The Chairman, Dornier Aviation Nigeria AIEP (DANA) Limited, Alhaji Suleiman Bello has reiterated the commitment of the organisation to further strengthen the existing collaboration and cooperation with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Bello said this during a courtesy visit to the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar on Friday in Abuja.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, on Friday in Abuja.
He thanked the air chief for the good working relationship that both organisations had enjoyed over the last four decades and expressed the zeal and commitment of the firm to collaborate and continue providing solutions, training, maintenance and logistics support to the NAF.
The Dornier boss said the company had an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Air Force Institute of Technology to conduct practical loggings for students to attain their civil license.
He added that the MoU also covered the provision of practical experience for students in aircraft maintenance, training, spare parts management and flight tracking/data monitoring system, among other expertise.
Bello further proposed a strengthened collaboration with the NAF, adding that the company stood ready to provide aircraft acquisition, maintenance, and logistics support services for general aviation.
The partnership, according to him, will not only enhance the operational efficiency of the NAF but will also contribute to the growth of local content in terms of employment and technology transfer.
He said that Dornier aviation intended to step into the future through the establishment of state-of-the-art Fire Fighting Training facility with virtual reality classrooms, practical applications training as well as aircraft rescue and firefighting simulators.
He intimated the CAS that the company would establish a training school simulator in 2024 to key into the worldwide civil aviation requirements to provide quality training and operational experience, among many other requirements.
Responding, the CAS appreciated the long-standing cooperation and mutually beneficial relationship the NAF and Dornier aviation had shared over the years.
Abubakar said the company had grown to become a formidable aircraft service centre in Nigeria and the West African sub region.
He added that the NAF had benefited immensely from Dornier’s technical expertise and capacity in aircraft maintenance, especially on the Dornier-228 aircraft.
The air chief also solicited for support regarding the timely provision of DO-228 aircraft spares at reasonable prices.
He appreciated the firm for their continued support to the NAF and assured the visitor of NAF’s commitment to deepening existing cordial relationship and collaborations, especially in the areas of maintenance training, spares provisioning as well as Research and Development amongst others.