Ncaa grants wetlink airline aoc

A new Nigerian registered airline-WestLink, has been granted Air Operator Certificate(AOC) by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA).

The AOC was handed over to the Chairman/Chief Executive of the airline, Captain Ibrahim Mshelia at the weekend by the Director of Airworthiness of NCAA, Mr Benedict Adeyileka who stood in for the acting Director General of the Authority.
Capt Ibrahim(l) receiving the AOC from Dirct.Airworthiness,Adeyileka

While handing over the AOC to Captain Mshelia, the Director of Airworthiness enjoined the airline management to ensure that the airline operate to optimum standards required by the regulator from any airline that scaled the rigorous process of acquiring the certificate.

Adeyileka while felicitating with Captain Mshelia during the brief ceremony noted that:’’ the occasion is to celebrate the issuance of Air Operator Certificate[AOC] to WestLink Airline Ltd. Its an occasion worth celebrating because its only the chairman of the airline,Captain Mshelia that can appreciate what it takes to get an AOC both financially, stress and regulation which is paramount’’.

He said this was because the Authority has to ensure that the airline has the capability to comply with all the regulations both technically and financially to ensure that the airline has the capability to operate without endangering passengers safety.
According to him, there was no point having an airline that after taking off, two three weeks after the airline run out of fund to continue operations and also ensure that passengers safety was not compromised in any way.

The Chairman of WestLink, Captain Mshelia in his response expressed his delight at the issuance of AOC to his company and commended the NCAA team that handled the process of certification which began on 7th,June, 2010, adding that despite the rigorous process, it was ‘a happy ending’.

He said that he was exited and encouraged with the receipt of the AOC and that he believed that the granting of the certificate to his airline was a signal of trust bestowed on his company by the government through NCAA and pledge to ensure that, ‘’We do not fail NCAA and our clients’’.

As an entry point to the Nigerian Market, Captain Mshelia said the airline would first go into chater service and Umra operations to Mecca, Saudi Arabia and eventually venture into schedule passenger operations.

Source: Naija Aviators