By LAWANI MIKAIRU

The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, Zaria, is to commence helicopter training and degree programmes this year. The college is also to open its Lagos campus.
Speaking in an interview on the transformation of the college in the past three years, Rector of the college, Captain Chinyere Kalu, said training of helicopter pilots will commence as soon as the college takes delivery of its acquired Bell 206 helicopters presently in Lagos.

According to her, it became necessary to introduce helicopter training as 80 percent of helicopter pilots were foreigners being used for off shore oil rigs in the Niger Delta.”It’s a very sensitive area and key in our economy and should be well secured. Having such operations done by foreigners, you will agree with me that its not in the best interest of our nation”.

”If Nigerians are in the forefront in taking over fix wings, I don’t see the reason why rotary wings should be left in the hands of foreigners especially the sensitive nature of it. We are very hopeful that it will commence this year, we are at the final stage and we will need a smaller helicopters to start”

With over 500 students in the college, Capt Kalu explained that the college will commence its HND programmes which will increase the students number to about a thousand including those on short courses, three, six and 12 months.

The Rector explained that the college was pursuing and processing accreditation for its degree course with the Aviation Accreditation Board International in the USA.
According to Capt Kalu, the college intends to offer courses on aerospace engineering.”We want to offer Degree course along with flying, dispatchers course, aviation management and so on. So there are a lot of courses we would want to offer beyond what we are offering now and also in line with aviation training”