Monday, 20 February 2017

NIGERIAN, BRAZILIAN FIRMS FLOAT NEW AIRLINE

A Nigerian firm, Omni-Blu Aviation Limited, has partnered Omni Helicopters
International S.A. of Brazil to develop a new alliance known as Omni Helicopters
Nigeria. The joint venture, which was launched on Wednesday, according to the
promoters, is created to meet the demand for helicopter services in Nigeria’s oil and
gas market. The Brazilian firm is expected to provide technical expertise, access to
aircraft and training of personnel. The Managing Director, Omni-Blu, Capt. Sunny
Adegbuyi, said the firms had demonstrated confidence in the sector at a time wheothers were divesting and pulling out of Nigeria. According to him, Omni-Blu, prior
to the arrangement, had two choppers; one for contract services and the other as a
backup. He said OHI S.A had more than 180 helicopters in its fleet and would be
bringing a minimum of 10 for the new alliance to take off. Adegbuyi stated, “This
alliance is great news for Nigeria and a welcome development for her economy, as
well as the aviation and oil and gas sectors. We are delighted to partner one of the
world’s best helicopter operators at a critical time for Nigeria’s offshore aviation. “We
aim to meet the rising demand of this market with unique balance of operational
strengths and local content.” The Founder, OHI S.A, Capt. Rui Almeida, said his
company would provide technological expertise with focus on local content
development. According to him, the firm flies between 34,000 and 37,000 hours per
year despite the global economic meltdown. Almeida said, “The current situation in
Nigeria is similar to the environment we found in Brazil in 2006, when tightening
regulations and substantially upgraded demands from oil and gas clients offered
opportunities to new entrants. “We succeeded by transferring know-how, granting
access to assets and empowering local excellence. We are familiar with Nigeria,
having operated here in the past, and understand the standards of oil and gas clients,
having serviced many of these clients in Brazil already.” Adegbuyi said apart from the
partnership, the airline also planned to put one of its helicopters on the Kaduna route
to help with transporting passengers during the closure of the Abuja airport for
repairs.

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