Some Aviation Experts have called for more collaboration between Military Aviation and Civil Aviation to address incessant crash of military aircraft in the country.
They made the call in separate interviews on Sunday in Abuja. TBI Africa recalls that the Kaduna NAF aircraft crash that killed former Army chief Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and other 10 officers occurred three months after a NAF aircraft crashed and killed seven officers in Abuja.
According to them, such cooperation will improve safety in aviation sector across the country.
The President, Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Mr Abayomi Agoro, said there were needs for stronger efforts between the military and civil aviation cooperation.
According to Agoro, there are needs to re-engage their commitment and dedication to make a great impact and move the national air transportation sector worthy and reliable.
“We are civil but only genuine and thorough investigation can unravel if there are measures to be put in place to ameliorate or forestall the reoccurrence of such incident.
“No one can do it all alone, the government, the aviation stakeholders, private sector, military and allies must put aside partisan (sentiment) by embrace together and move the sector forward.
“We have the potentialities to be like Ethiopia, Egypt and others leading aviation states on the continent,” Agoro added.
Dr Oche Elias, an Aviator Expert, told NAN that mutual cooperation between the military and civil in aviation would advance integrity of Nigeria among comity of nations.
Elias, who was a former Special Adviser, Technical to the Minister of Aviation, said the crashes had become too incessant. “That our next option is for the military to subject their transportation aircraft to an external auditor for a proper safety audit, even their crew.
“Self-regulation and audit is not a healthy procedure for any system requiring high safety standards, “ the expert added.
Also speaking with NAN, Capt. John Ojikutu, Secretary General of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), commended military for signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).
Ojikutu, however, urged the civil aviation to strengthen its precautions to avert any likely incidence or accident in the country.
“Let us talk about us all and don’t look at what has happened to the NAF aircraft and NAF problems but look in depth and be sure it is collective industry and national problems.
“We need to be sure where the faults are based on past experiences; the equipment (aircraft, airport landing equipment such as the landing equipment especially wind sheers, ILS, landing lightings, or safety standards).
“Also, manpower skills; ground staff (ATCOs, Met officers, among others) aircrew, pilots especially the skilled and recurrence training.
According to him, although, NAF has called the AIB to help conducted investigation, the report which is based on established MOU can on be given to NAF, National Security Council and the national legislature security committee.
He added that grounding of the aircraft could only be done if the causes of crashes were from the aircraft not caused by the airports landing aids, environment especially weather or the skills of the crew aircraft airworthiness.
Speaking, Capt. Musa Nuhu, Director- General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), revealed that the authority and military aviation were currently working on modality to create platform on aviation operations.
According to him, the platform will base on where their operations intercept. “Civil aviation is different from Military aviation as they have their own structure on ground.
“We have been discussing with the military, I must commend them because they have been very opened and cooperative. So, we are in the process of developing a platform where our operations intercept.
“Having said this, we are not going to tell the military to do this or to do that. But where our operations intercept, we need to continue it and cooperate on safety, efficiency and regularity on both sides. “
The director-general said the platform would also take account of space management.
