Aviation
India to Commission Second Aircraft Carrier
NEW DELHI – India will commission its second aircraft carrier Saturday in an attempt to bolster its presence in the region as neighbor, China, beefs up its naval strength.
The Russia-built INS Vikramaditya, formerly known as Admiral Gorshkov, will join the U.K.-built INS Viraat—currently the Indian Navy’s only aircraft carrier in operation. The delivery of the carrier was delayed by about five years because of disagreements over the cost of refurbishments.
India in August launched its first indigenous aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant. The Vikrant, which was named after the country’s first and now decommissioned aircraft carrier, is likely to be combat-ready in 2018.
India’s Defense Minister A. K. Antony will commission Vikramaditya at the Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk, during a four-day visit to Russia, A defense ministry official told India Real Time Thursday that Vikramaditya is expected to join the Indian Navy’s fleet early next year.
Named after a legendary Indian king, the addition of the carrier would be a shot in the arm for the navy as the country’s first air craft carrier was decommissioned in 1997 after 36 years’ service. That left India with only one such vessel–the INS Viraat, which was also acquired from the U.K. in 1987.
With a displacement of 44,500 tons and a length of 284 meters, the Vikramaditya can carry more than 30 aircraft, including Russia-made MiG-29K and U.K.-built Sea Harrier fighter jets, as well as Kamov, Sea King, Dhruv and Chetak helicopters. It has an extensive array of sensors, including long-range air surveillance radars, an advanced electronic warfare suite, which allows surveillance to be maintained over 500 kilometers around the ship, according to the navy.
“An aircraft carrier carrying potent long range multi-role fighters is a platform inherently designed for power projection,” the navy said in a statement. “In as much as Gorshkov was transformed to create Vikramaditya, so also Vikramaditya will transform the face of the fleet air arm of the Indian Navy.”The ministry said the ship, which would be a “game-changer”, would have about 1,600 navy personnel and travel up to 13,000 kilometers. The Vikramaditya is powered by eight boilers with a maximum speed of 30 knots, equivalent to about 55 kilometers an hour.
India signed a pact in April 2004 to buy the Admiral Gorshkov and refurbish the ship for total of 48.82 billion rupees ($775 million), eight years after Russia decommissioned the ship.
The Vikramaditya was originally scheduled to be delivered in 52 months but it was delayed because of extensive refurbishments that were originally not factored in and cost escalations by Russia that led to disagreements with India.
According to the navy, the entire length of cables, large portions of the ship’s hull, and all its motors, boilers and turbines had to be replaced resulting in “cost escalation and time slippage.”
“Though the re-negotiated price was significantly higher than what was originally agreed upon, the fillip that the addition of Gorshkov would give to the blue water requirements of the Indian Navy compensated the greater price,” it said.The navy didn’t disclose the revised cost of refurbishing the aircraft carrier.
The addition of the Vikramaditya forms part of India’s efforts to build its naval strength–key to controlling its vast coastline and also counter China, which is several decades behind India in operating a fully-fledged aircraft carrier.
India commissioned its first aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, in 1961 while China’s navy began training maneuvers last year with its first carrier–the hull of which was purchased from Ukraine.
China has however begun a rapid modernization drive of its navy and also been venturing away from its home waters, with warships sent on anti-piracy patrols off Somalia and voyages between the islands of Japan into the Pacific Ocean.
Tensions between China and India — the world’s two most-populous nations — have intensified in recent years, especially along the neighbors’ disputed Himalayan border. India has also grown increasingly worried about China’s presence in the Indian Ocean region with Beijing funding the construction of ports in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
– WALL STREET JOURNAL
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced stringent measures against pilots and crew members who work for multiple airlines concurrently, a practice it describes as a serious safety violation.
In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Acting Director-General, Chris Nojomo warned that pilots operating for more than one airline without specific safety protocols pose significant risks to Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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The directive, titled “Prohibition of Ad-Hoc Flight Operators for Multiple Airlines,” noted that NCAA surveillance reports revealed multiple cases of unauthorized cross-airline work by flight crews, which the agency now plans to address.
According to the NCAA, simulator and proficiency checks endorsed on a pilot’s license are valid only for the specific airline and training program under which they were issued.
The letter stated, “With effect from the date of issuance of this directive, all operators and holders of pilot licenses are informed that this action will be treated as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”
The NCAA’s new policy, effective November 11, 2024, warns that violators will face strict enforcement actions. Moving forward, simulator renewals will also be filed directly with individual operators, further tightening the agency’s oversight.
In a bold step to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s position in Nigeria’s aviation industry, Governor Umo Eno announced the addition of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to the fleet of the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, on Friday.
The two aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, mark a milestone in the state’s commitment to strategic investment, with the governor stressing that the acquisitions were fully funded by state resources without loans from financial institutions.
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At a welcoming ceremony attended by local officials and residents, Governor Eno emphasized his administration’s mission to drive revenue-generating ventures for Akwa Ibom rather than relying on debt.
He called the move a step toward breaking the cycle of government investments that only serve to pay off loans, vowing that the state’s funds would go towards projects that bring returns to the people.
The governor challenged Ibom Air to turn a profit by 2025, stating that the airline’s management should ensure routes in and out of Uyo remain dependable to prioritize the needs of Akwa Ibom travelers.
“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use state funds for the benefit of all, not for private gain,” he said, noting that his administration aims to ensure that public investments deliver real value to the state.
Governor Eno also provided updates on several ambitious state projects, including an 18-story commercial complex underway in Lagos and an upcoming 4-star hotel in Abuja, both designed to generate revenue for Akwa Ibom.
Plans for an international market in Ikot Ekpene and the phased opening of a new terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport were also announced, with the airport terminal set for partial operation by December and full activation in early 2025.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, commended Eno’s financial management, highlighting that the administration has avoided seeking loans over the past 18 months despite launching significant development projects.
Ibom Air’s Chairman, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, expressed appreciation for the state’s investment in the airline, which has seen its fleet grow to nine aircraft.
Jacob credited the governor’s support with enabling Ibom Air to boost flight capacity, meeting demand on popular routes such as Uyo-Lagos-Abuja.
Captain Mfon Udom, CEO of Ibom Air, stated that the expanded fleet will improve efficiency and allow the airline to scale up its operations in time for the Christmas travel season.
Udom also noted that the airline anticipates the delivery of nine additional Airbus planes, which will further strengthen Ibom Air’s market presence.
Traditional leaders, including HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon III of Okobo Local Government Area, lauded the governor’s leadership, pledging continued support from the traditional institutions.
Anie Essienette, Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, noted that demand for the airline’s services has surged nationwide, with the new CRJ900 aircraft helping meet this increasing need while the airline awaits further fleet expansion.
Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo is of the view that there’s no cause for alarm over the approval of a private airstrip for a religious organisation, which attracted the attention of the House of Representatives.
He took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Friday morning to shed light on the subject, and explained that it could be a great source of revenue for Federal Government.
Keyamo asserted that the issue was raised by an honourable member at plenary, out of ignorance, but was “unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into.”
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Keyamo expressed confidence that by the time his Ministry was done enlightening them, “they will be satisfied”.
He added that “the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.”
Keyamo wrote, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.
“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.
“Whilst the intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.
“By the time we explain to them how private air strips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied.
“The responsibility of the owners of private air strips is just to build the runway and terminal building. But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations.
“It is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in ALL AIRPORTS and AIRSTRIPS IN NIGERIA. And the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.
“No object flies into Nigeria without the prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan, eg, where it is taking off from and where it intends to land.
“And I have recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country MUST first land at our international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go. So, it is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility. The Federal Government does not permit that. You will not be cleared for take off or landing without prior request and authorisation.
“I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.
“I attach herewith for public consumption the NAMA Act that gives exclusive control of the Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.”
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