Air Peace is a private Nigerian airline that I’ve been fascinated by. The airline has been flying since 2013 primarily as a regional airline, though just a couple of weeks ago launched their first long haul flight to Sharjah in the UAE. The airline has big expansion plans, and wants to add flights to Guangzhou, Houston, and London.
A lot of questions have been raised about the safety of flying with Air Peace, though. The Accident Investigation Bureau of Nigeria has admonished the airline for failing to report accidents and serious incidents on multiple occasions, and for overwriting cockpit voice recorders to conceal evidence.
First of all, Twitter…
Before I talk too much about Air Peace, can I point out how epic the Accident Investigation Bureau of Nigeria Twitter account is?
On their official Twitter account they posted video footage of the guy climbing onto the wing of a departing plane (which I wrote about several days ago), and hashtagged it with:
#aviation #FridayFeeling #MMIA #LionKing2019 #TheGift
Seriously?! I can’t decide whether to shake my head, or laugh to the point that I have tears in my eyes.
https://twitter.com/aibnigeria/status/1152176467251519488
And yep, also gotta love that #FridayMotivation!
https://twitter.com/aibnigeria/status/1149723323997331469
And love flying? Download their app so that you can live report accidents and incidents! #TuesdayMotivation
https://twitter.com/aibnigeria/status/1153597283319070720
Air Peace has yet another safety incident…
Back to Air Peace. Airfleets says that the airline has a fleet of a dozen 737s, though looking at flight tracking only four of them have flown in the past several weeks.
Since mid-May, there have been three incidents involving these planes, which is rather concerning.
On May 15, 2019, an Air Peace 737 flying from Port Harcourt to Lagos had a hard landing that resulted in damage to the engine pod and the landing gear (Air Peace didn’t initially report this incident to authorities).
Then on June 22, 2019, an Air Peace 737 flying from Abuja to Port Hartcourt ended up off the runway due to heavy rain, and came to a rest in soft mud.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgQgGikV0Hs
Today there’s yet another incident, as an Air Peace 737 lost a tire while landing in Lagos.
https://twitter.com/aibnigeria/status/1153651032678756353
Details are still emerging about what happened today, though the good news is that there weren’t any fatalities.
So while none of these incidents were fatal, it sure is concerning when such a small airline has so many things happen in a short period.
By the way, Air Peace had another 737 incident late last year, so here’s a very odd interview with the CEO where he explains what happens. It basically boils down to “of course Air Peace is safe, our pilots don’t want to die!”
(Featured image courtesy of Anna Zvereva)
There was no serious incident in all these,the nigerian Accident and Investigation Bureau is headed by an incompetent and compromised man.
1.One incident was issue of cabin pressure drop,for which face masks were automatically dropped,and pilot had to lower altitude due to pressure until they landed.
2.The other was that,a plane,landed in port harcourt during heavy rain,on slippery ground which made the plane overshoot the runway a little.
3.This latest,was due to...
There was no serious incident in all these,the nigerian Accident and Investigation Bureau is headed by an incompetent and compromised man.
1.One incident was issue of cabin pressure drop,for which face masks were automatically dropped,and pilot had to lower altitude due to pressure until they landed.
2.The other was that,a plane,landed in port harcourt during heavy rain,on slippery ground which made the plane overshoot the runway a little.
3.This latest,was due to pilot error of judgement while deciding where to land on the slippery tarmac after heavy rain,and the nature of the tarmac,she had a hard landing,everything that happened was after the plane landed,There was no incidence on air,flight wasvery smooth.
Airpeace has a British company and an Israeli aerospace engineering group on the ground,everyday,24hours to maintain their fleet.
@KJ - Air Peace has a fleet of barely a dozen operational aircraft now, but 4 serious incidents or accidents in less than 7 months (including 3 since May).
Couple that with statements from AIB Nigeria who have publicly warned the Accountable Manager and Chief Pilot of Air Peace for "willfully fail(ing) to comply with the provisions of the Bureau’s regulations", and further stated that "Air Peace management lacks full understanding of the statutory...
@KJ - Air Peace has a fleet of barely a dozen operational aircraft now, but 4 serious incidents or accidents in less than 7 months (including 3 since May).
Couple that with statements from AIB Nigeria who have publicly warned the Accountable Manager and Chief Pilot of Air Peace for "willfully fail(ing) to comply with the provisions of the Bureau’s regulations", and further stated that "Air Peace management lacks full understanding of the statutory mandates, functions and procedures". This is scathing criticism from an agency that is not usually known for hyperbole.
France - stop being a dick. Lucky is reporting fact and fact is not racist. He also has plenty of articles about incidents from continents all over the world, including North America. Don't create racism where it doesn't exist - it is pathetic!
I agree Chris.Air Peace has had no fatalities,& yet they are castigated for having incidents that nigh on all airlines experience. Did you may sayers advocate avoiding American Airlines, when a B757 crashed in Cali,Columbia,or when the AA MD -80. Overran the runway in Little Rock,or when Southwest were fined for serious maintenance violations??? & the list goes on.
Be fair in your assessments.
I have flown Air Peace several times and the flights had smooth take offs and landings. Incidents happen, even in US where I have lived and worked for 37 years. My advise is, check all airlines mechanically and electrically before take off and after landing. All airlines are man made, same way all road vehicles are man made. Yes, I have booked my Air Peace flight for August and would fly it. I fly cos...
I have flown Air Peace several times and the flights had smooth take offs and landings. Incidents happen, even in US where I have lived and worked for 37 years. My advise is, check all airlines mechanically and electrically before take off and after landing. All airlines are man made, same way all road vehicles are man made. Yes, I have booked my Air Peace flight for August and would fly it. I fly cos all major roads in SE & SW leading to Lagos and Abuja are death traps. Lack of adequate security , full of water logs, pot holes and harassment. Rail lines are needed from Port Harcourt to Owerri, Onitsha, Benin and to Lagos. Hope the Federal Gov. of Nigeria is reading this. Thanks.
Very racist and unfair article. Why not talk the same way about all the incidents from other countries. You seem very focused on making all Africans look bad and your condescending tone makes this even more apparent. Check you white and your wealthy privilege.
lost more than a tire:
http://avherald.com/h?article=4cab4105&opt=0
Lucky, I DO hope that this settles it for you and your Nigerian dreams, but, hey, as my grandmother used to say, you can take a donkey to the pond, you can't make it drink.
Lmao. Do not mind the twitter account operator of the Accident Bureau of Nigeria. They used those hashtags because they were trending at that moment on Nigerian Twitter. Using them will make their post more visible
Nigeria should be downgraded by FAA to Cat II
@ lucky The helicopter is not in Nigeria if you listen to the audio I think it’s Bahasa Indonesian.
I share your love for exoctic airlines and flights lucky, and had i had the oportnity, i would have flown a lot of unsual flights.... My ultimate dream was to take the long-gone Conviasa flight from Caracas to Tehran via Damascus.
But even with this love, i wouldn't fly on any Nigerian airline even if i was paid to do so.
Pilots don't want to die. Of course nobody wants to die. But mechanic who doesn't put fastener on a bolt is not the one who is flying. Pilots who aren't trained will still fly and want to fly. That is why we have FAA for over sight to protect passengers from mechanical incompetence and from drunk pilots and from untrained pilots so.on. Pilots don't want to die statement is as stupid as that person who said it.
#hakunamatata ?
Sounds great.
Have you booked your flights yet?)
The video of the guy swinging on the helicopter prop is just epic!
A bad airline, with bad maintenance, with bad Government oversight and bad weather is a recipe for disaster. I wouldn’t fly them.
As I mentioned in an earlier post when you first vetted this proposed trip, only fly Air Peace if you are personally comfortable with their safety, operations and management. It doesn't sound like you are at that point.
I was just in Victoria BC, watching Harbour Air, Kenmore Air and others use the seaplane airport in the harbor. You should check it out.
Maybe an international flight to Vancouver, ferry over and take a seaplane out.