The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has praised a team of military engineers and technicians for successfully restoring a Dornier DO-228 aircraft that had been grounded for over two decades.
The feat, achieved after 23 years of dormancy, highlights the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to innovation and resource optimization.
Air Marshal Abubakar lauded the team, which included five engineers and 40 technicians, describing their effort as “a testament to the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to self-reliance and resource optimisation.”
Originally designated as “5N-MPS,” the aircraft was previously operated by the Ministry of Mines, Power, and Steel before becoming inactive at the DANA facility in Kaduna in 2001.
Following a presidential directive to transfer idle platforms to the NAF for evaluation, the reactivation process commenced.
NAF spokesperson, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, detailed the endeavour in a statement on Wednesday.
He explained that the restoration was undertaken by a specialized team from the NAF 431 Engineering Group in Kaduna.
“The NAF took on the challenge of reactivating this aircraft, a Dash 201 Series with only 1,081 flight hours since new, considering the task a unique opportunity to restore a valuable national asset,” the statement read.
The project, carried out between June and September 2024, involved thorough planning and precise execution.
“It involved meticulous planning and painstaking execution by the engineering team, showcasing their technical expertise and determination,” Akinboyewa noted.
Now redesignated as “NAF-039,” the restored aircraft will enhance the NAF’s tactical airlift operations, joining a fleet of DO-228 aircraft still in service globally.
Akinboyewa also highlighted the NAF’s earlier achievement in January 2024, where the force completed its first in-country 4,800-hour inspection on another DO-228 aircraft.
“Significantly, this accomplishment builds upon the NAF’s earlier successes, such as the conduct of the first in-country 4,800-hour inspection on another DO-228 aircraft in January 2024. Together, these milestones highlight the NAF’s growing capacity for advanced in-house aircraft maintenance and serve as a foundation for future projects aimed at achieving technical autonomy,” he added.
