NCAA bans use of private jets for charter operations

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has placed a ban on the use of private jets for charter operations.

The ban is coming on the heels of the incident involving the flight of a hi-hop artiste, Azeez Fashola and his crew to Abuja for a concert under the pretense of flying a judge to Abuja during the lockdown.

The ban which came into effect Monday this week, according to the Director General, NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu is to check the abuses of the use of private jet for charter in the country and to regularize their operations.

In a circular addressed to the Directorates of Air Transport Regulations DATA and Operations and Training, DOT dated June 24th, 2020, Captain Nuhu directed the immediate implementation of the new regulatory regime which stipulates that aircraft duly registered as privately owned should not be used for commercial charter.

Explaining further, the circular also states private aircraft known as Operations Specification Part G, which have PNCF would henceforth be stopped from operating for hire and reward.

The NCAA DG also directed the concerned Directorates in the Authority to develop procedures and guidelines to ensure all NCAA staff complied with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, NCARs in processing all applications and submit a single comprehensive report to him on the implementation of all items in the circular
He added that measures taken and the reasons why these violations were allowed and not resolved in the first instance.

“All aircraft listed under OPS SPECS PART G (commercial wet lease) that is either in non-compliance or in violation of any part thereof of NCAR (Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation) Part 9.2.3.4(b) shall be grounded with effect from Monday 29, June, 2020,” the circular said.

“DATR shall provide a comprehensive list, details of all PNCF holders and all aircraft listed under their permit; all PNCF holders shall be reminded of the terms and conditions of the permit, especially the non-commercial nature. Any violation will attract penalty under Nig.CARs, including revocation.”