Like Sirika, Keyamo tours Hungary, mulls local production of light aircraft
AKIN to his predecessor in office, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, this week toured Magnus Aircraft manufacturing company in Hungary, in search of partnership for local assemblage and manufacturing of light aircraft in Nigeria.
Keyamo and his team, The Guardian learnt, were invited to the product introduction event of the Magnus Aircraft Group. The delegation, however, explored potential collaborations for staging the manufacturing and assemblage of the modern multipurpose aircraft in Nigeria.
About three years ago, the then Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, expressed the federal government’s readiness to partner Magnus aircraft manufacturing firm to establish an assembling plant and manufacture light airplanes locally.
Sirika committed after he paid an inspection visit to the Magnus Aircraft Industr y in Pogany, Hungary. He said the goal was to assemble aircraft locally , from start to finish, and before the end of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Not giving up, Keyamo and his team rekindled interest in the old agenda following a tour of new equipment and facilities in Hungary.
Member of the team, Tunde Moshood, stated that the delegation had the opportunity to tour various organisations in Hungary, including Mouldtech Engineering and Military Equipment Factory. The company showcased its latest innovation, the Hungarian MF- 212 multifunctional aircraft, designed for training and aerial surveillance purposes.
The visitors saw the prospect of integrating those aircraft into the training programmes for students at the Africa Aviation and Aerospace University ( AAAU) in Abuja.
The highlight of the visit was a meeting with Magnus Aircraft's Chief Executive Officer ( CEO), Boros Laszlo, who guided the delegation through the company's state- of- theart facilities. The tour covered the production line, assembly of composite parts, painting, aircraft parts assembly, engine installation, final quality checks, test flights, and quality handover.
The MF- 212 is a two- seater low- wing aircraft made entirely of carbon composite materials, featuring a fixed nonretractable landing gear. With high aerobatic and operational characteristics, the aircraft can withstand an overload of + 11.8/- 6.3g, making it suitable for various applications.
Laszlo highlighted the aircraft's unique safety features, including the use of normal petrol ( PMS) as fuel and a ballistic recovery system. The parachute pack, situated in front of the cabin, adds an extra layer of safety.
The versatile MF- 212 can be adapted for private use, business flights, training purposes, aerial surveillance, military pilot training, border monitoring, disaster management, agricultural observation, anti- terrorism, anti- piracy missions, and UAV applications.