Demuren orders airline operators to instal safety equipment

Dr Harold Demuren, Director-General (DG), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has given airline operators six months to instal Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) on their aircraft or face sanctions.

Demuren gave the order on Tuesday at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, while speaking with newsmen shortly after delivering a speech at the ongoing Airbus Industry Training Workshop for indigenous airline operators.

``I think we are giving them six months to instal the gadgets in their airplanes. We need to give them sometime. It is not a thing you can do in one day.

``After the expiration of the six months, no plane would operate in the public category carrying passengers for hire. I think it is good to promote safety in the industry,`` he said.

He explained that each of the airline operators would have to instal AFIRS, which is a safety device, with an initial down payment of US$60,000.00 (N9.5 million), adding that the balance would be spread over a period of two years.

The DG said that the equipment was available at the NCAA headquarters.

Demuren expressed satisfaction that all the country’s airline operators were willing to adopt the innovation.

He said that the installation of the AFIRS, which he said was the latest in the world, would make it easier for the NCAA regulators to detect any snag on them.

 It was reported that AFIRS is the newest safety gadget in the global aviation industry and could be used to detect any problem in any aircraft, whether stationary or airborne.