By Kolawole Ojebisi
Azman Air has explained why it put off its aircraft transponders en route to Iran weeks ago.
The airline made this clarification to address growing controversy on the status of its two aircraft, which a foreign medium reported to have been sold to Mahan Air.
The report added that Azman deregistered the aircraft without the knowledge of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) thereby violating due process.
According to the report,the aircraft was flying from Kano to Kabul when its crew turned off the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transponder at an altitude of 39,000ft after entering Iranian airspace, though it eventually landed at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport.
The report insinuated that putting off the transponder en route to its destination was part of the plot to clandestinely sell the aircraft.
But reacting to the report, the airline denied putting off its aircraft transponder for the purpose of smuggling it to Iran.
The airline stated that the aircraft transponder developed a fault en route to Iran, which was logged and filed in the tech log submitted to the NCAA.
In a statement by the Accountable Manager of Azman Air, Muhammad AbdulManaf, on Thursday, the airline said the controversial airplanes allegedly “smuggled” to Iran were on C-Check in that country.
The airline also dispelled allegations that it smuggled its aircraft into Iran in violation of the aviation guiding rules.
AbdulManaf said, “Our aircraft went on a routine maintenance C-Checks, which is due after every 18 months. I’m really shocked to hear that we smuggled our aircraft to Iran. Is it a cow that can be smuggled? The story is fake and lacks any facts.
“There is a clear guideline from the NCAA on selling and deregistering aircraft from our AOC. Unless that is done, the aircraft is still under our control. The NCAA has not received any document or correspondence from Azman in that regard.
“The transponder developed a fault en route to the destination airport, which was logged and filed in the tech log and submitted to the NCAA.”
