Aero Contractors’ MRO to boost national economy

The Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Ltd., says it is ready to boost national economy through its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities.

Mr James Ominyi, Aero Base Maintenance Manager made this known in telephone interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday.

He said that the company would soon increase its aircraft hangers for more local and international aircraft maintenance.

According to him, such move will increase national income as the international airlines pay the company in foreign currency, while allowing local airlines to pay in naira.

“Foreign airline pay us in foreign currency. That is a huge contribution to Nigerian economy.”

”Local careers no longer look for foreign currency to perform their maintenance. We will take naira and then, foreign airlines pay us in foreign currency.”

“For example, if you are going to charge a one C-Check for 150,000 dollars, by the time the aircraft goes out, you over fly other countries to take you to Europe and then probably 50,000 dollars has gone. That is not part of the C-Check.”

“By the time they start the C-Check, it may be up to 800,000 dollars because of the other findings. All these ones are going to be saved because you will pay us in naira.”

“We may charge you the same rate of 150,000 dollars of the C-Check but you pay us in naira equivalent. That way, it makes it easier, for the operators locally. For the foreign operators, obviously they pay us in USD, “ he said.

Ominyi said that Aero Contractors’ MRO carried out aircraft maintenance up to D-check on B-737 Classics.

He noted that the first operator that visited or patronised the facility in 2017 was Swift Air, a Spanish operator using a Ghanaian registered aircraft.

He said that the Passion Air of Ghana then facilitated the facility`s acquisition of Ghana CAA AMO approval in 2018.

The manager said that Gomair of Democratic Republic of Congo also facilitated the facility`s acquisition of DRC CAA AMO approval in 2019.

He said that the facility had got the AMO approval certificate of the Mongolian CAA this years (2021).

He said that virtually all the operators in Nigeria had patronised the facility with various projects from C checks to complex tasks like landing gear replacement, engine replacement and embodiment of various airworthiness directives.

“Basically, when the MRO was set up in 2017, it was like a necessity, the mother of invention. At that time, most of our aircraft were grounded. No dollars to take our aircraft out for maintenance.”

“It was set up when we realised that we have the manpower, we have the experience, we have the equipment. So, why do we need to take out our aircraft for maintenance.”

“So, we decided to seek for approval from NCAA and we performed the first C- Check on Boeing 737 classic here in our facility. We run the aircraft out January 2018.”

“Since then, we suddenly realised that many airline operators within Nigeria and West Africa sub- region started patronising us, “ he said.

The manager said that the some countries’ airline operators nearby prefer coming to Nigeria for their aircraft maintenance instead of going to Ethiopia for five to six hours.