Aviation
Tinubu okays Ibadan airport upgrade, work begins in three weeks
Tinubu okays Ibadan airport upgrade, work begins in three weeks
Construction of a new terminal, runway expansion and other structural features of Ibadan airport will begin in three weeks time, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said on Wednesday.
This is coming after President Bola Tinubu’s approval of the proposed upgrade of the airport,
The governor said his administration’s efforts to have the Ibadan Airport, Alakia, upgraded to an international airport had yielded positive results.
Governor Makinde made this known when he received the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Baba Abubakar, at the Executive Chamber, Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
The project, according to the governor, would include the construction of a new terminal, runway and other structural features, adding that it would be handled by experts and delivered to standard.
According to the governor, his administration had spent the last five years turning around the state’s economy and had identified the need for the upgrade of the Ibadan Airport as being central to its economic expansion agenda.
He added that his government’s resolve to build infrastructure that targets the economic expansion agenda has also seen it investing resources on the 110 kilometres of Ibadan Circular Road, stating that the administration would consider the Air Force’s request for land for its post-retirement housing scheme on the Circular Road corridor.
“We have been talking to the Presidency and we got a response from them early this week that the President has graciously approved my request for Ibadan Airport to be upgraded,” he said.
“I will be in Abuja soon to get the documents relating to the approval. And within three weeks, we will start the project. We will expand the runway and build a new terminal.
“Since I came into office, this administration has focused on education, agriculture, health and expansion of our economy.”
The governor, who appreciated the Chief of Staff for his officers’ effort in working with sister security agencies to secure Oyo State, urged that the cordial relationship between the Force and the people of the state be maintained.
According to the governor, the Air Force has been a major contributor to the maintenance of internal security in Oyo State, as its personnel have been working closely with Operation Burst.
He said the administration was committed to working with the Air Force to deliver the Air Force Base in Ajia, Ibadan, with a promise of speedy completion of the road leading to the base.
He also explained that the government was fixing several roads along the Air Force Base axis that would facilitate easy movement of personnel and equipment.
Earlier in his speech, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar, described the governor as a visionary leader, thanking him for his support to the Air Force.
He acknowledged the governor’s focus on economic development and enhancing security in the state, noting that the acquisition of 60 hectares of land for the Air Force Base at Ajia and the provision of security operational vehicles were commendable efforts of the governor.
Aviation
Disaster averted as bird strike hits Abuja-Lagos Air Peace flight
Disaster averted as bird strike hits Abuja-Lagos Air Peace flight
An Abuja-Lagos flight was on Thursday aborted following a bird strike on the airplane belonging to Air Peace, forcing the authorities to ground the aircraft.
The bird strike experienced in the early hours reportedly prompted a ramp return to ensure the safety of passengers onboard.
All the passengers quickly disembarked and were calmed down before they were moved into another plane for the one-hour journey.
A bird strike is a collision between a bird and an aircraft, or other airborne animal, while the aircraft is in flight, taking off, or landing. And it can be a significant threat to aircraft safety.
Air Peace in a statement by its Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, said the bird strike occurred at 6:30am, and all passengers disembarked normally.
The statement read, “We wish to inform our esteemed passengers that our Abuja- Lagos 06:30 flight experienced a bird strike before take-off, prompting a ramp return as a safety measure. All passengers disembarked normally.
“We have deployed a replacement aircraft for the affected flight in order to minimize disruptions, thus ensuring that passengers continue their journeys promptly.
“We appeal for the understanding of our valued passengers impacted by this development, as well as those on other flights that may experience delays.
“At Air Peace, we are committed to providing safe, comfortable, and reliable air travel for all our passengers.”
Aviation
Black box of crashed helicopter in P’Harcourt found, two passengers still missing
Black box of crashed helicopter in P’Harcourt found, two passengers still missing
A flight data recorder otherwise called back box of the helicopter that crashed in Rivers State two weeks ago has been recovered.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed this in a statement.
The helicopter operated by East Wind Aviation and hired by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited crashed on October 24 while travelling from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base in Port Harcourt.
The aircraft, carrying six passengers and two crew members, went down in the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, off the coast of Calabar, around 11:22am.
A week later, the NSIB reported that a fifth body was recovered from the site of the crash.
In a statement on Friday, Bimbo Oladeji, NSIB director, public affairs and consumer protection, confirmed that the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR), the black box, were retrieved from the site.
Oladeji said the bureau, in collaboration with Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and other search and recovery partners, coordinated efforts with both local and international teams to locate and retrieve the bodies of the deceased and essential components necessary for a full investigation.
“The FDR and CVR, commonly referred to as the aircraft’s ‘black box,’ was retrieved early this morning,” Oladeji said.
Aviation
Air crash averted as Australian plane suffers engine failure
Air crash averted as Australian plane suffers engine failure
A major air crash was averted on Friday after an Australian passenger plane suffered an engine failure.
The plane departing from Sydney, Australia, had experienced engine failure, causing the aircraft to circle before making a safe emergency landing, according to a post by Qantas on X.
Another report from Sydney Airport said a grass fire also ignited along one side of the runway but it was unclear whether the two incidents were related.
The fire had since reportedly been contained, though some flight delays were experienced.
Qantas did not disclose the number of passengers on board the twin-engine Boeing 737-800, which was bound for Brisbane, when the engine failed with a loud bang.
It also said there were no injuries from the incident.
“We understand this would have been a distressing experience for customers, and we will be contacting all customers this afternoon to provide support,” stated Qantas Chief Pilot, Captain Richard Tobiano.
“We will also be conducting an investigation into the cause of the engine issue.”
-
metro11 hours ago
BREAKING: Port Harcourt refinery begins operation
-
Business2 days ago
Just in: Dangote refinery reduces petrol price for marketers
-
metro1 day ago
40-foot container falls on car in Lagos
-
Politics2 days ago
2027: Lagos Speaker, Obasa joins gov race, may battle Seyi Tinubu, others
-
Politics1 day ago
Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary
-
International1 day ago
Trump to sack 15,000 transgender officers from U.S. military: Report
-
Entertainment1 day ago
Polygamy best form of marriage for Africa – Okey Bakassi
-
metro1 day ago
Policewoman dismissed in Edo threatens to kill children, commit suicide