The Rector and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State, Captain Alkali Maddibo has disclosed reasons the foremost aviation training school in Africa is proposing to expand its fleet of trainee aircraft with Hungarian manufactured, Magnus aircraft.
Maddibo told aviation journalists in Zaria during an interactive session that the aviation college is embracing the use of Magnus brand of trainee aircraft because it is cost effective to operate and maintain just as it remains the safest for pilots in training.
The rector who is a pilot himself said, ”It will gladden me to tell you that we are moving another step higher. We are thinking of getting Magnus, which is another airplane that is manufactured in Hungry. We have been to their factory with Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Ministry of Aviation. We conducted our technical inspection; sooner or later, we will start to have those machines here.
“The advantages of that machine are that: One, it is made from carbon fibre, very light and it uses Premium Motoring Spirit (PMS) like the one you use in your car. So, from AvGas, we went down to Jet A1 and we are also going into PMS. It is going to be less expensive to run with that aircraft.
The unique safety advantage which Maddibo said the Magnus aircraft possesses above all other trainee aircraft, was that the aircraft has a parachute of its own which guarantees the safety of both the student and aircraft in a situation where there is lost engine midair.
“Something unique about that aircraft is that it has a parachute of its own. If you lose an engine, there is a parachute that you will pull and the engine will come out and the pilot will be able to land the aircraft with that parachute. With this, you have saved a life and the equipment. The parachute is there for you in case you lose an engine and the aircraft has only one engine,” Maddibo said.
