The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) has expressed serious safety concerns to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) about Air Peace, a Nigerian airline that recently commenced flights on the Lagos-London route.
Just three months after beginning operations on this route, Air Peace has been cited in two mandatory occurrence reports (MORs) by the UK CAA for alleged safety violations.
The reports, titled “United Kingdom SAFA Ramp Inspection Report” (reference number: CAA-UK, -2024-0217) and “NATS Management System Safety Report,” were forwarded to the NCAA for further investigation.
The UK CAA’s inspections highlighted significant safety issues, particularly related to the airline’s use of Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) functions.
The inspections revealed that Air Peace lacked the necessary operational approvals for using EFB functions. EFBs are crucial for modern aircraft operations, providing pilots with essential flight data and navigational charts electronically.
According to the UK CAA, the captain of an Air Peace flight admitted that EFBs were being used for navigational purposes without the required mounting devices, charging points, or backup batteries. This improper use of EFBs poses significant risks, as it can result in the loss of critical flight information during operations.
In response to the UK CAA’s concerns, the NCAA has contacted Air Peace for clarification.
On May 14, 2024, Capt. O.O. Lawani, the NCAA General Manager of Operations, sent a letter to Air Peace titled “United Kingdom SAFA Ramp Inspection Report.” The letter seeks a detailed explanation from the airline regarding the issues raised and demands immediate corrective actions to ensure compliance with safety regulations.
Air Peace, which launched its Lagos to London Gatwick flights under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the UK, has not yet publicly responded to the NCAA’s inquiry or the UK CAA’s findings.
Allen Onyema, the CEO of Air Peace, has previously alleged both internal and external conspiracies against Nigerian airlines.
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