UK Aviation Authority Reports Safety Concerns Over Air Peace Operations

The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) has raised safety violation concerns regarding the Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, shortly after the airline began its Lagos-London route.

In a letter addressed to Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the UK CAA cited two mandatory incident reports highlighting Air Peace’s safety violations. The reports were titled “United Kingdom SAFA Ramp Inspection Report” and “NATS Management System Safety Report,” with reference numbers CAA-UK-2024-0217.

The NCAA responded by writing to Air Peace to address the issues. The letter, dated May 14, 2024, with reference number NCAA/DOLTS/APL/Vol.11/03624, was signed by the NCAA General Manager of Operations, Capt. O.O. Lawani. It noted that the UK CAA had raised concerns about the lack of operational approval for Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) functions, which are crucial for the safe operation of aircraft.

The captain of the Air Peace flight reportedly admitted to using an EFB for navigational purposes. Still, the UK CAA alleged that there was “no mounting device for the use of EFB, no charging points or battery for backup.”

For context, an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) is a digital device pilots use to access navigational charts, operational manuals, and weather information and perform flight planning calculations. EFBs can be simple apps on tablets or integrated systems in the aircraft.

“The captain of the flight admitted that an Electronic Flight Bag was being used for navigational purposes,” the NCAA’s letter stated. Furthermore, it emphasised that the UK CAA’s concerns about the EFB’s operational approval needed to be addressed to ensure compliance with safety standards.

Air Peace commenced operations at London Gatwick from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on April 25, 2024, under Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with the UK. The new route had initially led to a price-cut war among air carriers.

Despite the concerns raised, Air Peace has yet to respond publicly to the allegations and the subsequent directives from the NCAA.

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