As Aero Contractors celebrates 60 years of operation in the Nigerian Aviation Industry, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Captain Ado Sanusi, has described the hard times the indigenous firm faced as a process that set them on the path to become dominant player in the sector.
Sanusi, who disclosed this to journalist at a media briefing event organised to mark 60 years Anniversary of the Airline, in Lagos, yesterday, said Aero has risen from its hard times into a trajectory growth path for the future.
He said with the commitment of the federal government to support indigenous companies through Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) rescued it from total collapse to financial solvency.
He said through the turbulent times they were able to become a national brand offering skilled employment to Nigerian aviation professionals and contributing to deepening the aviation sector, while noting that Aero is the first domestic aircraft company to obtain Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority( NCAA) certification as an approved maintenance organisation to conduct C-checks on B737 classics.
“Aero has successfully conducted 3 C-checks on 737 CL Boeing aircraft relying wholly on our indigenous engineers with technical support from Messrs AJA/SAA as our technical partners, which stamps Nigeria firmly into destination of choice for comprehensive aircraft maintenance-capable countries in West Africa & Central Africa.
“From February 2013 to August 2016, Aero faced hard times. Due to a combination of endogenous and exogenous factors and was under performing and almost insolvent, navigating from one crisis to another which threatened its very existence.
“The vision paid off over the years, Aero became a dominant player and a brand noted for its excellence within the Nigerian aviation sector, with the appointment of receiver manager by AMCON with oversight on guiding a re-solvency programme with the objective of returning Aero to profitability,” he said.
A look into the foray of the achievement, the CEO expressed that the story of the company will not be complete with the successive executives who at some period or the other contributed to growing the firm into an airline of repute, while adding that it had re-invented its operation to explore targeted and specialized business potential and opportunities.
“The airline service has since December, 2016 returned to full operations and grown its fixed wing operational aircraft from 1 to 4, with expectation to grow to 6 by close of this year. The present 4 aircraft improved our domestic flight operations to 32 daily.
“From 1 helicopter in 2017 we now have 5 with capacity to grow these numbers to 10 by close of the year so as to deepen our services; in all we began our re-positioning journey growing our domestic operations from 8 to 32 daily flights, from carrying 8,000 passengers per month, to 52,000 passengers per month into and out of several airports in our route,” he explained.
On her part, the former CEO of defunct Oceanic bank, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, noted re-iterated “the journey so far is a story of hope” while recognizing the efforts of some junior staff who supported the management during the trying times, “Aero has become the backbone of private company in Nigeria”
Meanwhile the former Director-general, NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, while delivering vote of thanks encouraged the company to continue on the path of corporate governance as businesses thrives on accountability, transparency to make aviation an envy of economy growth in Nigeria.
