2 weeks ago
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The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has disagreed with Abia North Senator, Orji Uzor Kalu, implicit his allegations connected the level of the Senate that pilots and level crews were progressive successful substance maltreatment portion the Authority does not bash due checks.
The NCAA director-general, Captain Chris Najomo, portion reacting to the allegations, said “Contrary to the content created, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority maintains a rigorous and internationally recognised strategy for certifying and monitoring the aesculapian and nonrecreational fittingness of each pilots operating successful Nigeria.
“No aviator is permitted to run a Nigerian-registered craft without holding some a valid aviator licence and a existent aesculapian certificate, arsenic required by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) Part 8.4.1.4.
Holders of Commercial Pilot Licences (CPL) and Airline Transport Pilot Licences (ATPL) are, by the provisions of Nig. CARs 2.3.5.1 and 2.3.7.1, required to person a Class 1 Medical Certificate earlier they are allowed to operate.
“These aesculapian certificates are issued lone aft broad aero-medical evaluations by NCAA Authorized Aviation Medical Examiners (AAMEs) followed by support of the aesculapian study by NCAA’s in-house aero-medical assessors.”
The NCAA brag further stated that, “The scope of these examinations is extensive. It covers cardiovascular, neurological, psychological, metabolic, respiratory, and ocular assessments to guarantee that the aviator is acceptable to run an craft safely. Nig. CARs Part 2.11.2.6(b) details the carnal and intelligence requirements that indispensable beryllium met earlier a aesculapian certificate is issued.”
Speaking further, Capt. Najomo said: “the regularisation makes it wide that an applicant indispensable not endure from immoderate illness oregon information that could abruptly render them incapable to execute formation duties safely. It besides screens for the usage of psychoactive substances, intelligence oregon behavioural disorders, abnormal humor pressure, bosom oregon lung diseases, neurological disorders, and different physiological conditions that could impact harmless performance.
“Medical certificates are valid for 12 months for pilots nether 40 years of property and six months for those aged 40 and above. At the expiration of these periods, pilots indispensable acquisition a caller bid of aesculapian tests earlier their certificates tin beryllium renewed.
“In summation to this, Nig. CARs Part 8.5.1.5 explicitly prohibits immoderate unit subordinate from acting arsenic a formation unit subordinate wrong 8 hours aft consuming alcohol, portion nether the power of alcohol, oregon portion utilizing immoderate psychoactive substance that could impact alertness, judgement, oregon performance.
In accordance with this regulation, NCAA carries retired on-the-spot intoxicant oregon cause investigating erstwhile determination is tenable suspicion of intoxication. It further authorizes random and unannounced investigating for unit members and allows the results of specified tests to beryllium utilized arsenic ineligible evidence.
“Beyond the aesculapian certification process, NCAA inspectors behaviour regular ramp inspections astatine airports crossed the country. These inspections are not constricted to craft alone; they see nonstop engagement with formation crew. During these inspections, inspectors verify unit licences, aesculapian certificates, and wide fittingness for duty. Any irregularity is instantly addressed, and due enforcement enactment is taken successful enactment with the Authority’s zero-tolerance argumentation for information violations.
“Only recently, successful August 2025, the NCAA suspended the licence of a ValueJet aviator for initiating departure procedures without due clearance, an illustration that underscores the Authority’s uncompromising committedness to information and discipline.
“It is truthful inaccurate to suggest that pilots run nether the power of substances oregon without capable checks. The processes successful spot are not lone thorough but besides accordant with planetary standards prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Nigeria’s aviation oversight
system has consistently met ICAO audit requirements nether the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP), placing the state among those maintaining effectual information supervision systems.”
Also, with respect to the Senator’s comments suggesting that modern airplanes instrumentality disconnected and onshore automatically, the NCAA clarified that “while galore modern craft are equipped with precocious autopilot and autoland systems, these systems bash not regenerate aviator control.
“Take-offs are wholly manual operations carried retired by the formation crew. Autopilot functions are lone activated aft take-off, usually erstwhile the craft reaches a harmless altitude. Similarly, though immoderate craft person autoland capabilities, these are utilized lone nether circumstantial upwind and airdrome conditions and ever nether aviator supervision.
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