Airline operators in Central and west African can now heave sigh of relief on the maintenance cost as newly licensed Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO),7 Star Global Hangar, owned and managed by Nigerians, is set to start operations in the country next week.
This, followed the granting of a full operational licence to the organiation by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority in Lagos (NCAA)
According to Chief Executive Officer of 7 Star, Engr. Isaac Balami, the MRO is operations-ready to handle Boeing 737 Fleet.
It will also stock a comprehensive spare parts inventory marketplace to be made available to airlines in Nigeria and across the West and Central African region.
Balami, who decried the high cost of maintenance of aircraft by airline operators in the region, said relief has come to the aviation sector, urging airline operators to grab advantage of the opportunity.
The former national President of NAAPE who resigned his position as a senior manager at Aero to focus on the establishment of the MRO, said he firmly believed that with the granting of “Approved Maintenance Organization” to operate, millions of dollars would be be saved for airlines and also caused capital flight to abate.”
Additionally, foreign airlines’ local currency accounts will encourage their engagement with 7 Star Global.
Working with Jordanian, American and European technical partners, Balami said maintenance would be carried out on Boeing Classic alongside new generation, Private jets Military/Para military Planes and other aircraft types, over time.
In his view, a prime contributor to the failure of so many Airlines over the years, has been the capital and fleet erosion, all of which could be mitigated and eliminated with licensed local maintenance support.
Noting that maintenance costs added continuing to rise at an alarming scale, Balami and his team determined to apply their expertise to deliver such a facility in Nigeria to assist local African operators. He also added that, a single B737 aircraft, grounded awaiting maintenance, has a negative impact of hundred thousand dollars plus, per day, to airline operators.
Balami also explained additional significant costs savings, including navigational charges, crew salaries and expenses to local airlines in comparison with the identical services carried out in another country.
Maintenance services, he disclosed, will also be available in Abuja in a few short weeks from now, delivering cost reduced international class services. Our new Hangar in Abuja can take two Boeing 737 at the same time.
According to the CEO, some of the experts in the organisation have worked for more than thirty years in the aviation sector both at local and international levels. He added that the technical partners from Jordan, USA and Europe bring more than 50 years combined so operations in aircraft heavy maintenance, ranging from C-D Checks to aircraft paintings amongst a broad cross-section of related services.
“Together we have determined to ensure aircraft serviceability across Africa. This MRO will create hundreds of jobs in the next few months as well stimulate opportunities across the sector supply chain.”
An international aviation expatriate from the USA, and a founding director of 7 Star Global Hangar, formerly of American Airlines where he was in charge of more than 1000 aircraft and the biggest MRO in the World, Dr Abiodun Asekun described the approval of the license by NCAA as “a right step in the right direction.” Asekun added that he looks towards seeing the MRO, playing a major role in support of and close working partnership with the new national carrier when it begins operations. Currently the only standalone MRO in West And Central Africa with huge potential.
“Because there is no parking space in the air, we have put together the best brains in the aircraft maintenance, managements, engineering, modifications, fabrications, training, design and manufacturing in the ground”, explained Asekun.
He agreed that this is a new dawn in the Nigerian and African aviation sector that will save the country huge amount of money and urged the government to provide enabling environment to ensure survival of the MRO
The Accountable Manager Engr Ibrahim Nock also spoke saying that 7 Star is coming at a time when it is truly needed in the country stating that the national carrier fleet are encouraged to take advantage of our facility, to generate jobs for the vast number of talented but jobless engineers across the country. This is also an opportunity to stretch the best aviation engineers at home and across the Diaspora- many of whom have made up their minds to return home to support the great efforts of the aviation minister, with the support of our President.
