Aircraft Engineers and Technicians of the Nigerian Air Force have reactivated a Dornier DO-228 aircraft, which has been grounded for 23 years.
A statement by the spokesman, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, says the feat underscores NAF’s growing capacity for Indigenous maintenance to bolster its operational readiness whilst contributing to Nigeria’s inherent aviation capabilities.
The aircraft, originally designated “5N-MPS” and operated by the now defunct Ministry of Mines, Power, and Steel, had been grounded at the DANA facility in Kaduna since 2001.
However, sequel to a Presidential Directive for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to transfer such grounded platforms to the NAF for evaluation and possible reactivation, the NAF initiated the project.
The reactivation process for the grounded aircraft – redesignated “NAF-039” – was conducted between June and September 2024, involving meticulous planning and painstaking execution by a crack team of five engineering officers and forty technicians from the NAF 431 Engineering Group Kaduna.
The statement adds that the success of the project carries significant strategic implications, bearing in mind that, beyond enhancing the NAF’s fleet, it symbolises the Service’s resolve to achieve self-reliance in Aviation maintenance for operational effectiveness.
It also serves as a morale booster for the NAF engineers and technicians, showcasing their ability to undertake complex projects which otherwise would be outsourced to foreign entities.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, lauded the 431 Engineering Group for their dedication and emphasised the broader importance of the achievement.
The NAF Boss added that The newly reactivated aircraft will bolster the NAF’s tactical airlift capabilities by joining the fleet of DO 228 aircraft, a platform still actively used worldwide. It solidifies the NAF’s position as a formidable player in Africa’s aviation sector, with the potential to lead in indigenous maintenance and technical innovation.
(Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie)
