By Chinedu Eze
A new airline, NG Eagle, which is being floated by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) is yet to obtain Air Operator Certificate (AOC) it needs to start operations because one of the aircrafts needed to secure minimum number of equipment that would qualify it for certification is not yet ready.
The aircraft, a Boeing B737-700, originally owned by Arik Air but taken by AMCON to NG Eagle is waiting for livery change at Ethiopia Airlines Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Addis Ababa.
THISDAY sighted the aircraft on Tuesday and learnt that it has been in the MRO facility for weeks after a C- check (maintenance) had been conducted on the aircraft.
The aircraft would be ferried to Nigeria after it has been repainted to enable the NG Eagle to complete the process of obtaining AOC from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Informed source from Arik Air told THISDAY that the aircraft might be leased to the startup airline, which is scheduled to commence operations before the end of the fourth quarter of 2021.
The source also said that the delay in the completion of the transformation process might be due to funds, which the MRO is waiting for AMCON to pay.
However, the MRO management in Addis Ababa declined to comment on the issue, but confirmed that apart from the airline, other Nigerian carriers bring their aircraft for maintenance and repainting in its facilities.
