FCAA Show thy FACE

C and D Checks of ill Fated Dana Aircraft

One of Dana Aircraft on the Tarmac at MMA

FCAA is the Nigeria regulatory body of the air worthiness of every Aircraft that operates within our airspace, and,if they truly exist and are professionals in the dispensation of their important duties and service to the Nation. The question that the victims families should be asking is "What went wrong" or is it another case of " Oga i beg take, look the other way" Corruption in high places at the expense of human lives.


I may not be versed in the Aviation maintenance Checks, but i have quite a handful of Aviation Pilots as close friends. (Anytime there is a crash, i have goose bumps for my friends) 


At some point i have overheard them discussing 2 very important periodic Aircraft Checks, C and D Checks, that must be certified by qualified Companies known for their thoroughness in carrying out these checks on any operational aircraft that is acceptable globally.


FCAA was set up to enforce conformity by all Airlines operating in Nigeria.


My question is, can FCAA produce the certificates of the C or D Checks that was carried out on the ill fated Dana Aircraft, and when was the last time such checks were carried out?


Below is a write up on Wikipedia on all checks required  of Airline Operators by Airline Operation Supervisory Bodies all over the World.

A Check

This is performed approximately every 500 - 800 flight hours. It needs about 20 man-hours and is usually performed overnight at an airport gate. The actual occurrence of this check varies by aircraft type, the cycle count (takeoff and landing is considered an aircraft "cycle"), or the number of hours flown since the last check. The occurrence can be delayed by the airline if certain predetermined conditions are met.

[edit]B Check

This is performed approximately every 4–6 months. It needs about 150 man-hours and is usually performed within 1–3 days at an airport hangar. A similar occurrence schedule applies to the B check as to the A check. B checks may be incorporated into successive A checks, i.e.: A-1 through A-10 complete all the B check items.

[edit]C Check

This is performed approximately every 15–21 months or a specific amount of actual Flight Hours (FH) as defined by the manufacturer. This maintenance check is much more extensive than a B Check, as pretty much the whole aircraft is inspected. This check puts the aircraft out of service and until it is completed, the aircraft must not leave the maintenance site. It also requires more space than A and B Checks - usually a hangar at a maintenance base. The time needed to complete such a check is generally 1–2 weeks and the effort involved can require up to 6000 man-hours. The schedule of occurrence has many factors and components as has been described, and thus varies by aircraft category and type.

[edit]D Check

This is - by far - the most comprehensive and demanding check for an airplane. It is also known as a Heavy Maintenance Visit (HMV). This check occurs approximately every 5–6 years. It is a check that, more or less, takes the entire airplane apart for inspection and overhaul. Also, if required, the paint may need to be completely removed for further inspection on the fuselage metal skin. Such a check will usually demand around 40.000 man-hours and it can generally take up to 2 months to complete, depending on the aircraft and the number of technicians involved. It also requires the most space of all maintenance checks, and as such must be performed at a suitable maintenance base. Given the requirements of this check and the tremendous effort involved in it, it is also the most expensive maintenance check of all, with total costs for a single visit being well within the million-dollar range.

Because of the nature and the cost of such a check, most airlines - especially those with a large fleet - have to plan D Checks for their aircraft years in advance. Ofttimes, older aircraft being phased out of a particular airline's fleet are either stored or scrapped upon reaching their next D Check, due to the high costs involved in it in comparison to the aircraft's value. On average, a commercial aircraft undergoes 2-3 D Checks before it is retired. Many Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) shops state that it is virtually impossible to perform a D Check profitably at a shop located within the United States. As such, only few of these shops offer D checks.^{[citation needed]}

There are some things in life that should and must not be compromised, no matter 

how much bribe that must have been offered to the authorities to look the other way, 

and this is one of such cases.

Was the money proffered by the Briber and collected by the recipient(s) worth the loss of 

143 God's beautiful creations with his breath of life or the few millions that would have 

been made by the Airline Operators; that was aware that the Aircraft was not Airworthy, 

worth the sacrifice of these lives and the loss of their business?

We would never know, until the blood, pains and spirits of the deceased who were burnt in 

the ill fated crash haunt the people involved in this unholy act, and force the hands of 

government to investigate the crash and mete out equitable justice to the perpetrators 

of this heinous act of shame.

May the souls of the crash departed rest in perfect peace.