By Sumaila Ogbaje
Zaria – The Rector, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Mr Abdulsalam Mohammed, has pledged to ensure that aircraft pilot students of the college completes their programme within 18 months.
Mohammed, in an interview with newsmen in Zaria on Tuesday, said that measures had been put in place to address the causes of delay in graduating such students.
He explained that some factors often contributed to the elongation of the course.
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“The main reason here now, is weather of which we have no control; during the harmattan season, the visibility drops to a certain minimum that we cannot conduct training.
“So, our pilots sit and wait till the weather improves so that they can continue their training. So that is a big factor in the length of time it takes to complete the training.
“If you look at England where it always rains, they have the same problem. So their own solution was they created campuses in Arizona, in the USA where it hardly rains.
“So it is a common thing in the industry but another factor that causes this elongation of the course is the epileptic supply of the AFGAS, the fuel for the aircraft.
“So we have taken measures, right now we have stock that would last for six months and we have already started the process of resupply.
“During my tenure here, I will make sure that we don’t run out of the fuel for the airplane.
“One of the things I told my staff when I assumed duty here is that I want us to go back to where we graduate pilots in 18 months,’’ he said.
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Mohammed said that NCAT was set up to meet the need of the whole aviation industry and not a particular airline.
He added that Nigerian trained pilots were currently flying in different parts of the world.
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“I am hoping that by the time the national carrier is set up, you will see a reverse in the trend because people go out there because there are no jobs here.
“If there are similar jobs available locally, they will come back and support the national carrier.
“This is what happened in the days of Virgin Nigeria, when the Virgin Nigerian was set up, virtually every Nigerian pilot applied to join the airline.
“I left my work in UK to come and join Virgin Nigeria.
‘’So, I believe when the national carrier is set up, you will see huge droves of aviation professionals coming to join the national carrier.
“This is where also this college intends to play a role in meeting the training requirements for the national carrier,’’ he said.
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