Nesto Aviation Poised for Growth Despite Industry Challenges
Chinedu Eze
As business aviation creates stronger market in Nigeria and operators become more competitive, Nesto Aviation Services Limited (NestAv), the aviation arm of the Obijackson Group has restated its capability to surmount industry challenges.
The company said it plans to expand the business operations in its areas of focus through its fleet of helicopters and Jets.
The General Manager, NestAv, Mr. Ehis Uadiale, who is a seasoned aviation and oil and gas expert, disclosed this in an online chat with newsmen recently.
According to him, the company, which was incorporated in 2013, is focused on consolidating its business plans, increasing its market share as a charter service provider within the oil and gas industry while working on its fleet expansion plan.
He also called for a consolidation of airline operators in the industry to enable capacity building in delivering premium value to its target market.
“We need to have consolidated efforts in the industry where people with the same business idea, come together to achieve the required capacity to ensure operators deliver on promised frequencies without fail”, he said.
He further stated that the consolidation or strategic alliances would save both the industry and the clients as this would ensure the eradication of scheduled flight operators’ inability to airlift passengers at promised frequencies and completely eradicate cancellations.
On the maintenance of NestAv’s fleet, which consists of two AW139 helicopters, one Bombardier Global Express jet and a Gulf Stream G-IV, Uadiale posited that the organisation maintains its rotary wings (helicopters) through a self-sustained maintenance organization in the country. He also explained that NestAv has an agreement with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), which entailed following a defined maintenance program to aid the in-house maintenance and repairs when an aircraft is unserviceable or requires routine scheduled maintenance.
On the other hand, for the fixed wings aircraft (jets), there is limited capabilities to service and maintain these aircraft in Nigeria, the organization schedules annual shadow maintenance outside the country with an approved aircraft maintenance organization (AMO), to ensure all aircrafts that require C-checks are serviced efficiently.
He also called for a closer synergy between government agencies regulating the aviation industry to ensure harmony while protecting the industry from the numerous threats confronting it. He added that a huge challenge for airline operators is the high foreign exchange rates, which affect the cost of fleet maintenance and the cost of procuring aircraft spare parts.
“The government needs to look at fiscal policies that would help to stabilize the Nigerian currency. The fluctuating exchange rate compounds the cost of operating in Nigeria and this is in addition to the aviation fuel scarcity which is the reason a lot of airline operators cease operations” Uadiale added.
