By Emmanuel Ogbodo
Nigerian Air Force (NAF), engineers have successfully revived a Dornier DO-228 aircraft that had been grounded for 23 years.
The aircraft, originally designated “5N-MPS” and once operated by the defunct Ministry of Mines, Power, and Steel, had remained at the DANA facility in Kaduna since 2001.
After a Presidential Directive for the transfer of grounded platforms to the NAF for evaluation, the reactivation process commenced.
Between June and September 2024, a team of five engineering officers and 40 technicians from the 431 Engineering Group in Kaduna applied advanced techniques and stringent aviation standards to restore the Dash 201 Series aircraft, now renamed “NAF-039.”
With only 1,081 flight hours since its initial service, the aircraft is considered a valuable asset.
The reactivation underscores the NAF’s growing technical expertise and its commitment to reducing reliance on foreign maintenance services.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, commended the engineers for their efforts, noting that the project exemplified NAF’s capabilities and commitment to self-reliance.
This achievement builds on earlier milestones, such as the NAF’s first in-country 4,800-hour inspection of another DO-228 in January 2024.
It strengthens the NAF’s fleet, enhances tactical airlift capabilities, and supports Nigeria’s territorial integrity, while boosting personnel morale and paving the way for future technical autonomy.
