Aviation new.
The Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, on December 31 stepped down as the airlines MD. An airline he brought back to life after its fortunes dwindled for years when he was appointed by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria.
Captain Sanusi who confirmed this in a telephone interview with a reporter, was the managing director of Aero Contractors from February 13, 2017 till December 31, 2020 and during his stint as MD opened new frontiers for the airline.
For now, AMCON is yet to publicize the news or announce a replacement
According to Nigerianflightdeck report, Sanusi was instrumental to the complete paradigm shift turning the over 50 year old airline into a capable Maintenance Repair Organization (MRO) rolling out some of its previously unserviceable aircraft in 2018 and 2019.
Under Sanusi’s leadership, the airline sort for and gained Third party maintenance approval and is already making in-roads onto West and Central Africa in Ghana and Congo precisely.
Also set the process to upgrade the airline’s MRO, as well as sign various other agreements to help the airline maintain a semblance breaking even.
Capt. Sanusi, a thorough-bred aviation professional; was Deputy Managing Director of Arik Air, and in 2009 one time Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) led the organization in 2017 to seek for and acquire approval to handle C-Checks on Boeing 737series along with its maintenance of the Bombardier Turboprop airliner series, boosting its chances of turning the curb of a disappointing past couple of years.
Aero Contractors received certification from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to handle C-checks on Boeing B737-300, B737-400 and B737-500 at the airline’s terminal effective from September 12, 2017 thereby domesticating maintenance that is the major bane to almost all domestic airlines in the country
The erstwhile managing director of Aero started his flying carrier in Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria where he obtained Commercial Pilot License and a National Diploma in Aeronautical Sciences. He then proceeded to the United States where he advanced his education and obtained Air Transport Pilot License, Certified Flight and Ground Instructor’s license in the following institution in United States: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Flight Safety Savannah GA, University of Southern California, Simuflite Dallas TX North America Training and Development TX, USAir Training center Pittsburg PA Flight Safety International Wichita KS.
Sanusi also worked for Kabo Air, a local airline as a Senior First Officer and then proceeded to ExxonMobil as Captain and flight Safety Officer. He then joined Virgin Nigeria as a Captain on the B737 Classic.
He worked in collaboration with other parastatals in the aviation industry (NCAT, Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to implement the total radar coverage on the Nigeria Airspace (TRACON). He designed the blue print of capacity building by organizing training for the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in the United States.