• Sun. Feb 9th, 2025

In a landmark achievement, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) engineers have successfully completed the 4800-hour Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) on a Dornier 228 (DO-228) aircraft for the first time within Nigeria. This complex maintenance, previously performed by foreign Maintenance Repair Organizations (MROs), was conducted at a lower cost and with reduced aircraft downtime, marking a significant milestone in NAF’s engineering capabilities.

During a ceremony held to honor the engineers, the Chief of Aircraft Engineering (CACE), Air Vice Marshal Pius Oahimire, praised the team for their outstanding work. He highlighted that the completion of this in-country PDM represents a significant boost to capacity building and showcases the growing confidence in the NAF’s maintenance capabilities. Oahimire attributed this success to the logistics support and strong maintenance culture emphasized by the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar.

Oahimire also commended Air Vice Marshal Olanrewaju Oyename, the Unit Commander, for his exceptional leadership and creating an enabling environment for the engineers to achieve this milestone. He encouraged the engineers to continue striving for excellence and reaffirmed NAF’s commitment to providing the necessary support and conducive working conditions for personnel to achieve the Service’s mission objectives.

Air Vice Marshal Nnamdi Ananaba, Air Officer Commanding the Air Training Command, Kaduna, expressed his delight at the accomplishment. He noted that the vision for the 431 Engineering Group in Kaduna to become an MRO is now within reach, as evidenced by the successful completion of the 4800-hour inspection.

The aircraft, designated NAF 031, began its inspection in May 2021 but faced delays due to challenges in acquiring necessary spare parts. Air Vice Marshal Oyename praised the engineers’ determination, commitment, and expertise. “This is history, and you made it happen. This is the first PDM on a NAF aircraft conducted entirely by NAF personnel in the First Engineering Unit of the NAF at the Premier NAF Base in Kaduna,” he said. He also emphasized the need for further specialist training to enhance the maintenance team’s capabilities.

Wing Commander Micheal Aransiola, Commanding Officer of the 30 Engineering Wing, explained that the 4800-hour inspection is the highest level of maintenance carried out on the DO-228 aircraft. He detailed the five-phase process of the PDM: Phase I involved acceptance, documentation, and docking; Phase II included paint stripping and removal of components; Phase III focused on repairing discrepancies; Phase IV involved reinstallation of components and operational checks; and Phase V concluded with ground checks, taxi checks, and a Functional Check Flight.

The successful completion of the 4800-hour inspection marks a new era of self-reliance and technical proficiency for the Nigerian Air Force, paving the way for more in-country maintenance operations in the future.

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