Yemisi Izuora
The Managing Director of Medview, Alhaji Muneer Bankole has said the airline has made significant contribution to build capacity in the sector.
Bankole who assessed his airlines input in stabilising the sector said it has extended so much in terms of capacity building in the aviation industry, stating that he is doing his utmost and would continue to train aircraft captains, first officers, engineers and other technical staff needed in the sector.
He said he has lost many pilots to poaching noting however that the sector is experiencing dearth of manpower and poaching.
Bankole however observed that it is an industry where airlines feed each other while these pilots and engineers move on to greener pastures but stated that one sure way to counter loss of manpower is by continuous training.
Nigeria started shorting out on qualified technical personnel after the liquidation of National carrier, Nigeria Airways.
Many professionals, stakeholders are of the strong opinion that when the defunct carrier was still flying it accounted for the training of almost of the technical staff that most airlines these days boast of and there is palpable fear that if this generation passes Nigeria will face a serious shortage in personnel.
This according to experts implies that Nigeria would turn to expatriates that would cost the country a lot of capital flight adding to existing trend in aircraft and spare parts acquisition as well as maintenance of aircraft.
Bankole, also a product of the defunct national carrier stated that he is not deterred as his airline is filling a void left open by the demise of the national carrier and stated that Medview Airline will continue to train and retrain and churn out pilots and engineers.
“We will continue to train, most of our pilots have been poached but that will not stop training. On airline already has eight (8) of my pilots, my captains and we will continue to train because that is the only way to sustain this industry.”
Also speaking, Medview’s Director of Training Captain Ade Ayeni, who flew in the airline’s Boeing 767-300 stated that they keep training in-house and improving the quality of services.
Ayeni said, “The travelling public should be rest assured that Medview Airline is magnanimous with the training of its pilots and engineers and the travelling public should be rest assured that we are all well trained here and training is still ongoing. It is continuous.”