The Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology had intensified its effort to manufacture the first light training aircraft in the country.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Spokesperson of the Air Force Institute of Technology, Dr Bassey Okon stressing the aggressive drive of the institute to launch the aircraft underlines the dream of the Nigerian Air Force to transform the aviation sector in the country, according to The Punch.
Okon emphasized that when finished, the aircraft would hold two passengers, have a maximum takeoff mass of 850 kg, and be able to fly for five hours.
He further said that the aircraft was in an advanced stage of production, having begun with student design contests, hackathons, and competitions in robotics and artificial intelligence, among others.
He noted that the production was just awaiting the last phase, after which it would likely be tested and launched.
“The aircraft was subsequently designed to meet a maximum take-off mass of 850 kg, a capacity for two passengers, a maximum payload mass of 40kg and a 10m wing span. It was to be powered by a Lycoming IO-360 engine and would have a maximum operational flight time of about 5 hours. It would be capable of a maximum forward speed of 120 knots and a range of 453 nautical miles.
“The aircraft is expected to have a maximum operational altitude of 10,000 ft and will feature state-of-the-art technology such as graphene material for coating structural components, an integrated vehicle health monitoring system and advanced avionics equipment,” he expounded.
According to Okon, the ALTA project is at an advanced stage as the aircraft production process has gone past the detailed design stage.
“The next phase of the project is the final manufacture, followed by testing. The parts have been assembled and the aircraft is in its final phase of production, including the infusion of all essential airframe and operational accessories.
“It is expected that with the focused research effort by the institute, it will not be long before Nigeria launches her first indigenous light trainer aircraft,” Okon noted.
He, however, hoped that AFIT would be allowed to focus on the institution’s focus of transforming the aviation industry in Nigeria “and providing the needed technical support to the Nigerian Air Force operations. We look forward to welcoming Nigeria’s first indigenous aircraft through the research efforts of AFIT. The future is here”.
The spokesperson of the institute also expressed trust in the reaffirmed dedication of Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, the Chief of the Air Staff, and Air Vice Marshal Sani Rabe, the Institute’s Commandant.
