FG acquires N5bn fire fighting simulator aircraft

The Federal government has acquired an N5 billion fire fighting simulator aircraft for effective handling of fire incidence in airports and also for training of fire personnel at Nigerian airports.

Speaking in United Kingdom (UK) after the testing of the acquired aircraft yesterday, the Minister of State, Hadi Sirika said the simulator was costing the nation about N5 billion.

He explained that the aircraft was safety equipment that is key for airport operations.

According to a statement made available by Press Secretary to the Minister, Jams Odaudu, Sirika said “in aviation, our policy is safety first and security and this is a demonstration of it.

“Before now, we train our firefighters in Cameroon and I found myself approving several hundred thousands in dollars for training in Cameroon and I said this is not the best. I applied and got approval to procure this firefighting simulator equipment which is costing the nation about N5 billion.

“we started it and now it is completed and it’s ready for testing, it has been tested in front of us and you have seen it, it’s in perfect working order and condition and we will install it at the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Zaria (NCAT)” he stated.

They noted that, “Now the impact on our nation is, it would improve our safety fire cover, fire fighting as an important aspect of airport operations without which we cannot open our airports.

“The only other simulator I know in Africa is in Cameroon and it is not as up to date, not as automatic or sophisticated, not as hi-tech, not as multi-functional. This one can simulate cabin fire, smoke, cockpit fire, cargo fire, undercarriage fire so this multi-functional ” he said.

Meanwhile, the builders of the aircraft, Messrs Alpine Metal Tech, represented by the Managing Director of Glovesly Pro-Project Limited Company in Africa, Yasir Tijani Abdullahi stated that the simulator is set to be delivered by the end of the month as everything was almost set for the installation in NCAT, Zaria.

Tijani explained that, “although there is a simulator in Cameroon, it is manual, unlike the new equipment the country is set to acquire plus the amounts it will save Nigeria in forex exchange and revenue it would generate in training.

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“The country is set to change the status quo with regards training and retraining of fire fighting personnel as it used to regularly train in Cameroon, which has contributed in no small measures to capital flight, which this acquisition will finally nip.

“We will not only save the capital from leaving the country but will generate capital as we will not only train for Nigeria but for the whole of the region. It will be a money spinner” he stated.

Abdullahi noted that “Unlike other simulators, this is a real sized aircraft and has everything real. it is automatic and has a soft touch console.

“We are getting ready as it will be ready for shipping by the end of the month. This, however, a full aircraft and will have to be disassembled into separate parts for shipping and reassembled when in Nigeria” he added.

The simulator, the first of its kind in Africa, is a modern- multi-scenario fire fighting simulator capable of delivering training for different types of operational incidents involving aircraft in the aerodrome and its vicinity.