Airline to save $100 million from local refurbishment
A Nigerian firm, Santos Aviation, which specializes in aircraft interior furnishing, could help each airline to save substantial amount annually and over $100 million if more airlines do it within the country.
Chief executive of 7-Stars Global hangar, Isaac Balami, an aircraft engineer told Woleshadarenews at the formal unveiling of Santos Aviation in Nigeria by representatives of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at the Murtala Mohammad Airport that the new deal would solve the problem of Nigerian aircraft owners from going abroad to have their aircraft interiors refurbished, adding that it will save the carriers huge funds.
According to Balami, over $100 million dollars will be saved annually by each airline when carrying out interior refurbishing locally, stressing that 7-Stars Global would work together with Santos aviation to give airlines value for their money with quality sourced materials overseas.
“It is a huge relief, it is going to create jobs, it will increase safety and also the comfort of our passengers”
Balami noted that with 7-Stars Global hangar, working together with Santos Aviation would attract other airlines from other West Africa countries to Nigeria for patronage.
The representative of the Director General of NCAA, Bello Akinola, said the coming of Santos Aviation into the country’s aviation sector was a very big business for Nigerians.
Akinola disclosed that out of the 150 private jets in Nigeria about 30 were American registered.
According to Akinola, jet owners always carry out their interior refurbishing in Canada, South Africa and America.
“We have facility but only for maintenance. It is a good thing for us in Nigeria; it will save us a lot of money from capital flight,” he added.
He commended the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for being supportive of the project, saying that over 50 per cent of aircraft in the country came in from the United States.
Akinola noted that with the company in the country more jobs would be created, which will lead to more business for the youths.
He said: “We so appreciate it, thanks to 7-Star Global and Santos for bringing this to Nigeria. For FAA, we have been a partner for long we want to support us too as it has been in the past, so there are many companies too who want to seek FAA approval.”
On his part, the President of Santos Aviation Limited, Segun Adesanya, said the company specialises in the provision of maintenance and interior refurbishing services to both government and privately owned aircraft.
According to Adesanya, agents and employees of Santos Aviation have professional and technical licences issued by the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States, adding that the licences gave their staff eligible to provide similar services on American made and registered aircraft.
He disclosed that agents and employees of Santos had provided exceptional services on the US Government owned aircraft.
He disclosed that they were presently negotiating with one of the leading Nigerian operators for the provision on aircraft interior refurbishing.
“Based on our knowledge and experience in the aviation industry, it is our opinion that this sector of the Nigerian economy has a lot of potential for growth.
“We are aware of the recent steps taken by the Federal Government of Nigeria and some state governments that will boost the growth of the sector,” he noted.
Adesanya explained that with his staff FAA licences, their knowledge and experience in aviation and the growth in Nigerian aviation sector was a significant opportunity for profitable joint venture relationships for the public privately owned Nigerian entities.
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