As Nigeria reopened its aviation sector on Wednesday after lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has suspended 14 aircrafts used in private in the country for violating some aviation regulations.

The NCAA listed the aircrafts affected as Hawker 800XP: N838BB; Hawker 800XP: N552ME; Hawker800XP: N749WW; Hawker800XP: ZS-EXG; CL604-D-ANGB; CL604-T7-NMN; CL601-N580KR, and Gulfstream 200-N100EK.Others aircrafts affected are CL604-N605JA operated by Jedidiah Air,  CL604-N880ET, operated by OmniBlu; G.IV-N990EA operated by NestOil; CL601-N253LA  operated by West Link Airlines; G1159A-N313MS operated by Izy Air, and CL604-G-FABO  operated by Jet Support Services.
The agency says also said the operations of the aircrafts are suspenced pending a full audit and compliance with all the relevant regulations.

Also suspended is the air operator’s certificate of Sky Power Express Airways Nigeria Limited, which reportedly violated the provisions of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations Part 9.2.3.4(b).

This regulation in focus refers to the ‘wet-leasing of aircraft’ which refers to an arrangement in which one airline leases its aircraft, complete crew, maintenance, and insurance to another airline and gets paid by hours operated.

According to an NCAA letter addressed to Sky Power Express Airways, a copy of which was seen by our correspondent, the agency says, “The NCARS Part 9.2.3.4(b) refers to wet leasing aircraft, and states: (b) No holder of an AOC issued under this Part 9 may allow another entity or air operator to conduct wet-lease operations on its behalf (a wet lease in) unless – (1) That air operator holds an AOC or its equivalent from a contracting state that authorises those operations;

“The AOC holder advises the authority of such operations and provides a copy of the AOC under which the operation was conducted; (3) Such operation does not exceed a period of 12 months and (4) The authority approves the operations.

“Be informed that by this action, your organisation ceases to exercise all the privileges associated with Part G authorisation.”

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