FG Acquires $8.5m Calibration Aircraft, Fails To explain The State Of The Old One

Oru Leonard

The Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, Senator Hadi Sirika on Thursday announced that the federal government had taken delivery of a calibration aircraft worth $8.5m.

The minister who revealed this at Abuja, said that the equipment would serve in the calibration of navigational aids across Nigerian airports, also said the aircraft would enhance the safety of Nigeria’s airspace.

“Just received new calibration aircraft for the country. (The) make is King Air 350i. Cost is $8.5m.

“The agony of contracting it to South Africa at about $500,000 every six months is over. Our airspace is safer. Thanks Mr. President, we started and finished during your regime.

“The purpose of this aircraft is to calibrate our equipment and aids in the country for the purpose of flight operations. We used to have one in Nigeria but for the last two decades, we never had one,” he said.

Sirika noted the aircraft was bought out of necessity. He explained that when the federal government reconstructed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, there was the need to re-calibrate all the landing aids at the time.

However, Senator Hadi did not mention the location and state of the old equipment.