NCAA formally grounds Governor Amaechi’s plane 
Published on April 27, 2013 by pmnews · 8 CommentsThe Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Saturday formally grounded Gov. Rotimi Amaechi Rivers state government owned Bombardier aircraft.
The authority said that the aircraft was on “illegal operation” in the country.
Mr Benedict Adeyinka, the Director of Airworthiness and Standards, NCAA, said this while addressing newsmen in Lagos.
Consequently, the NCAA said it had grounded the Bombardier-BD 700, Global Express Aircraft, with registration number N565RS.
•Amaechi:
“By our records, the last flight clearance for this aircraft was approved for operations on Thursday March 28, 2013, on Accra/Port Harcourt and Accra to terminate on April 2, 2013. With this development, the aircraft has exceeded the extra two days or 48 hours leeway for it to leave the country,” he said.
He said the clearance for the aircraft was sought by Caverton Helicopters on March 27.
Adeyinka said the certificate of registration of the aircraft showed that its owner was Bank of Utah Trustees of Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Adeyinka, however, said that in spite of the expiration of its clearance to fly, NCAA did not ground the aircraft prior to request for start up in Akure on Friday.
“But consequently, this aircraft in reference, is hereby grounded at any airport that is located right now in the country.”
The aircraft return trip to Port Harcourt from Akure on Friday was delayed because the pilot allegedly refused to submit the passengers manifest.
Mr Nnamdi Udoh, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), made the allegation at a news conference in Lagos.
Amaechi was among the dignitaries that attended the burial of Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka, former Deputy Gov. of Ekiti State in Ado Ekiti on Friday.
Observers have linked the aviation authorities action with politics, saying Governor Amaechi is being witch-hunted because of his cold war with President Goodluck Jonathan.
NAMA has also explained why Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers’ aircraft was delayed at the Akure Airport.
The Managing Director of the agency, Mr Nnamdi Udoh, said the delay happened because its pilot refused to submit the passengers’ manifest.
Udoh said that submission of documents, including the manifest stating those on board the aircraft, was part of the mandatory requirements and regulations any pilot had to comply with before taking off from any of the nation’s airports.
“We need to stress that we operate by rules and regulations in the aviation industry. Aviation is not politics and we don’t play politics in the industry,” Udoh said.
Udoh appealed to pilots and operators to comply with the operating rules at all the airports in the country.
He recalled that the aircraft, which flew the governor to Akure, had registration mark 5N565 RS -Global Express.
The NAMA boss said that the Akure Airport made daylight operations, which ended by 6.00 p.m. after which no aircraft was allowed to land or take off, except with permission from higher authorities.
He said the pilot, who flew Amaechi, called for clearance from 6.35 p.m., which was some minutes after the close of daylight operations.
“The pilot called for Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) clearance at 6.35 p.m., got clearance same time, started taxiing by 6.45p.m. and departed by 6.51p.m. ,” he said.
Udoh said the delay in the flight being cleared to take off at that time was subject to the approval of the authorities concerned .
“By regulations, the airport manager has no power on his own to clear any aircraft at this period, except an approval is given by the authorities concerned. After due clearance and the provision of the needed logistics, the aircraft in reference was cleared for take off,” Udoh said.
He, however, said that the issue was still being investigated further.
Reports had indicated that an aircraft conveying Amaechi was grounded temporarily at the Akure airport on Friday .
The incident was said to have happened after the burial
