By  Kenneth Ehigiator &Daniel Eteghe
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has denied restoring ADC Airlines Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC), saying the agency could only restore the airline’s Air Transport License (ATL).

Pix shows Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Dr. Harold Demuren (middle) flanked by Director of Finance and Adm. Mrs. Elimanya Ebila (left) and Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Mrs. Arastasia Gbems at NCAA press conference on 'National Carrier Not a Requirement for US-FCAA Category 1' held yesterday at Aviation House Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele

Director General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren was reacting to reports that the agency had restore the airline’s AOC, in response to call by the Senate that it should do same.

But Demuren said the process of restoring an airline’s license was a long and tedious one, which the agency could hardly afford to circumvent.

“ Every airlines must go through the normal procedure, and let me tell you the process that Arik has gone through, every other airline must pass through the same baptism, for there is no question about it,“ he added.

He explained that ADC had started to pay compensation to those who lost their family members in the October 29, 2006, crash in Abuja, stressing that since the airline had paid substantial sum of what it was required to pay, Aviation Minister, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, directed that its ATL should be restored.

According to him, the airline had since been given its ATL and not the AOC that would take a longer process to actualise.

The civil aviation regulation is that since the airline has lost its AOC for as much as over two years, it would have to start its re-certification process all over again.

This means that the airline would have to be re-certified as though it is a new start up airline just coming into the industry.

Demuren also said that following the final assessment of the mock audit on the country’s safety and security aspect of the aviation sector by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the nation looked set for Category 1 certification, which would make possible for Nigerian registered aircraft to fly direct into U.S. destinations.

Already, the federal government had designated Bellview, Arik and Virgin Nigeria (now Air Nigeria) to fly directly into the United States.

Speaking with newsmen on the conclusion of the audit last weekend, Demuren said the FAA audit team expressed satisfaction with what it had seen so far.

He said the mock audit portended that Nigerian airlines were safe and secure among world airlines, adding that this was good for the country.

Demuren said the confirmation of CAT 1 status was very sure and that Nigeria was sure of getting it.
He stressed that the benefits of CAT 1 would make Nigeria to become a major hub and allow her to do business  with  America.

He said infrastructure was not part of the prerequisite for attaining CAT 1, stressing that the sole purpose was based on safety oversight.

He pointed out that the US FAA  experts were impressed by the trained personnel that Nigeria has to sustain CAT 1 status, and noted that the era of accident was gone forever. “We must not go back, for all of us are flying,” he said.