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Thursday 30 May 2019
BUSINESS DAY
BUSINESS TRAVEL Bristow Nigeria increases fleet size to strengthen its client base Stories by IFEOMA OKEKE
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ristow Helicopters Nigeria Limited, one of the leading providers of industrial aviation services in Nigeria has recently increased its Nigerian fleet size with the introduction of at least six additional aircraft in the past six months. These state-of-the-art aircraft which include the Sikorsky S76D & S92, the Leonardo AW139 & AW189 helicopters, and also the Embraer ERJ 145 Jet aircraft serve to provide much more resilience to its operations in Nigeria and further strengthen the company’s continuing support and commitment to its varied client base and particularly, to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry as a whole.
Bristow is the first and currently the only operator of both the Sikorsky S76D and Leonardo AW189 helicopter in the offshore Oil & Gas Market in Africa and currently the only operator of the Sikorsky S92 aircraft type in Nigeria with well over 32,000 flight hours flown on this aircraft type in Nigeria since its introduction to the country in 2008. The Sikorsky S76D helicopter represents the latest variant of tried and tested S76 Series. A proven aircraft type that has flown well over seven million flight hours since its first variant came into operation in 1977. This medium sized aircraft type and its variants is the workhorse of the industry. With its two Pratt & Whitney engines, composite blades, low noise signature, smaller D-Value, modern avionics
suite and 400nm range, the S76D (as with the S76C++ type) is ideally suited to support the daily shuttles to the Oil & Gas accommodation platforms and unmanned offshore installations in the Niger Delta. The Sikorsky S92 on the other hand, is the largest helicopter type supporting the Oil & Gas industry in Nigeria today and arguably the only ‘heavy’ type aircraft currently
Aero promotes healthy living among staff, holds health walk to mark 6oth anniversary
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n a bid to celebrate its 60years of operations in Nigeria, Aero Contractors, one of country’s major carriers has created awareness on healthy living through its health walk. The health walk commenced from the company’ head office, Ikeja at the airport to Mary Land on Saturday last week. Speaking during the event, Ado Sanusi, managing director of Aero said the event was to mark the company’s 60th anniversary and ensure it created the needed awareness of health to its workers and clients. “There are so many things we create awareness on. Apart from healthy living, we also want to tell the public that we are back and 60th years in
existence as the oldest aviation company in Nigeria. “Throughout the month, we have been having health talks on various ailments and health. We have invited a lot of medical organisations to give us health talks. We are doing free tests on high blood pressure, sugar and other things. We are making awareness on cancer and the rest. We are giving our staff good awareness on healthy eating and rest because a healthy employer is also an assent to the company,” Sanusi said. On corporate social responsibility implementation, he said it is very important to Aero and the very fabric that binds the company to the society. “We love it and we feel that the society has given us
so much and it is time for us to give back to the society.” Speaking during the airline’s 60th anniversary ceremony in Lagos, Cecilia Ibru, a majority shareholder in Aero Contractors said that Aero Contractors the company is willing to take back staff that abandoned the airline during the period it went through hard times. Ibru attributed the current success of the airline to the staff that stayed behind to resuscitate the airline. She however, promised to take back those who abandoned the airline to its fate. “As we recover, we must forgive those who sent us into the pit in the first place. The story of our recovery process is being told today.
supporting the Oil & Gas industry globally. With its robust gear box design, 540nm range and 19Seat capacity, this aircraft is ideally suited to long range, crew change flights to offshore Rigs, FPSOs and also for Search & Rescue. Besides providing an ideal opportunity for client sharing, the aircraft’s internal seat configuration and large cabin space and cabin windows es-
sentially provide such room and comfort as to qualify it as an ‘airliner’. The Leonardo AW189 is a new 8-tonne helicopter that sits ‘midway’ between the S76D and the S92 in terms of its seat capacity, size and range. It has also been designed to comply fully with the latest international regulatory safety requirements EASA/ FAA Part 29 and JAR OPS 3/ EU-OPS.
A unique feature of particular importance to the AW189’s use for offshore and SAR operations is the fact that it’s main Gear Box has been designed to provide for a 50-minute run-dry capacity, well in excess of regulatory requirements. Bristow currently operates two of this aircraft types in Nigeria and has recently received the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities (NCAA) approval to include the type on its Operations Specifications after a very thorough certification and approval process. According to Dapo Oyeleke, Managing Director of Bristow, these additions to the Bristow Nigeria fleet signify the importance, growth potential and confidence the company has in the Nigerian market.
NAHCO appoints new CFO, two directors
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he Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc. (nahco aviance) has appointed Prince Saheed Lasisi as Group Executive Director, business development and commercial; Adeoye Emiloju as Chief Financial Officer; and Abimbola Adunola Adebakin as Independent Non-Executive Director.
insurance, corporate finance, supply chain management, capital market and private equity, aviation and maritime. He had worked in Perpetual Assurance Company Ltd (now part of Standard Alliance Insurance Plc) as Financial Controller, Truebond Investments and Capital Limited as Group Head, Internal Control. He served as a director in various quoted and unquoted companies among which are; Nigerian Wire and Cable Plc, Guardian Health Care Ltd, Truebond Capital and Asset Management Ltd, Truebond Microfinance Bank Limited, Western Properties and Leisure Ltd, Golden Tophedge Investments Ltd among others. Adeoye Emiloju, whose appointment took effect May 1, 2019 as Chief Financial Of-
ship positions with the Company across multiple Finance and business functions at different times as Business Accountant, Head of Payroll, Senior Business Analyst, Chief Accountant, Business Finance Manager, and Finance Liaison Manager interfacing with both internal and external stakeholders including partners and government agencies. Abimbola Adunola Adebakin whose appointment
Air accident investigation gets boost as AIB, France partner
Prince Saheed Lasisi
Abimbola Adunola Adebakin
he Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la Sécurité de l’Aviation Civile (BEA) France, in Paris, signed an Executive Technical Cooperation Programme geared towards fostering mutual cooperation between both countries in respect of air accident investigation and capacity building. Akin Olateru, commissioner/CEO of AIB while signing the Executive Technical Cooperation Programme (ETCP) in Paris, said that the pact was aimed at strengthening the relationship with its counterpart in France; with the intention of tapping into, and benefiting from its wealth of experience, expertise, and technical know-how in aviation accident
Prince Saheed Lasisi whose appointment took effect, May 1, 2019 is an alumnus of the University of Lagos, where he graduated with second class honor, (upper division) in Accounting and obtained his Masters of Science Degree also in Accounting from the same Institution. He is a Fellow of the Institute Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. His 17 years work experience spans a broad spectrum of the Nigerian economy. He was the Group General Manager; Business Development & Strategic Planning in SIFAX GROUP. He has been in investment banking, internal and external audit, management consultancy
took effect on April 26, 2019 as an Independent Non-Executive Director has over 29 years of professional experience spanning Stockbroking, Banking, Management Consulting and Training. She is a versatile trainer and proficient management consultant who has led consulting teams across a broad spectrum of assignments including strategy development, human resources management, organizational development and change management. She has developed and delivered many training topics covering strategic management, management and leadership development, corporate governance, entrepreneurship and workplace productivity.
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investigation, for the common good of AIB and other African countries that might be happy to draw assistance from AIB’s resources. Impressed by the quality of work coming out of AIB Nigeria, relative to aviation accident investigation and the effectiveness of its service delivery, France through BEA, came up with the ETCP to assist and support AIB through capacity building, information sharing and knowledge transfer. Olateru said, “What we just did today is to help both countries fulfil our obligations as regards the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) convention on accident investigation and walk the talk with the theme ‘No Country Left Behind.” www.businessday.ng
Remi Jouty, the BEA director, commended the strategic direction and performance of AIB-N, particularly in the last two years. In his remarks, Jouty expressed joy at the sealing of the pact. “Akin, you are doing a great job here establishing a solid structure that will survive your administration,’ he said. The ETCP Agreement borders around cooperation in the conduct of aircraft accident and incident investigation, investigation training and sharing of information and expertise, consistent with Annex 13; and assisting each other in the use of air safety investigation, manpower, facilities, recorders, management organisation, Aviation Security and Safety.
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Adeoye Emiloju
ficer is a finance professional with diverse experience spanning over 32 years in Accounting and Finance management. He worked with LM Ericsson (Nigeria) Limited and Globe Reinsurance Plc before joining The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) in 1993. He held progressive leader@Businessdayng