TBM Will Be Used For Advanced ATP Courses
The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) has taken
delivery of a new TBM 850 very fast turboprop aircraft,
Dahar-Socata announced Tuesday. The TBM will be used primarily for
advanced airline transport pilot (ATP) training courses.
(L-R )Philippe Laforest, Dahar-Socata, Ibrahim Hirse, NCAT,
Olivier Grabe, Dahar-Socata, Christophe Manshop, NCAT, Guillaume
Montreau, Dahar-Socata, NCAT flight instructor Capt SA
Caulcrick.
Based at Zaria in Kaduna State, NCAT
has a fleet of 17 Tampico TB9s for elementary training, five TB20
Trinidad GTs for commercial and instrument training, as well as a
cockpit procedure trainer based on TB20 Trinidad GT. The TBM 850
for NCAT, which is one of Dahar-Socata’s model year 2010
aircraft, will be used for the ab-initio airline transport pilot
training course. This course is positioned between the
College’s multi-engine training phase and its airliner
type-rating course, thus preparing the student pilot for
high-performance aircraft.
“We’re proud that our TBM 850 has been selected by
NCAT to train future airline pilots.” stated Nicolas
Chabbert, Dahar-Socata’s Senior Vice-President, Airplane
Division. “It’s interesting to note that NCAT’s
conclusion about the value of our very fast turboprop aircraft
family for advanced pilot ratings was the same that we reached 18
years ago when conducting experimental courses with the French
Civil Aviation College.”
Current airline industry trends are putting the emphasis on
high-speed aircraft experience as a pre-requisite to airline
type-rating courses – which makes it difficult for many young
pilots who have graduated from ab-initio courses. One solution is a
special training course using high-performance aircraft such as the
TBM 850. The aircraft combines the typical performance of a jet
– a maximum cruising speed of 320 KTAS, a ceiling of 31,000
ft., and the possibility of high speed descents and approaches
– with the economic direct operating costs of a turboprop
engine.
File Photo
“Changes in global aviation training required a
repositioning of our college to meet the demands of the 21st
century,” said Captain Adebayo Araba, Rector Chief Executive
of NCAT. “New equipment such as the TBM 850 will enable us to
raise the level of our training to the highest international
standards, which is a key to our overall strategy.”
NCAT is the leading aviation training institution in western
Africa. It was established as a joint program between the Federal
Government of Nigeria, the United Nations Development Program, and
the International Civil Aviation Organization.