Lagos-based Evergreen Apple Nigeria (EAN), the first fully integrated FBO, maintenance and hangar facility for business jets to open at Murtala Mohammed Airport, has announced ahead of MEBA, that it has achieved Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) certification from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

The EAN workshops are already fully equipped for maintenance of SAFT batteries and aircraft wheels across a range of aircraft including Dornier 328, Bombardier Learjet family, Challenger and Global Express types. The new AMO status means that EAN can now undertake wheels and battery service provision on a wider variety of Nigerian registered aircraft types and takes EAN one step closer to its long term goal of being able to offer full line maintenance in Nigeria for Nigerian registered aircraft.

Through its existing relationship with Maintenance Centre Malta (MCM) EAN already offers AOG capability 24/7 and can provide maintenance for visiting aircraft during regular daily operations. The partnership has MCM supporting EAN clients with line maintenance, wheels, brakes and battery servicing on European registered aircraft at the EAN facility. A team of three MCM engineering staff are based full time at the facility and work with an EASA certified engineer who manages the maintenance projects. "Working with MCM, an established EASA Part 145 Organisation, means we can offer line maintenance on all EASA registered aircraft; this maintenance business is now bolstered by EAN achieving the AMO certification, another important milestone in our development strategy" says Segun Demuren CEO and Founder of EAN. "The majority of aircraft operating in Nigeria are listed on a foreign register which makes sourcing local maintenance a challenge, however with our EASA partner, complemented by the AMO certification we can provide a rounded maintenance offering. Aircraft operators and owners will not have to re-position aircraft to South Africa, the Middle East or Europe for regular maintenance so saving them time and money."

For the immediate future EAN is also working on extending its capabilities to perform maintenance on rotary aircraft beginning with the Bell 430 and Bell 427 helicopters along with general aviation types such as de Havilland Twin Otter float planes. EAN recognises that for Business and General Aviation to succeed in Nigeria there must be solid infrastructure support to sustain the growing aviation fleet and is committed to nurturing its maintenance team. In June EAN recruited a recently qualified FAA certified engineer who has Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority approval. His appointment was swiftly followed in September by the recruitment of a US national A&P expert with extensive experience in Nigeria. With the current team of six engineers and technicians EAN can accommodate up to six medium sized jets parked, or four undergoing simultaneous maintenance at its leading aviation facility, and plans to replicate this in other parts of Nigeria.

Contributed by Evergreen Apple Nigeria

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