The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) has notified Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) of alleged safety violations by Nigerian carrier Air Peace, just three months after the airline began its Lagos-London route.
The UK CAA has reportedly filed two mandatory occurrence reports regarding Air Peace, which were subsequently forwarded to the NCAA. The letter from the UK CAA, titled “United Kingdom SAFA Ramp Inspection Report” with reference number CAA-UK-2024-0217, and “NATS Management System Safety Report,” outlines specific safety concerns.
In response, the NCAA has written to Air Peace requesting clarification on the reported issues. The NCAA’s letter, reference number NCAA/DOLTS/APL/Vol.11/03624, dated May 14, 2024, and signed by the NCAA General Manager of Operations, Capt. O.O. Lawani, highlights the concerns raised by the UK CAA. These include the lack of operational approval for Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) functions, which are crucial for safe aircraft operation. It was noted that the captain of the Air Peace flight admitted using an EFB for navigational purposes without the necessary mounting device, charging points, or backup battery.
Air Peace recently launched its operation from Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport to London Gatwick under a Bilateral Air Services Agreement between Nigeria and the UK.
Attempts to reach Air Peace spokesperson Stanley Olisa for comments were unsuccessful. When contacted, the spokesperson answered the call but remained silent when questioned about the issue until the call ended. A follow-up text message also went unanswered as of the time of this report.
