(1/23) NIGERIA's PRESIDENTIAL FLEET OVER THE YEARS

The earliest flights dedicated to Presidential duties in Nigeria were by light aircraft like Piper Aztecs, which e.g., flew members of the British royal family when... #Naija #History #Aviation #BBNaija

2/23 ...they visited Nigeria. The aircraft were Nigeria Airways equipment & were flown by Gents like Rufus Orimoloye, a contemporary of Ohiomah & Hayes. But even in said 1960s, Nig showed how much it valued high profile official transports by flying at least

3/23 ...two HS-125 eight seat short range twinjets, at that time the very latest executive aircraft on the planet. One of them wound up with Brig Ojukwu, after Biafra broke away. The other one flew (then Col) Obj, which he described with some awe in his book,

4/23 ..."My Command."

After the war, Oil money poured into the national coffers & Gen Gowon wasn't afraid to spend. In a six aircraft deal with the Dutch manufacturer Fokker, five F28 Mk2000 seventy five seat aircraft went to Nigeria Airways, & an executive

5/23 ...version with longer range was reserved for Presidential use. It was flown & maintained by Nigeria Airways. An HS 125-600, improved on the earlier pair, was also inducted, under Air Force operation. But for really long range trips, Gowon pulled one of

6/23 ...Airways' two B707s out of the flight line; it didn't matter what havoc it did to the airline's schedule or reputation. With time tho, Gulfstream's GII was chosen as solution for the injustice as it had fairly good range & an excellent interior. A copy

7/23 was ordered, & by the time it arrived, Murtala/Obj were in power. The Helicopter in the fleet was a large cabin Sikorsky of the Air Force, a fine machine for the regular shuttle between Dodan Barracks & the airport at Ikeja.

But in the Shagari era, a

8/23 GII was miserly, as the economy boomed & a US style constitution & peace, offered hope to th nation. The B707 question wasn't entirely resolved too. Which was how the Presidential 727 came. With an interior, range & price tag that were legendary. In fact

9/23 the price caused such a storm that it was flown to the Air Force base in Makurdi & parked there. The official explanation was it needed painting, but rival political parties & the press jeered at all that. So, Shagari didn't really enjoy the trijet, but

10/23 his military successors had no such qualms. The next acquisition was a pair of HS 125-700s, which arrived under Buhari/Idiagbon, followed by a Falcon 900B, under IBB. Then, an HS 125-1000 came in the last days of IBB, followed by a Gulfstream GIV SP

11/23 Then followed a succession of "transfers" from civilian operators: a Hawker 800 from the CBN, a Falcon 900B from NNPC, a Hawker 800 from the Police, & perhaps a Citation V from the Police too.

After Obj returned the 2nd time, an A340 was suggested.

12/23 You know, we would look like the US, who fly widebodies, & it would mark the promise of our latest attempt at Democracy. But opposition quickly welled up against the plan, especially from the Nat Assembly. Next thing we know, Mr President is taking his

13/23 seat in the cabin of a BA aircraft, en route a summit in the Caribbean. On public TV. They were flying a kite, becos the public was unaware that the 727 could easily fly the mission, if necessary with a stop in Dakar. Instead, the opposition mounted

14/23 pressure. Ultimately, the idea was dropped; it seems the jet in question became Gaddafi's, via the Sultan of Brunei. Obj had to settle for the current 737 BBJ, which, according to reports, was meant for a South American country which didn't take it up.

15/23 Soon there was a Gulfstream G500, a G550, & a pair of Falcon 7Xs. Then, a pair of Hawker 4000s, all in the Obj/GEJ years. It seems the 7Xs & 4000s were to replace the Falcon 900s & Hawker 800s respectively. The GEJ admin prepared for a G650, but

16/23 abandoned it, due to dwindling resources.

Helicopters in recent years include the Augusta Westland AW139, shown here, & the larger AW101. The Prez/family, VP/family, Senate Prez, Speaker HoR, former Heads of St are among those allowed to use the fleet

17/23 Pilots of the fleet have always been mixed civilian & military. One of the pioneers is Capt Paul Thahal, shown here, who passed away recently.

Altho Gov't regularly discusses maintenance of the fleet within our shores, it is inconceivable that heavy

18/23 work isn't done abroad, given the small numbers of planes of each type. Gov't is also free with the expenses, & it is reported that an average of N7 bill has gone into Ops each year since 2001.

The sales which are known include the Gowon F28 whch went

19/23 with the seven Nigeria Airways F28s in 1985, the Gowon GII, & the GIV SP. Altho a Falcon 7X and Hawker 4000 are said to have been offered for sale, their fate isn't clear.

Some of the accidents include a belly landing of the F28 at Benin airport, from

20/23 which it was recovered & repaired, & the two HS 125-700s lost in 1985 & 1996, both with fatalities.

The Fleet is not without its folklore, which includes that, Capt Thahal was a favorite of Sir Ahmadu Bello, & Gen Gowon. At altitude in a Nigeria

21/23 Airways 707, Gowon brought Prez William Tolbert of Liberia into the cockpit to show off. Tolbert was amazed to see only Black faces at th controls. He was proud of the Brothers. There & then, he awarded Sam Ohiomah, the Captain, one of Liberia's highest

22/23 national honours. On the spot.

Then, there was IBB, on a state visit to Libya. On an internal trip, as he settled in his seat in the cabin of the aircraft, he praised the aircraft, to his host. Gaddafi probably with some amusement, said he bought it

23/23 from Nigeria... it was the F28 disposed of with the Airways fleet! And it was just thirteen years old at that time. ENDS

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