13volts:

even pastor adeboye hired expatriate pilots to manned his fleet of private jets

Omo_Tier1:

Please if you have little or no knowledge on Aviation please do not spill rubbish on threads like this.

Firstly, it is one thing to be trained to fly and it another thing to be 'type' rated.

NCAT in Zaria has facilities to train pilots to fly, but they do not have facilities to train pilots to be 'type' rated, meaning to be able to fly a SPECIFIC type of Aircraft. Though they appear to heading in the right direction with the annoucement of investment in B737 simulators by Arik en co

To my knowledge, there is no where in Nigeria presently where you can be type rated either as a pilot/grounds engineer for a B737, A320, A340s, B747, B777 and not even the Q-400s, Q-800 and  the likes of E195. Very few countries can boast of such and certainly only Egypt and South Africa have a minute of those in Africa.

I have been to fly/training/simulation school in fanborough, i.e flightwise and I can tell you much of thier trainees are customers from outside the UK, and are often sponsored by thier airlines. That tells you something about the business of Aviation.

In the past, Nigeria had many type rated pilots flying some of the advanced commercial and military planes in the world but many since left the country following the dearth of Nigeria Airways.

The use of foriegn pilots/grounds maintainance engineers by most airliners is due mainly to the fact that most Nigeria trained engineers are not type rated to work on specific aircraft! It is onething to know how to carry out general aircraft maintainance, it is another to know how to carry out maintainance on specific aircraft flown by these airliners.
Boeing, I know too well will never sign off any maintainance carried out by grounds engineers not commissioned by Boeing, same goes with Airbus. Most of these expats grounds engineers are trained and type rated (by companies of permissioned by Airbus/Boeing) to work on these specific aircrafts, something home grown engineers are not known for.This further explains why these young generation of aero-engineers find it difficult to get jobs outside Nigeria unless those who go for type training which doesn't come cheap! Same story goes for cabin crew!

Where the problem lies squarely is the lack of dedication on the part of government to formulate policy and more importantly, strategically invest (while partnering with the private sector) overwhemingly in standard aviation facilities especially when it comes to training/simulation facilities.

Maybe the time to really do that is NOW- A $1bn dedicated to this with an investment span of 2.5years will reward the government over $10bn in less than 8years!

tpia@:

the article mentions engineers as well.
i wonder why doctors arent also included.
i guess the incentives for foreign doctors to practice in nigeria might not be there.

odiaero:

On Point.

Another place to get the training in Middle East is Emirate Aviation Collage U.A.E - Dubai, they have for all advance Aircrafts, but i guess the problem still remains the cost of training, too much money involve, am PP rated but, but working on to get 747 rated by the End of the year, but that those not me am going into flying commercial, but i just want to have the Ratings

kasiem:

This issues emanate from the fact that we see feel inferior to the whites. The other day my elder brother who works with one engineering outfit in lagos told a story of one expatriate who cant even read a drawing that a secondary school guy in nigeria can read, yet he's being paid as an expatriate. A certain day the i.diot opened up that he was just a bleeping welder in britain and here in nigeria he's serving as an expatriate. Okay, the other day refineries were annihilated in abia and was termed illicit, cos it was built by natives. Why cant those natives be harnessed to replace the expatriates? I reside in aba and as a resident there, i've had the opportunity to know the kind of brains that waste there cos of our blind reliance on honkies. Could u imagine , when okada were debarred this guys constructed tricycles with motorcycles? The pathetic thing is that we think that our nationalists have gotten independence for us without knowing that we are in bigger fetter with this kind of mentality. Go to any construction site u'll that the real workers are the locals while the so-called will be smoking and chewing gum.

Omo_Tier1:


@ your 747 type rating, how do you intend to get it if you plan not to fly commercial? I mean substantial part of that rating is done by the commercial airline you will be or are working for or their commission agent/training schools?

kasiem:

This issues emanate from the fact that we see feel inferior to the whites. The other day my elder brother who works with one engineering outfit in lagos told a story of one expatriate who cant even read a drawing that a secondary school guy in nigeria can read, yet he's being paid as an expatriate. A certain day the i.diot opened up that he was just a bleeping welder in britain and here in nigeria he's serving as an expatriate. Okay, the other day refineries were annihilated in abia and was termed illicit, cos it was built by natives. Why cant those natives be harnessed to replace the expatriates? I reside in aba and as a resident there, i've had the opportunity to know the kind of brains that waste there cos of our blind reliance on honkies. Could u imagine , when okada were debarred this guys constructed tricycles with motorcycles? The pathetic thing is that we think that our nationalists have gotten independence for us without knowing that we are in bigger fetter with this kind of mentality. Go to any construction site u'll that the real workers are the locals while the so-called will be smoking and chewing gum.

Omo_Tier1:

Exactly, an investment model similar to the one is Dubai is what the Nigeria government shoul pursue. Looking at the strategic position of Nigeria in West Africa, having a world class and affordable training facilities in Nigeria will earn us lots of forex! It's a no brainer really.

@ your 747 type rating, how do you intend to get it if you plan not to fly commercial? I mean substantial part of that rating is done by the commercial airline you will be or are working for or thier commission agent/training schools?

I can see you are into aero, are you an aerodynamist,aerostructure-design and stress or just aeroengine?

Omo_Tier1:

Dude, sorry there maybe places where this rant can be accommodated certainly not in Aviation!

Aviation is first safety, hence MERIT is the watch word. No other industry I know is overly scrutinized like the Aviation industry, so deservely so, 'cos lives are involved and probability of survival due tiny slip is very high.

The truth must be said, Nigerians must learn that it is either they brace up to standard or become the standard, they would always be second rated if otherwise.
Current professionals in the Aviation industry in Nigeria have not achieved both experiential and technical knowledge as thier counter part in Europe, Americas and even Asia. 10years ago, Asian and Middle Eastern carriers were the ones luring Nigeria trained aviation professionals with mouth watering pay scales, but the  reverse appears to be case now. Why? 'cos we mistepped in upgrading our standards!

Again we seems to also forget that in the developed world, outsourcing in the order of day and most airlines are now also following that trend. In fact that is the major work of this company JET PROFESSIONALS. They outsource type rated aviation workers who sign up with them with proper training. Obviously, Nigeria train aviation 'professionals' will not succeed in getting jobs throught companies like that because, they are simply not typed trained like I mentioned in my other post.

So rather rant about racism,  white supremacy, get your standards in place and Nigerians will be the world's delight.

Safety and experience should not be sacrified on the altar of nationalism.

ndu_chucks:

@Jakumo, since you know so much about airplanes and your love for your dear country Nigeria, is well known, why don't you show this love by doing a kamakaze somewhere in the neighborhood of Aso rock (preferably during the council of states meeting - Buhari should be in attendance) and jumpstart a most needed revolution.

abi you dey fear, ni?

Jakumo:

Thank you for this caring suggestion, Onyisi Chucks. I will check my schedule and get back to you.

Jakumo:


It is also great to see that Ayoola did not once mention being held back by racism, which is a big credit to his can-do, never-say-die attitude.

odiaero:

The first and last, and am working to get the middle, but that will be in Russian, am pretty much occupied trading now, cos there is no amount of money the Airline will pay me that can compare to what am earning i trading, highest they may pay me be 15,000 dollars a month.

Between, the 747 Rating is really gonna be had for me, since i need to Fly on commercial to attain the hours, not that i cant fly it,have already done and complete the Stimulator Flying for thousands of hours,  but that commercial stuff i don't think i may have time for it now, and may not, i better base in designing engines or others, i may consider B 737 ratings, cos that will be much easier

Horus:


Olumide Ayoola                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   [size=15pt]Fight to flight[/size]

The inspiring story of how this man fought to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a pilot.
WHEN HE was just five years old, Olumide Ayoola set foot on a plane for the very first time - and was hooked.
It took 42-year-old Olumide another 25 years of determination to finally become a commercial airline pilot for KLM UK.
Ayoola told The Voice’s Trudy Simpson of his amazing journey. “When I was five, I went on my first flight. The cabin crew
took all the children on board to see the cockpit and the pilot.

AIRCRAFT

“Once I walked in and saw the buttons and lights, and the view they had from the front of the aircraft, I fell in love with it. I said ‘This is what I want to do.’ “There is a big difference between wanting to be a pilot at five and eventually achieving it at the age of 30. That was down to mainly financial and health reasons. “In secondary school I would daydream and followed any newspaper reports and publications about airplanes and pilots, and every time I flew I tried to get the chance to talk to the pilot. Every opportunity I got, I would go to the airport. “At 16, when I finished my O’ levels, I gathered enough information to go to flight school. However, his parents encouraged him to go to university first.
“I came over from Nigeria to go to school in England. It gave me more access to find out more about becoming a pilot.
“Becoming a pilot was also in the background when I went to university and studied engineering. “When I finished at niversity, I was free to pursue it. But when I found out the cost was so high, I couldn’t afford it. “Flying training is very expensive. It costs about £80,000 to go from scratch to being at the point where an airline can finally employ you ,and even then they have to put you through further training. “There are a number of ways people can get in. You can be lucky enough to have the cash so you can pay for the training yourself. At the age of 21, I didn’t. “I couldn’t ask my parents to sponsor it because the cost was so high and they had already spent so much on my education. On top of that, I had
found out my eyesight was not good enough to be a commercial airline pilot. “At that time you had to have virtually perfect eyesight to be a pilot and I wore glasses from the age of 10, so it looked, for a long time, like I was not going to be able to achieve it. I was very despondent. It was as if the dream was over.

PRIVATE

“But I was told my eyesight was still good enough to be a private pilot. So I said ‘If that is the next best thing, I’ll do that’. I did that on and off and started working as an engineer for London Underground, flying whenever I could as a leisure thing. “I later found out that London Underground had a flying club, which was subsidised so it was cheaper than what I was doing. I went there and started flying more and more. And I (later) read about laser eye surgery. “At 24, once I found out I was suitable for it, the dream came back. I did the surgery, waited two years to make sure the eyesight was stabilised, and applied again to be a commercial pilot. I also started looking into going to flight school. “Airlines were offering sponsorship (to go to school) but for one reason or another, I was not eligible. I realised I would have to self-sponsor. “I worked for a few years as an engineer and saved up and got lucky with the property I bought. I realised that by selling the property I would be able to pay off the mortgage, pay for the flying training and have enough to put down on a deposit for another place. “I did my flight training for three years because I didn’t do it full time. I had a mortgage to pay and bills, so I had to keep working and did the academic part of the training part time. “I finished the training and began job hunting. I sent applications to at least 500 different companies, different types of airlines. But it is twice as difficult for somebody who is self-sponsored compared to somebody who is sponsored by an airline. “But I kept applying and networking, talking to people. I met people who were working as pilots who could make recommendations. “It took me about nine months to find a job. There were times I felt like giving up, when people said ‘You are crazy, you are throwing away a good career to chase this dream’, because I was well paid as an engineer. “It was a good career but it felt all the time that something was missing from my life. “My big break came at an aviation jobs exhibition, given to me by one of the guys I knew from networking. “Nearly all major airlines were recruiting but I sat through presentation after presentation saying they were looking for the type of person I wasn’t. “Half way through, I thought I was wasting my time and went outside. Standing near the door was an old gentleman smoking a pipe. “We got talking and I basically told him that it seemed I was wasting my time here because I was self-sponsored, over the age limit, and did not have enough experience. “He talked me into staying, saying ‘You never know, ’ so I went back inside to listen to more presentations. “Then they said the next speaker is the pilot manager from KLM UK. On stage came the man I had been speaking to. “They had a round table after the presentation and I went over, and he and I chatted. “He said ‘Don’t give up and eventually we will get to your application’. We had a very encouraging conversation and I went home feeling much happier. “Three days later, I got a phone call from one of the guys I mentioned to him and he was saying the gentleman had asked about me. “He encouraged me to call (the gentleman) again. I did. He said he had spoken to my friend about me. He put my CV in the pile of those that he had recommended. “Six months later, I was starting a new job! There was a bit of trepidation but a lot of happiness. I have been with KLM 10 years. “My message (to people) is not to let themselves be railroaded by peer, parental or any other kind of pressure into doing something they don’t feel is for them. Everything is possible.”

Source: http://www.voice-online.co.uk/content.php?show=15294