Page 31 - World Airnews Magazine March 2021

NEWS

UNITED NIGERIA

TAKES TO THE SKIES

By David Casey

from the West Coast. We have a big plan.” The launch of United Nigeria comes as
Okonkwo added that the airline hopes to another Nigerian startup, Green Africa

ust weeks after securing an air opera- expand its network within three months. Airways, prepares to take to the skies. The
Jtor’s certi fi cate (AOC), United Nigeria According to data provided by OAG LCC is currently working towards securing

has begun commercial operations. Schedules Analyser, there were 96,883 seats its AOC and hopes to begin commercial

The carrier, which is based at Enugu available in Nigeria’s domestic market the flights in the coming months.
Akanu Ibiam International (ENU) and has week beginning February 15, compared with Green Africa Airways has 50 Airbus

a fleet of four Embraer ERJ145 aircraft, 175,000 during the same week a year ago. A220-300s on order and plans to operate

operated its first flights on Feb. 12, with the LOS-ABV is the busiest route in the domestic flights within Nigeria and then

inaugural service connecting Lagos (LOS) country, currently accounting for about build a pan-African network.
with ENU. 31% of all weekly capacity. OAG’s data Earlier in 2021, domestic airline domestic

Booking is now available for a domestic shows that United Nigeria will compete carrier Azman Air also unveiled plans for

network comprising five routes. As well with seven other carriers on the sector, an ambitious growth strategy in 2021. The

as flying daily between LOS and ENU, the which collectively offer almost 30,000 airline intends to add another A340-600,

airline will operate LOS-Abuja (ABV), LOS- weekly seats. three 737-800s and five regional aircraft to

Asaba (ABB), ABV-ABB and ABV-ENU. Dana Air is the largest operator, flying its fleet. Q
Owerri (QOW), Port Harcourt (PHC) and 5X-daily and providing 10,000 two-way

Warri (QRW) have been identified seats. Arik Air is the second largest with

as destinations likely to be served in 34X-weekly flights and 8,400 seats. About David Casey

the future. Among the five other operators of flights David Casey is Senior Network

United Nigeria chairman Obiora Okonkwo between Lagos and Nigeria’s capital Abuja Planning Editor for Routesonline, the

said, “You can see we have a base in Enugu, is Qatar Airways, which launched flights global route development communi-
and we have to consolidate, establish all to ABV in November 2020. The 3X-weekly ty's trusted source for airline route
our routes and then work on expansion. We route from Doha (DOH) via LOS uses Boeing announcements.

want to expand beyond Nigeria, starting 787 aircraft.
HELICOPTERS
RACER OFF TO A SLOW START
irbus Helicopters is pushing off
Athe fi rst fl ight of its compound
Racer - which stands for rapid and

cost-efficient rotorcraft - to 2022.
A company spokesman said the delay
was the result of “the slowdown of

several production lines caused by
the pandemic.”
When initially announced in 2017,

Airbus said Racer would begin flights
in 2020. Despite the delays, the started last year, and the spokesman said Safran Aneto-1X engines that provide

programme has already achieved Airbus Helicopters expected to launch final 25 percent more power the similar-sized
significant milestones, including passing vehicle assembly in “the coming weeks.” engines. Up to a 15 percent reduction

critical design review in 2019. The Racer is designed to cruise nearly in fuel burn can be achieved when

More recently the manufacturing of twice as fast as a conventional helicopter, one of the two engines is placed in

long-lead items in 2020, with major with cruise speeds up to 220 knots. The standby mode during cruise flight, a

components such as the canopy, the aircraft is derived from the European configuration Safran calls "Eco Mode."

composite side shells, and the tail boom Commission's H2020 research programme

have already been delivered. as part of the Clean Sky 2 initiative. Article courtesy: https://www.

Assembly of major sub-assemblies also It is powered by a pair of 2,500-shp ainonline.com/
World Airnews | March 2021
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