Nigerian Air Force engineers have achieved a significant engineering milestone by successfully carrying out a 4800-hour Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) on a Dornier -228 (DO-228) aircraft for the first time.
The director of public relations and information, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, said this level of maintenance on the DO-228 aircraft, previously performed by foreign Maintenance Repair Organisations (MROs), was completed at a “significantly cheaper rate and with reduced aircraft downtime.”
The chief of aircraft engineering (CACE), Air Vice Marshal Pius Oahimire, speaking at a brief ceremony to honour the engineers involved in the PDM, said the completion of the in-country PDM was a significant boost to capacity building and demonstrates a newfound confidence in aircraft maintenance in the NAF.
He stated that the motivation for the feat was no doubt derived from a critical enabler of the Chief of Air Staff (CAS’) command philosophy, which prioritises logistics support and a robust maintenance culture.
He commended the unit commander, Air Vice Marshal Olanrewaju Oyename, for his exceptional leadership and for enabling his engineers to thrive and achieve this remarkable milestone.
Speaking further, Air Vice Marshal Oahimire encouraged the engineers to continue striving for excellence, restating that the NAF under Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar remains committed to providing the necessary support and conducive working environment for personnel to function effectively and achieve the service’s mission objectives. He thanked the chief of the air staff for his unwavering commitment to ensuring quality aircraft maintenance in the NAF.
In his remarks, the air officer commanding the Air Training Command, Kaduna, Air Vice Marshal Nnamdi Ananaba expressed the command’s delight at attaining this feat. He stated that the 431 Engineering Group Kaduna’s vision is to be an MRO, and the accomplishment of the 4800-hour inspection indicates that the vision is achievable.
Earlier, Air Vice Marshal Oyename stated that the aircraft inspection, designated NAF 031, began in May 2021 but faced several delays, primarily due to acquiring necessary spare parts.
He commended the determination, commitment, and expertise of the engineers and technicians who undertook the historic task.
He said, “This is history, and you made it happen. This is the first PDM on NAF aircraft conducted entirely by NAF personnel in the First Engineering Unit of the NAF at the Premier NAF Base in Kaduna.”
The commander emphasised the importance of further specialist training to enhance the maintenance team’s capabilities.
Also at the event was the commanding officer of the 30 Engineering Wing, Wing Commander Micheal Aransiola, who explained that the 4800-hour inspection was the highest level of maintenance carried out on the DO-228 aircraft.
He detailed the five-phase processes of the PDM as follows: 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 NAF,” he added.
