Ethiopian airline Archives

The Federal Government has selected Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Consortium as preferred bidder for Nigeria Air.

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika made this known during a media briefing on Friday in Abuja.

According to him, ET scored 89 per cent out of 100 as regards the technical bid and 15 out 20 as regards financial bid.

Sirika explained that the Request for Proposal (RFP) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act, governed by Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission(ICRC) regarding the Nigeria Air was now completed.

“After a careful, detailed and ICRC governed selection process, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Consortium has been selected as preferred bidder, offering an owner consortium of 3 Nigerian investors.

“The Nigerian investors are MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund (46%), FGN owning 5% and ET 49%. The consortium has been subject to a due diligence process.

“The contract will be negotiated between consortium and FGN leading to a Full Business Case (FBC) which will be expected to be approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). We expect this process to take 6-8 weeks.”

The minister said the national carrier would be launched with three Boeing 737-800 in a configuration very suitable for the Nigerian market.

According to him, Nigeria Air will be launched with a shuttle service between Abuja and Lagos to establish a new comfortable, reliable and affordable travel between the two major Nigerian Airports.

Sirika added that other domestic destinations would follow thereafter.

“The first aircraft is ready to arrive in Abuja for the further work and NCAA inspection, demo flights and audit as part of the AOC requirements.

“In time, two others will arrive to complete the required three aircraft for a new AOC holder. The interim executive team has prepared, with the support of FAAN.

“The team has arranged for Terminal C at the Abuja Airport and finalised a contract with MMA 2 terminal in Lagos, for the operation of an initial shuttle between Lagos and Abuja,” he said.

He noted that the Operations Control Centre (OCC) at the Abuja Airport would act as Headquarters of the airline.

Boeing says it will review the preliminary investigation report on the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 by the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) released on Thursday in Addis Ababa.
A statement by Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ President and CEO, Kevin McAllister, on Thursday, said that understanding the circumstances that contributed to the accident was critical to ensuring safe flight.
According McAllister, “we will carefully review the AIB’s preliminary report and will take any and all additional steps necessary to enhance the safety of our aircraft.”
He said that safety was a core value for everyone at Boeing and the safety of its airplanes, customers, passengers and crews was always a top priority.
“Boeing’s technical experts continue to assist in this investigation and company-wide teams are working to address lessons from the Lion Air Flight 610 accident in October.
“The preliminary report contains flight data recorder information indicating the airplane had an erroneous angle of attack sensor input that activated the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) function during the flight, as it had during the Lion Air 610 flight.
“To ensure unintended MCAS activation will not occur again, Boeing has developed and is planning to release a software update to MCAS and an associated comprehensive pilot training and supplementary education program for the 737 MAX.
“As previously announced the update adds additional layers of protection and will prevent erroneous data from causing MCAS activation.
“Flight crews will always have the ability to override MCAS and manually control the airplane,” he said.
McAllister said that Boeing would continue to work with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and other regulatory agencies worldwide on the development and certification of the software update and training program.
He added that the manufacturer would also continue to work closely with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as technical advisors in support of the Ethiopian AIB investigation.
According to him, as a party providing technical assistance under the direction of investigating authorities, Boeing is prevented by international protocol and NTSB regulations from disclosing any information relating to the investigation.
“In accordance with international protocol, information about the investigation is provided only by investigating authorities in charge.
“I will like to reiterate that our deepest sympathies are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the accident.
“We thank the Ethiopia’s Accident Investigation Bureau for its hard work and continuing efforts,” he said.
Ethiopian Airlines had on Thursday disclosed in its preliminary report, that the pilots of the ill-fated aircraft followed instructions that Boeing recommended and FAA approved emergency procedures to handle the most difficult emergency situation created on the airplane. (NAN)