Uche Usim, Abuja
To boost pilot’s training, the Federal Government on Sunday announced the acquisition of additional three trainer aircraft for the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this on his verified Twitter handle (@hadisirika).
According to him, the acquisition is in alignment with the safety mandate of the ministry, as the need for sustained training of proficient aviators cannot be overstated.
He added that with three additional airplanes, training will become cheaper, quicker and more efficient.
He said: “Our roadmap is yielding good results. We appreciate your support”.
NCAT was formally inaugurated in 1964 through an Act of Parliament. It began operations in 1966 with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme and the International Civil Aviation Organization. It was designed to be a training center for Nigerian and African pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, navigation aid technicians and it subsequently created a flying school, air traffic services and communications school and aeronautical electronics and telecommunications school to meet its objectives.
In the late 1970s, it began giving specialised training courses in instrument landing systems, jet simulation, airline transport and VHF omnidirectional range.