Aircraft engine manufacturer, CFM International, and Nigeria’s biggest carrier, Arik Air, are discussing the training of Nigerians on aircraft engine maintenance and repairs.
Arik said this is part of its contribution to local content development and it plans to select intelligent, bright and young Nigerians to be trained by CFM, the manufacturer of its Boeing 737 new generation engines.
CFC President, Jean-Paul Ebanga, visited the headquarters of Arik at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to affirm the importance of the airline to the company and show commitment to the proposed partnership.
Ebanga toured Arik’s facilities and said he was impressed by its progress in just eight years of operations. He enthused that Arik would soon be one of the leading airlines in Africa.
“What the Chairman of Arik Air, Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide, is doing right now is to do, not to talk. He is bringing the needed change in air transport in Nigeria,” Ebanga said.
“In three to four years from now Africa will be the most populated continent with growing middle class.
“We have CFM engines in many aircraft operating in Africa. So we grow with Africa’s economy as the middle class becomes empowered by the on-going economic growth.
“I think the population of CFM engines in Africa is the biggest one. I think we have about 900 engines flying all over Africa and the engines are behaving very well.”
Ebanga counselled that for African airlines to be competitive they have to operate new and modern equipment, employ skilled manpower, and operate a modern system that would dovetail with operators in other parts of the world.
In his view, every airline in the world is competing at the same level because all have access to the same market.
“I think one of the challenges of Africa is that Africa is now part of the global economy and African airlines are competing with all the other airlines in the world.
“I think African airlines will have to keep up with the skills, organisational efficiency to be able to compete with the best airlines in the world. This is what is already in progress.
“Arik is one of such airlines in Africa. They are using the top notch aircraft like other companies in the world. Of course, there are challenges but the leaders of these airlines in Africa understand those challenges.”
Arumemi-Ikhide disclosed that Arik and CFM set up two working groups and are looking at issues of Harmattan on engines.
He said CFM engines are “very safe” and Arik has not experienced any catastrophe.
Arik plans a “scissors hub” in Accra where passengers from Lagos and Abuja can connect direct to Dakar, Senegal.
It also plans a non-stop service from Accra to Dakar.