…To re-evaluate all PNCF within 72 hours
For violating the guidelines of their Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF), three private jet owners in the country, have been suspended by Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) from operating their aircraft in Nigerian Airspace.
This was made known on Tuesday in a statement signed by the Acting Director General of the Nigeria CAA, Capt Chris Ona Najomo who alleged that the private jet owners violated annexure provision of their PNCF and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.
The NCAA has also directed the re-evaluation of PNCF of all private jet owners as well as commercial airline operators suspected of using their private jets for commercial purposes.
It would be recalled that in 2023 the use of private jets for commercial purposes had gotten the attention of the Honourable Minister Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who issued marching orders for the cessation of such acts.
“To stop the illegal activities of the private jets owners, NCAA had also deployed its officials to monitor activities of private jets at terminals across the airports in Nigeria.
In the process of mounting surveillance on the activities of the private jet owners across airports in the country, no fewer than three private operators have been found to be involved in violation of the annexure provision of their PNCF and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.
“Back in 2023 the use of private jets for commercial purposes had gotten the attention of the Honourable Minister Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who issued marching orders for the cessation of such acts.
“Subsequently, in March 2024, the NCAA had issued a stern warning to holders of the permit for non commercial flights, PNCF, against engaging in the carriage of passenger cargo or mail for hire and reward,” Najomo said.
He continued, “The Authority had also deployed its officials to monitor activities of private jets at terminals across the airports in Nigeria. As a consequence of this heightened surveillance, no fewer than three private operators have been found to be involved in violation of the annexure provision of their PNCF and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.
“In line with our zero tolerance for violation of regulations, the Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators. To further sanitize the general aviation sector, I have directed that’s a re-evaluation of all holders of PNCF be carried carried out on or before the 19th of April 2024 to ascertain compliance with regulatory requirements.
All PNCF holder will be required to submit relevant documents to the authority within the next 72 hours.”
Najomo who described the actions of the NCAA on the violation as reading the riot acts to violators, insisted that aircraft listed in the Operation Specifications of the AOC are authorized to be used in the provision of such charter services.
,”This riot act is also directed at existing Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders, who utilize aircraft listed on their PNCF for commercial charter operations. PNC
“It must be emphasized that only aircraft listed in the Operation Specifications of the AOC are authorized to be used in the provision of such charter services. Any of those AOC holders who wish to use the aircraft for charter operations must apply to the NCAA to delist the affected aircraft from the PNCF and include it into the AOC operations specification,” Najomo said.
The NCAA however reiterated its call to the travelling public not to patronize any airline charter operator who does not hold a valid Air Operators Certificate issued by the NCAA, when they wish to procure charter operations services.
The NCAA also encouraged the legitimate players in the aviation industry to report the activity of such unscrupulous elements to the he authority promptly for necessary action.
