By Chinelo Obogo
Few days ago, Nigeria lost one of its seasoned pilots, Captain Obi Nwana and in a tribute, Group Chairman, OAS Helicopters, Capt. Evarest Nnaji described the late Nwana as a rare gem in the forest of Nigeria aviation professionals’.
“He was Captain of Captains. The biggest challenge for anyone trying to underscore your special place in oil and gas aviation, especially to those outside the “water world” aviation activity, is to first describe the activity and the environment of these areas usually, by nature, inaccessible to the general public and strange even to the normal aviation professionals.
“Nigeria economy, the oil and gas economy, is majorly resided at the deep waters and swaps where activities can only be possible by highly technical precision that guarantees reliability, predictability and consistency by men and women who are not only properly trained and retrained but those who are naturally endowed with self-discipline, intelligence and resilience coupled with their rigid and rigorous trainings. Helicopter aviation, naturally a special aviation sector, catering mainly for activities in places where there is no airport; places where you may not have the corresponding facility support as you would in airport environments. Helicopter, a unique air vehicle designed to, in great speed, operate to places where no other means of transportation can go to.
“But helicopter offshore oil and gas flight support operation is much more difficult still, as the pilot is, in addition, required to have the capability to master and captain divergent deep sea flight emergencies to the point where both asset managers and other oil and gas facility professionals are confident of safe and reliable flight operations. Flight activities to and from such environments and facilities require the capability to operate in the best possible international standards where mistakes can be extremely dangerous and expensive,” Captain Nnaji said in the tribute to the late Nwana.
He also noted, “This is the nature of the sector of our economy where Captain Nwana was not just a highly successful pilot, but also a trainer; captain supervisor; facility manager and a standard bearer from whom other pilots and captains drew strength and measured their successes. He steadily and successfully achieved feats that were for a long time in Nigeria an exclusive reserve of expatriate players. We your friends and associates in the industry will continue to miss you, but we will continue to trust God in prayers for the repose of your soul as we also condole with your family. Rest in peace Captain.”
