Leadstream Aviation Training, an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) has said it is studying the Nigerian market and would be bringing in a simulator to bridge the training gap that exists due to inadequate training facilities to help save airlines downtime and foreign exchange.
Roland Ahmed, Leadstream’s accountable manager and executive officer said the ATO is doing a comparative study to show airlines what they could save in terms of cost, stress in getting foreign exchange and downtime by utilising indigenous ATO s for their training.
Ahmed who explained that there is a vacuum said the organisation is looking at areas and possibilities where it can reduce capital flight.
“Naturally, people want to travel abroad for training because for us, it’s a status thing but the question is what value are you adding to the system? How are you trying to get the system to work seamlessly and effectively? When you go for training outside, the people you are going to meet there have their own simulators. You go to Lufthansa, they have their own simulator, and so if we come here and do the same thing, it saves us money. It will bring in foreign exchange for us.
“We have put our strategy in such a way that we can penetrate into the airlines and do a comparative analysis for them to see how much they are going to be saving because if a pilot is supposed to do his simulator training and travels out there will be a lot of ground time. This is because when he gets there he is tired and starts his training in two-three days, finishes his training then he flies again and comes back and he will want to rest again for another one or two days and the airline will be losing time and his services.
On its plan to bring in the simulator and the type giving the complexities of the Nigerian market, Ahmed explained that operators are currently shifting from the status quo and that will inform their decision on what simulator to bring in, in a couple of years but for now; there is still capacity to be built on the 737s.
He said, “Truth be told, the market is still there for all of us. For us here, we are going for the 737 because unlike other climes, that have moved on, in Nigeria we still deal with the 737classics and we believe next seven to eight years, this will still be relevant in Nigeria but we also have in mind that there are Embraer and CRJs and the truth is that operators are beginning to understand the usage of the right aircraft for routes.
“Here, the longest flight is Lagos –Abuja, which is 50 minutes and this is what a Dash-8 can fly in 55-60minutes, so why do you need a Boeing 737 when it burns twice the fuel of a Dash-8 and so it does not make economic sense.”
IFEOMA OKEKE
