Quorum Aviation Limited, operator of the crashed helicopter in Lagos last month seem not to be happy with some parts of the preliminary report on the crash released this afternoon by the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB.
One of the areas of findings by the AIB regarding the pilot’s proficiency license which the AIB says there was no evidence of application to the NCAA for exemption, Quorum Aviation says it is not true.
The AIB findings says, “The Pilot’s last Proficiency Check was valid till 24th August 2020. There was no evidence to show that an application for the exemption provided by the AOL DG018/20 had been submitted to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.”
Reacting to this, Managing Director and Accountable Manager, Quorum Aviation Limited, Abiola Lawal says 7 days to the expiration of the pilot’s proficiency, the company wrote a letter to the Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA on the 18th August, 2020 requesting the extension and exemption.
Lawal states that, the letter was written based on the exemption document by the NCAA to all Nigerian operators Ref: NCAA/DOT/GEN012/20/002.
The letter read, “Given the challenges of the Covid-19 in organizing additional crew travel and training, we hereby wish to request for the exemption/extension of our pilots Captain Chika Prudence Ernest License ATPL(H) 6245 under the above exemption granted by the DG in the above reference circular.”
“His proficiency expires on the 24 of August 2020 and his comprehensive medical are valid until the 6th of August 2023.”
Captain Prudence is a well experienced Helicopter pilot and experienced PIC on tje Bell 206 and we kindly appreciate if this application can be promptly approved to continue operations.”
” We are hopeful subsequently that things would have settled down post COVID for early next year travel for future proficiencies when exemption validity expires 31st December 2020 per the circular”.
