The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has once again threatened to revoke the operating licenses of private jet owners (holders of Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF), engaging in commercial flight operations.

In a bid to curb the illicit act among the private jet owners, NCAA said it has deployed its officials to the General Aviation Terminals (GAT) and private wings of the nation’s airports to monitor activities of the PNCF holders.

NCAA in a statement by Michael Achimugu, its Director, Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, declared that the certificate owned by the private jet owners do not permit them to operate as hire and reward.

Achimugu emphasised that if the private jet owners continued in this act, the apex regulatory body in the civil aviation industry may suspend, withdraw or revoke their permits.

The statement further notified the public that it was illegal to engage PNCF holders for commercial purposes.

According to him, in line with Section 32 (4) of the Civil Aviation Act 2022, NCAA would not hesitate to initiate enforcement actions against any PNCF holder found guilty of illegal operations.

The statement added: “The NCAA wishes to restate its zero tolerance for violations of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 and shall continue to enforce strict compliance through the application of appropriate sanctions.”

This is not the first time that NCAA would threatened to sanction private jet owners against using their equipment for hire and reward.

Just this January, Capt. Chris Najomo, the Acting Director-General Civil Aviation, had declared that private jets engaged in commercial operations would face the consequence of license revocation.

Najomo had conveyed apprehension regarding the actions of private jet operators within the nation.

This development followed a preliminary report by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) after Flint Aero aircraft was involved in a November 2023 crash at Ibadan Airport in Oyo State.

The aircraft, which had the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, onboard, was found to be operating in violation of established regulations.

Najomo had said that if these owners intended to function as commercial or charter operators, they must submit applications for the appropriate commercial licenses.

He emphasised that only those possessing an Air Transport Licence (ATL) and Airline Operating Permit (AOP), accompanied by a valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC), were permitted to engage in charter operations. (Daily Independent)

• Olufemi Odukoya, Director, Finance and Account, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Mrs. Anastasia Gbem, Director, Human Resource and Admin, NCAA; CapT. Chris Najomo, Acting Director-General, Civil Aviation; Bar. Mary Tufano, Director, Legal Services, NCAA, and Mrs. Olayinka Babaoye-Iriobe, Director, Air Transport Regulation, NCAA, during Najomo’s interaction with the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) at the NCAA Annex, Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lagos

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