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NCAA lifts full suspension on Bristow’s helicopters

By Abiodun Fanoro and Chika Goodluck-Ogazi
07 March 2016   |   3:35 am
U.S. investigation teamThe Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has lifted the suspension on the operations of Bristow Helicopters’ Sikorsky S-76 aircraft fleet.

Bristow

U.S. investigation teamThe Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has lifted the suspension on the operations of Bristow Helicopters’ Sikorsky S-76 aircraft fleet.

The aviation regulatory agency clamped down on the company when one of the Sikorsky model ditched on the Atlantic Ocean on February 3, this year with 11 people, including two crew on board. The ill-fated chopper, which was ferrying oil workers from Port Harcourt ditched about 75 nautical miles to Lagos, however, all the occupants were rescued.

The lifting of the suspension came at the weekend exactly one month after it was imposed on the airline.
With the lifting of the suspension, Bristow could now use the helicopter model for commercial flight operations.

Meanwhile, the America Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has completed the mandatory security assessment of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) and ‘expressed deep satisfaction’ with the level of compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standard and Recommended Practices in the airport.

The four-man TSA team disclosed this during the debriefing held at the Conference Hall of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Lagos, at the weekend. The team said it was highly impressed with the Corrective Action Plans put in place by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in the airport.

They praised the Authority’s consistency and methodology on the implementation of TSA applicable security procedures, which was of ICAO standards and noted that this accomplishment is a reflection of sufficient training provided for the staff and the effective regulatory oversight of the industry by NCAA.

Capt. Usman commended the team for a job well done and expressed the Authority’s readiness to always partner and cooperate with the TSA on issues of aviation security and safety. The final report will be ready in the next 45 days.

NCAA’s General Manager, Public Relations, Sam Adurogboye told The Guardian yesterday that the suspension was lifted following the completion of the mandatory and comprehensive operational audit of operations of the Sikorsky model and the activities of the airline.

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