtained, a nation's civil aviation authority must have been assessed by the FAA, and must certify and manage airlines in that country in agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) aviation safety and security standards. Upon successful completion of the assessment, Nigerian carriers will start flying directly from the country to the United States of America.
"Another reason why we are moving it forward is because December and January are filled with various holidays, as you know, thanksgiving holidays are already on in some organisations," Mr. Demuren said.He also disclosed that the authority is working hard to ensure that all the technical issues are completed before the end of this year."We are presently on the last review of our phase three of the AOC (Air Operating Certificate) recertification, and the document evaluation has been finished by the authority," he said.
"However, by December, we will make sure that everything in our action plan ranging from technical to other necessary issues would have been fulfilled. But the big test itself will come in the first quarter of next year.
"Good footing?
Martin Ingram, assistant manager Flight Standard Division, who led the 10 member delegation from the States, declined to comment on the preparedness of the authority in achieving the status. However, during the team's last visit in August, they embarked on auditing and "crucial training" of employees of the authority. It was during the last visit of the team that Mr. Demuren expressed the hope that the country could achieve the status before the end of this year.
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