1st October, 2021
By Yunus Yusus/Ikeja
Aero Contractors, Nigeria’s oldest aviation company has taken delivery of two Airbus 320 aircraft from Heston Airline based in Lithuania.
The Managing Director of the airline, Capt. Abdullahi Mahmood, made this known in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday.
Mahmood explained that the two aircraft arrived Abuja on Thursday afternoon and were immediately received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, along with other senior executives of the airline.
The managing director said the two aircraft leased by House of Five A’s would boost the fleet of the airline and provide the much needed capacity to serve the Nigerian market.
Mahmood added that the aircraft was the first of its kind in the Nigerian market.
He said: “We are pleased to secure these two aircraft through House of Five A’s which will boost our fleet and give us the needed capacity in the Nigerian market.
“The new aircraft will also make us more efficient and offer more comfort to our customers.
“These new generation aircraft are suitable to our operations in this market. We have established an excellent relationship with the lessors and the financier and we are looking forward to a stronger relationship between both parties.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Aero Contractors is currently in Receivership by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
Mahmood was appointed Managing Director of Aero Contractors in January to build on the success of his predecessor Captain Ado Sanusi.
Under nine months, he has strengthened the airline, expanding the frontiers of the Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) arm of the company and increasing its capacity to maintain more aircraft.
Aero Contractors fleet before today as listed on its website:
Boeing 737-400
No. Of Engines: 2
Aircraft Type: Jet
Passenger Capacity (Max): 144
Range (in Miles): 2500
Boeing 737-500
No. Of Engines: 2
Aircraft Type: Jet
Passenger Capacity (Max): 116
Range (in Miles): 2500
Dash 8-300
No. Of Engines: 2
Aircraft Type: Civil Turbo Prop
Passenger Capacity (Max): 50
Range (in Miles):1200nm
Only four of the Boeing 737 are in operation, two are parked. None of the four Dash 8-300 is also functional, according to planespotters.net.