FG Builds Helipad In Daura For Buhari
The Federal Government has embarked on a measure to
save President Muhammadu Buhari the hassle of a road journey from
Katsina airport.
According to a report by This Day, the FG is building a helipad in Daura, Katsina state in order to ensure a direct flight for the president whenever he visits his country home.
A source who spoke to the media outfit on Saturday said the helipad when completed will make it easy to fly the President in one of the Presidential helicopters straight to Daura and by-pass Katsina Airport completely.
He said: “I can tell you that right now, they are building a Helipad in Daura and when it is completed he doesn’t have to fly to Katsina Airport again. Helipad is a kind of landing for Helicopters.”
The source confirmed that presently there are only six functional Aircraft at the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).
“The
maximum number of functional planes we have right now is six and out of
that six there is a high usage for it. Consider that last week in one
day, the President used one to Katsina, the Vice
President used the other one to Lagos, and the Senate President used the third one to meeting President Olusegun Obasanjo at Abeokuta via Lagos and later to Ilorin, Kwara state.
“The thing is that all these while, even under the previous government we only have six serviceable Presidential aircraft,” the source noted.
According to aviation sources, the presidential fleet is believed to comprise about 16 aircraft, the biggest of which are the Boeing 738 BBJ, NAF 001 or Eagle One, used by the president for his travels.
The Boeing 738 BBJ is a luxury configuration comprising a master bedroom, washrooms and showers, a conference and dining area, and a living area.
It is gathered that the plane seats 25 to 50 passengers and would cost at least $100 million to replace today.
Eagle One on the other hand can spend 12 hours in the air, covering 11,489 kilometres or 6,200 nautical miles.
Sources have disclosed that the presidential fleet boasts two Gulfstream 550 jets. The Gulfstream 550 can seat eight to 18 passengers, depending on the configuration, and has a cruiser range of 12,501 kilometres or 6,750 nautical miles. A new luxury Gulfstream 550 would cost an estimated $53.5 million.
It was also gathered that out of the 16 planes in the presidential fleet, eight of the planes are reserved strictly for the president. These are the Boeing 737, the two Gulfstream 550 jets, the Gulfstream V jet, two Falcon 7X planes, the Hawker Siddeley aircraft and one Augusta Westland chopper.
Others are reserved for executive airlift. Aircraft used for this function include the two Falcon 900 planes, the Dornier, the Cessna Citation, the Beechracft King Air, and two Augusta Westland choppers.
Aircraft reserved for executive airlift are used by the Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and could be used to convey African heads of states visiting or departing Nigeria.
It was earlier reported that President Buhari directed that nine of the VIP transport aircraft under the presidential fleet should be sold as part of the federal government’s cost-saving measures. Hours after, the presidency denied such directives.
According to a report by This Day, the FG is building a helipad in Daura, Katsina state in order to ensure a direct flight for the president whenever he visits his country home.
A source who spoke to the media outfit on Saturday said the helipad when completed will make it easy to fly the President in one of the Presidential helicopters straight to Daura and by-pass Katsina Airport completely.
He said: “I can tell you that right now, they are building a Helipad in Daura and when it is completed he doesn’t have to fly to Katsina Airport again. Helipad is a kind of landing for Helicopters.”
The source confirmed that presently there are only six functional Aircraft at the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).
Helipad
President used the other one to Lagos, and the Senate President used the third one to meeting President Olusegun Obasanjo at Abeokuta via Lagos and later to Ilorin, Kwara state.
“The thing is that all these while, even under the previous government we only have six serviceable Presidential aircraft,” the source noted.
According to aviation sources, the presidential fleet is believed to comprise about 16 aircraft, the biggest of which are the Boeing 738 BBJ, NAF 001 or Eagle One, used by the president for his travels.
The Boeing 738 BBJ is a luxury configuration comprising a master bedroom, washrooms and showers, a conference and dining area, and a living area.
It is gathered that the plane seats 25 to 50 passengers and would cost at least $100 million to replace today.
Eagle One on the other hand can spend 12 hours in the air, covering 11,489 kilometres or 6,200 nautical miles.
Sources have disclosed that the presidential fleet boasts two Gulfstream 550 jets. The Gulfstream 550 can seat eight to 18 passengers, depending on the configuration, and has a cruiser range of 12,501 kilometres or 6,750 nautical miles. A new luxury Gulfstream 550 would cost an estimated $53.5 million.
It was also gathered that out of the 16 planes in the presidential fleet, eight of the planes are reserved strictly for the president. These are the Boeing 737, the two Gulfstream 550 jets, the Gulfstream V jet, two Falcon 7X planes, the Hawker Siddeley aircraft and one Augusta Westland chopper.
Others are reserved for executive airlift. Aircraft used for this function include the two Falcon 900 planes, the Dornier, the Cessna Citation, the Beechracft King Air, and two Augusta Westland choppers.
Aircraft reserved for executive airlift are used by the Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and could be used to convey African heads of states visiting or departing Nigeria.
It was earlier reported that President Buhari directed that nine of the VIP transport aircraft under the presidential fleet should be sold as part of the federal government’s cost-saving measures. Hours after, the presidency denied such directives.
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