Nestled in the heart of Zaria, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) stands as a beacon of excellence in aviation training. Stepping onto the serene college, you would be enveloped by the lush greenery that surrounds the institution’s state-of-the-art facilities.
The tranquil atmosphere, punctuated by the hum of aircraft engines and the chirping of birds, creates an ideal environment for learning and growth. With a rich history of producing thousands of skilled pilots, NCAT continues to innovate and push the boundaries of aviation training.
The institution’s commitment to excellence is evident in its cutting-edge facilities, including advanced simulators, a flying school, and diverse fleet of aircraft designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the aviation industry.
As a hub of innovation, NCAT remains at the forefront of aviation training, incorporating the latest technologies and methodologies to ensure that its graduates are well-prepared to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industry.
From modern trainee aircraft specifically designed to facilitate flight and maintenance training to the Boeing 737NG simulator, a device that recreates the experience of flying an aircraft, NCAT continues to invest in modern facilities to train its students.
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As the largest Approved Training Organisation (ATO) in Aviation in Africa, NCAT has been instrumental in shaping the careers of numerous pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, air traffic controllers, and other aviation experts. The college has six schools, covering various courses that meet the needs of the aviation industry.
According to Rector Danjuma Ismaila, almost 70 percent of Nigerian aviation professionals were trained at NCAT, either initially or in subsequent future training. The institution has also attracted international attention, with foreign students from various parts of Africa partnering with NCAT for training.
NCAT’s global reach is further demonstrated by its partnerships with civil aviation authorities in Africa, including South Sudan, Egypt, Congo, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, and Cameroon.
These partnerships have led to Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) for training programs, enabling NCAT to share its expertise and provide high-quality training to aviation professionals worldwide. The college’s Platinum Membership with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is a testament to its commitment to excellence and international standards.
The college’s facilities are designed to provide hands-on training and simulation experiences, preparing students for real-world scenarios. The Airport Emergency Training School (AETS), for instance, features a state-of-the-art simulator that recreates life-like emergency situations, allowing students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. With its strong industry partnerships and commitment to innovation, NCAT is poised to continue shaping the future of aviation training in Africa and beyond.
By providing top-notch training and simulation experiences, NCAT equips its students with the skills and confidence needed to excel in the aviation industry. Whether you’re a prospective student, an aviation enthusiast, or simply looking to explore the world of flight, NCAT is a destination that embodies the perfect blend of tradition, innovation, and excellence. With its rich history, cutting-edge facilities, and global reach, NCAT is an institution that continues to inspire and shape the next generation of aviation professionals.
BD Sunday recently visited the College and spoke with Ismaila, NCAT’s Rector who disclosed that when he came to the college in February, he discovered that the college has a lot of potential and that it can serve all aviation industry training needs, but unfortunately, there are some gaps in the system, which prevented he and his team from meeting the training needs of the industry, pushing industry professionals to go abroad for training.
Foreign students flock NCAT
BDSunday checks show that despite these gaps, the new rector is closing up on them and investing in infrastructure which is attracting foreign students from various parts of Africa to partner the institution for training.
“So far, we have been able to get attention from South Sudan, Egypt Congo, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Cameroon, and many others.
“We met South Sudan citizens in one of the programmes, which we attended. So, we invited them, they saw what we have and showed interest in partnering with us to organise programmes or train their staff. South Sudan wants to launch their country into global aviation.
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“The government knows it has to train its staff to make them professional and competent enough to provide the services within the country. And so, they signed a MoU with us just last month for us to train various cadres of professionals in the sector there. They have gone with our programmes and they are going there to assess it, to see the ones that they will pick for their people.
“We are going to run some programmes here in Zaria and some of them will be done in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The Director-General of their Civil Aviation in South Sudan, visited NCAT and according to him, it was the President of the country that approved for him to visit the country. He and the Head of Training of the South Sudan Civil Aviation came here for discussions.
“So far, they have assessed our programmes and they were really impressed with what they saw and they promised to send some participants to us here. This is going to bring a lot of revenues to the Nigerian government and the college as well,” the rector disclosed.
“Also, we have already signed an MoU with the Egyptian United Agency. They are also a training outfit, providing Air Traffic Service (ATS) to the country. They trained some of their engineers here. In fact, this was the second time they were coming here and they were impressed with the standard of training we provided them here.
“Rather than going abroad or elsewhere, they felt that Nigeria was giving them very good options, value for money and that’s why they came here. Well, anywhere you go in the world, our programmes have met the international standards, anybody can patronise us all over the world.
“By the time our full flight simulator, which is in high demand globally is ready, people will come here to do their programmes,” the rector explained.
Ismaila hinted that at the management level, they decided to see how they could bring in new courses to meet the training needs of every aviation professional. “Because if we do this, we will save the country a lot of foreign exchange going out for training. Also, the government will save a lot of foreign exchange and we will also have the opportunity to earn more foreign exchange if we can attract foreign trainees.”
He said that currently, the college has been getting some foreign trainees.
“When I came here, I decided to take that as a challenge. How do I reposition the college in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda? The college has been neglected for a long time and it has not been meeting the training needs of the industry personnel.
“How can we now meet these needs and also that of our foreign participants? We are proud to say that we are the largest Approved Training Organisation (ATO) in the aviation industry in the whole of Africa, in terms of the number of courses we run. And that is why the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has classified us as the Platinum Membership. Before now, we were the Centre of Excellence in Africa, but now we are in the Excellence Platinum Membership,” the rector said.
He said just a few weeks ago, the Nigeria Airforce led by Air vice Marshal Olayinka Oyesola, the Commander, Presidential Air Fleet partnered with NCAT.
“The Nigerian Air Force training is different from civilian training. So, but for them to have their training in military pilot, if they want to convert, they have to do abridged training programmes, which we have for them here. So, it’s a requirement by the NCAA that for them to license and to operate into civil aviation, they have to do certain programmes for conversion.
“In almost every part of the world, most of the pilots, whether in America and other places, were originally Air Force pilots. So, it’s easy for them to migrate or convert into civil aviation pilots.
“So, here in Nigeria, today too, they were supposed to have done that. In Nigeria, most of the air force don’t retire in their early ages. They only retire by the time they clock 60 years. By the time somebody reaches age 60, what is he going to do again? So, it’s going to be very difficult for him, even if you convert him, he doesn’t have much time to render the services.
“This is not the case in other developed countries where somebody can retire at the age of 35 or 40, because he just wants a change of life and by the time he changes, he now converts into civil. That is why you have so many pilots over there, but the reverse is the case here in Nigeria,” he said.
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Flying school
At the Flying School, instructors train pilots and cabin crew.
Pilots are trained right from the initial to commercial pilot license stage.
At the Flying School, there are various training aircraft for training pilots which include the Diamond DA40-NG, DA42-NG, TB-9 Tampico, a single-engine, four-seat light aircraft and Beechcraft Baron, a light, twin-engine piston aircraft known for its versatility and performance.
The Flying School also has a simulator for initial training before the students fly the aircraft.
Zego Ibrahim, head of Flying School told BDSunday that the institution has equipment to adequately train students, but it is the serviceability of the equipment that would determine how many can be used to train students at a time.
He disclosed that the Flying School has over 25 aircraft, including the serviceable and unserviceable ones.
“These aircraft use different types of fuel. We used to use Avgas. But we now changed the aircraft to ones that use Jet fuel. So, right now, we are transitioning to changing our fuel systems. So, some of these aircrafts are serviceable, but the fuel is not available. And we are trying to replace our fuel systems,” he explained,
He said at the Flying school, trainings are done for cabin crew, standard flight operations and pilots.
Ibrahim said the pilot training at NCAT last for an average of two years
Fatima Talbot, a student pilot at NCAT, shared her experience of undergoing flight actuals training.
“I’m currently doing my Flight actuals, that means I am done with the Private Pilot License (PPL) stage of theory. After that, we do NCAA PPL exams. If we pass the exams then we can fly the aircraft. At this stage, I’m flying an aircraft already,” Talbot said.
The student pilot who said she has been at NCAT for a year plus expressed her optimism about completing her training and obtaining her commercial pilot license.
Emergency training school
The Emergency Training School at NCAT is a state-of-the-art facility designed to simulate real-life emergency situations, providing students with hands-on training to manage critical incidents. Located within the NCAT campus, this school boasts an impressive simulator that recreates life-like scenarios, immersing students in a realistic environment.
Within the simulator, students are trained to respond to emergency situations such as aircraft fires, allowing them to develop the skills and confidence needed to handle high-pressure situations. The simulator’s advanced technology enables students to experience realistic scenarios, from the sound of alarms to the heat and smoke of a fire, all in a safe and controlled environment.
Under the guidance of experienced instructors, students learn to assess situations, make quick decisions, and take effective action to mitigate emergencies. The training program is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and expertise required to respond to emergency situations in a real-world setting.
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The Emergency Training School at NCAT is an invaluable resource for students, providing them with a unique opportunity to develop their skills in a realistic and immersive environment. By simulating real-life emergency scenarios, the school helps students build confidence, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, preparing them for the challenges they may face in their future careers.
Kole Uhuegho, Dean, Airport Emergency Training School (AETS), spoke about the fire simulator and the training programs offered by the school.
“We are going to create a live simulator to enable this situation. What you will see is how we are going to create this. Once we are satisfied with the fire scene, we will take you to the operator to simulate the fire.”
Uhuegho also highlighted the importance of instructor training and the need for government investment in capacity building.
“So government cannot stop at the level of saying, oh, they have the initiative; they need to go for an advanced course. Apart from that, there are instructor’s competencies that they need to build on the fire simulator. Even the simulator now, the way it is, only these two officers have a good understanding of what the operation is like.”
The college has also seen an increase in international interest, with countries like Sudan and Gambia sending students for training.
