- Safiu Kehinde
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has debunked claim of substance abuse by pilots.
This is coming under the heels of Abia lawmaker’s, Orji Kalu, allegation that some Nigerian pilots smoke Indian hemps and are largely unchecked by aviation authorities.
NPO Reported that Kalu had during the Senate’s plenary session on Wednesday called for strict check on Nigerian pilots while making the allegation of substance usage by pilots before flight.
He called out the NCAA and other aviation agencies for leaving the pilots unchecked.
Reacting to the allegation in a statement issued on Thursday by its Director General, Chris Najomo, NCAA held that it maintains a rigorous system for certifying and monitoring the medical and professional fitness of pilots.
According to Najomo, all pilots operating in Nigeria undergo comprehensive medical evaluations, including tests for substance abuse, before being issued a medical certificate.
“No pilot is permitted to operate a Nigerian-registered aircraft without holding both a valid pilot licence and a current medical certificate, as required by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) Part 8.4.1.4.
“Holders of Commercial Pilot Licences (CPL) and Airline Transport Pilot Licences (ATPL) are, by the provisions of Nig. CARs 2.3.5.1 and 2.3.7.1, required to possess a Class 1 Medical Certificate before they are allowed to operate.
“These medical certificates are issued only after comprehensive aero-medical evaluations by NCAA Authorized Aviation Medical Examiners (AAMEs) followed by approval of the medical report by NCAA’s in-house aero-medical assessors. The scope of these examinations is extensive.
“It covers cardiovascular, neurological, psychological, metabolic, respiratory, and visual assessments to ensure that the pilot is fit to operate an aircraft safely. Nig. CARs Part 2.11.2.6(b) details the physical and mental requirements that must be met before a medical certificate is issued,” Najomo explained.
The NCAA boss further stated that pilots are required to possess a valid medical certificate, which is renewed every 12 months for pilots under 40 and every 6 months for those above 40, adding that the authority also conducts regular ramp inspections at airports, verifying crew licenses, medical certificates, and general fitness for duty.
Najomo debunked notion that pilots operate under the influence of substances or without adequate checks, citing its zero-tolerance policy for safety violations.
He maintained that on-the-spot alcohol and drug test are often conducted on pilots when suspected with frequent unannounced testing on crew members and uses the results of such tests as legal evidence.
As against Kalu’s claim of modern airplanes takeoff and land automatically, the NCAA boss clarified that while modern aircraft have advanced autopilot systems, pilots remain in control throughout the flight.
According to him, takeoffs are manual operations, and autopilot functions are only activated after takeoff.
Landings, he explained, are also manually executed by pilots, except in specific weather and airport conditions.