SIMAIR Returns to Nigeria

SIMAIR started in Nigeria over 50 years ago. Here's one of the SIMAIR hangars at the old airport in Jos, Nigeria, where SIMAIR was based. In the early 70s, SIMAIR began basing planes permantly in Niger. SIMAIR Nigeria closed it's doors in the early 80s. Flights continued to Nigeria from Niger until the early 90s. Since then, SIMAIR hasn't returned to Nigeria because of many logistical obstacles. A year ago, a MAF Cessna 182 with a diesel engine like ours passed through Niger on it's way from Europe to Congo where it was put in service. We parked the plane in our hangar overnight and provided lodging for the two pilots. In talking with them, we learned of the agent in Europe that they used to get their flight clearances for their trip. We contacted him and discovered that he could help us get flight clearances to fly to Nigeria. We typically get 3-4 flight requests a year to go to Nigeria, but until now we've had to say we can't fly there. About a month ago, we received another request to fly to Nigeria. With our newly discovered contact, we decided to give it a try. Two weeks of emails back and forth, scanning documents for Civil Aviation, and eventually we received landing permit numbers for two flights last week! Ian broke the trail on the first flight, flying two passengers 3 hrs to Abuja, Nigeria. They then drove 2 1/2 hrs to Jos for 3 days of meetings. The drive from here to Jos is 2 full days of exhausting driving over some very rough sections of road.


I flew back to Abuja to pick them up after their meetings were finished. Here are some pictures of the flight. Nigeria is south of Niger, so they get more rains for a longer period of time. Things are noticeable greener there. I took off early in the morning into the rising sun and dust in the air. Just on the other side of the border I flew across the section of ponds and streams in the picture above that collect during the rainy season.


The terrain is fairly flat coming across the northwest part of Nigeria, with a few hills here and there.


As you get to central Nigeria where Jos is located, the terrain rises to a 3000 ft high plateau. Abuja is still west of the plateau but gets the weather that builds over the plateau.


A broken layer of clouds covered the central part of the country, which meant I had to do the instrument approach into the airport in Abuja. Once on the ground, I was met by two handling agents who took my paperwork and money and headed off on the mile walk to the tower to file the papers and pay the bills for me. A fuel truck pulled up and I was able to refuel quickly. I then headed into the international terminal to find the passengers. An airport worker escorted me in and helped us negotiate security back out to the plane with the passengers. I was hoping that the handling agents might be done with their part by the time we returned to the plane and we could be on our way. Wishful thinking...


Instead, I took the passengers to the executive lounge to wait in the shade. They each found a piece of shade on the ramp under the wing and horizontal. About 30 minutes later the handlers returned and we re-entered the terminal with them to have the passports stamped. We were then free to go after 2 1/2 hrs on the ground. Initially, the tower would only clear us to fly the instrument airway back to Niger, which would have added 30 minutes to the return flight. I pleaded our case, but they weren't budging. Just as I began to turn on course to intercept the airway, the controller cleared us to fly direct to Niamey instead! We landed back in Niamey 3 hrs later in mid-afternoon.

Overall, we were pleased with our first flights back to Nigeria after so many years away. The passengers were happy that the flights enabled them to meet with Church leaders in Nigeria about a possible partnership in the work in Niger. They were especially happy about not having to drive 4 days to/from Jos!