Ime Akpan
The federal government is set to take delivery of an automatic aircraft firefighting simulator manufactured by a UK firm, Messrs Alpine Metal Technology Company.
Recently, the company carried out the factory acceptance and pre-shipment inspection and test of the simulator in the UK.
The testing was witnessed by top federal government officials including the minister of state for aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.
The pre-shipment test showcased the full complements of about 28 possible fire/non-fire scenarios carried out including cabin fire simulation, cabin smoke, lavatory smoke and the likes.
Other simulation tests included turbo prop engine, undercarriage, fuselage side as well as corresponding components of single aisle multiple engine jet aircraft, fuel spill burn pit, internal fires among the vast arrays of simulations it can do.
Speaking at the event, Sirika said the simulator cost about N5 billion and “is a safety equipment that is key for airport operations.”
“The focus of the Buhari-led administration on civil aviation is safety and security; this is therefore a component of it. We take matters of safety and security very seriously.
“Before now, we train our firefighters in Cameroon and I found myself approving several hundred thousands of dollars for training in Cameroon and I said this is not it.
“I applied and got approval to procure this firefighting simulator and Mr. President graciously approved it.
“It will cost the nation about N5 billion and we started it and now it is completed and it’s ready for testing.
“It has been tested in front of us and you have seen it; it is in perfect working order and condition and we will install it at the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Zaria (NCAT).
“The impact on our nation is it would improve our safety standards by providing proficient fire fighters.
“Fire fighting as an important aspect of airport operations without which we cannot open our airports. The equipment can simulate cabin fire, smoke, cockpit fire, cargo fire, undercarriage fire so this is multi-functional,” he said.
Sirika also said that once the equipment “is installed the country will be a hub for comprehensive fire training from ab-initio training, recurrence training to full training and so on.”
In his remarks, the managing director of Glovesly Pro-Project Limited representative of Messrs Alpine Metal Tech. Company in Africa, Mr. Yasir Tijani Abdullahi explained that the simulator is set to be delivered by the end of the month as everything is almost set for the installation at NCAT.
“Unlike other simulators, this is a real sized aircraft and has everything real. It is automatic and has a soft touch console.
“We are getting ready as it will be ready for shipping by the end of the month.
“This, however, is a full aircraft and will have to be disassembled into separate parts for shipping and reassembly when in Nigeria.
“The country is set to change the status quo with regard to training and re-training of fire fighting personnel as it used to regularly train in Cameroon, which has contributed in no small measures to capital flight, which this acquisition will finally nip. We will not only save capital from leaving the country but will generate capital for Nigeria; it will therefore be a money spinner,” said Abdullahi.
On some of the redundancies of the simulator, he said apart from its dead man’s switch, the system checks itself automatically and if there is a challenge, like a gas leak, it shuts itself down and lets you know.
