GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATION OF FOREIGN REGISTERED AIRCRAFT IN GENERAL AVIATION IN NIGERIA

This document prescribes guidelines and requirements for operation of foreign registered aircraft in general aviation in Nigeria.

1.0       General Guidelines and Requirements

1.1       Application for utilization of foreign registered aircraft (this must be made in respect of each aircraft to be operated) must be addressed to the Authority. The applicant must also obtain Ministerial permit to import the aircraft from the Honourable Minister of Aviation.

1.2       The operator must ha\ve a valid Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) which can be obtained from the Authority.

1.3       It is required that the CAA of country of registration must be an ICAO member state and CAA of that state must have been audited by the ICAO and found satisfactory.

1.4       NCAA inspector(s) must carry out a pre-importation inspection of the aircraft at a cost to be borne by the applicant (operator) before the aircraft will be given clearance to operate into the country.

2.0       Application for Maintenance Clearance Certificate (MCC)

2.1       In the case of aircraft to be used for private air transport, application must be made by the operator for Maintenance Clearance Certificate (MCC).  This is issued after the operator has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Directorate of Airworthiness Standards (DAWS), that there is in force, an acceptable maintenance arrangement for the aircraft and that the said aircraft is airworthy.

2.2       Aircraft Equipment must be adequate for its intended operation and should include Digital FDR, CVR, GPWS, INS or GPS and HF radio (see Nigeria CARs Part 7)

2.3       There must be a Current Certificate of Airworthiness in force in respect of the aircraft

2.4       Qualification of the line maintenance certifying staff and validity of their licences issued by the said CAA of country of registration shall be verified.

2.5       NCAA airworthiness inspectors will perform at operator’s expense, survey of the aircraft during annual and/or major checks and for the purpose of MCC renewal.  Audit of the documents pertaining to the following shall also be carried out.  These are:

2.5.1    status of compliance with ageing programme (Corrosion Prevention and Control, Supplemental Structural Inspection or equivalent, Service Bulletins, other Airworthiness Directives, etc. as applicable).

2.5.2    status of compliance with approved maintenance programme or manufacturer’s maintenance manual.

2.5.3        approval of modifications and repairs on the aircraft,

2.5.4        maintenance records of the aircraft.

2.5.5    All documents submitted to NCAA must be in the English Language.

 3.0       Application for Flight Operations Clearance Certificate (FOCC)

3.1       In the case of aircraft to be used for private air transport, application must be made by the operator for Flight Operations Clearance Certificate (FOCC).  This is issued to the operator by the Directorate of Operations & Training (DOT) after examining the following.

3.1.1    Qualification and Validity of flight crew licences issued by the CAA of the country of registration

3.1.2    Current simulator reports on flight crew. Approval of simulator facility

3.1.3    Medical report in respect of each pilot.

3.1.4    All required documents for operation of the aircraft among others.

4.0       Safety Oversight

4.1       NCAA shall notify the CAA of the country of registration about the aircraft’s operation in Nigeria.

4.2       NCAA and the CAA of the country of registration to meet and sign an agreement for the safety oversight of the aircraft. (This should be facilitated by the Operator).

4.3       All reportable defects shall be intimated to NCAA and the CAA in the English Language and the language of the country of the CAA respectively.  In addition, details of a failure or incident and the maintenance action taken must be sent immediately to the DAWS in case of component or system failure, or any incident (including foreign body ingestion into the engine), which requires unscheduled maintenance action.

4.4       In case of incidents or accidents occurring which require investigation while the aircraft is/are operating in Nigeria, the state shall participate with its representatives on the investigation committee, in accordance with the provisions of ICAO Annex 13.

Should you require further information do not hesitate to contact:

The Director General

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority

Aviation House, P.M.B. 21029, 21038

Ikeja, Lagos.