Almost 70 days after the new N7.65bn presidential jet, Falcon 7X, touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, from the manufacturer’s factory in France, Dassault Aviation, France European authorities have banned the jet from flying in Europe and other parts of the world over safety issues. The ban, an Emergency Airworthiness Directive, which was issued on Thursday by the European Aviation Safety Agency, the agency that regulates Dassault as well as the European aviation industry, took immediate effect, starting from May 27.
The EASA’s grounding of the worldwide fleet of Dassault’s Falcon 7X executive jets came hours after one of the aircraft encountered an in-flight anomaly that could have caused the pilots to lose control.
The EASA directive, which was published on Thursday, said that the jet “experienced an uncontrolled pitch trim runaway during descent. The crew succeeded in recovering a stable situation and performed an uneventful landing.”
An analysis of the plane’s Digital Flight Data Recorder and Fault History Database confirmed the event, EASA said, but the cause of the pitch trim runaway couldn’t be explained.
“This condition, if it occurs again, could lead to the loss of control of the aeroplane,” the EASA notice said.
However, the Cologne, Germany-based safety agency said in its Emergency Airworthiness Directive that the decision to halt all flight operations of Dassault’s flagship jet came at the request of the Paris-based company, according to a Dow Jones report on Friday.
The plane was en route between Europe and Malaysia, Asia, with no passengers on board, Dassault spokesman Stephane Fort told Dow Jones Newswires by telephone.
The pilots managed to regain control of the aircraft and landed it safely in Malaysia, he said. Fort couldn’t say who owns the aircraft or who was operating it.
Fort said the decision to ground the aircraft was a precautionary measure.
Dassault has sent a team of technicians to Malaysia to try to identify the cause of the problem, he said, adding, “Our priority is the safety of our passengers and our aircraft.
The Falcon 7X was introduced in 2007 and is designed to fly 5,950 nautical miles with at least eight passengers. There are 112 of the aircraft in service.
“This airworthiness directive is considered to be an interim measure pending the outcome of the investigation currently carried out by the manufacturer,” EASA said.
The Falcon 7X has a sticker price of about $50m, depending on cabin features.
President Goodluck Jonathan had in the third week of March 2011, taken delivery of a Falcon 7X plane, shortly after it landed on the shores of the country from France.
The aircraft, which was manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France, cost the government $51m (about N7.65bn.)
The Federal Executive Council had on August 12, 2010 approved $102m for the purchase of two Falcon 7X and $53.3m for one Gulfstream G550 aircraft to beef up the presidential fleet.
The second Falcon 7X, it was learnt then, was expected to arrive in the country during the second quarter of this year.
In what is probably its first mission, the jet was said to have conveyed the wife of the President, Patience, to Sokoto during the third of week of March.
The two Falcon 7X aircraft are to be supplied by Messrs Dassault Aviation of France, while the Gulfstream G550 will come from Messrs Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation of the United States.
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Posted: at 28-05-2011 02:05 AM (12 years ago) | Addicted Hero
apprehended at 28-05-2011 02:21 AM (12 years ago) (m)
rubbish.. lik i really care to kno!
many nigerians r sufferin, nd all what dis A*#S can do is to was our somewhat hard earned money on some perishable projects. they can all go to hel.
Posted: at 28-05-2011 02:21 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
kingxxley at 28-05-2011 04:15 AM (12 years ago) (m)
the money for one aircraft can creat jobs for over 1 million unemployed youths,while the money for the second aircraft is enough to give a lasting solution to the nation's power[electricity] problem.
Posted: at 28-05-2011 04:15 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
xxpbatsxx at 28-05-2011 04:56 AM (12 years ago) (f)
wow!!!!! seriously? c'mmon now mr president. we r so not poor in africa. we've only got bad leaders.. some times when i tell pple where i'm from, the first thing they say is "oh that rich country". but still thousands of people die of hunger and most of 'em youths r unemployed...so how the hell does this man get to buy a jet worth N7bn!!! I BET HE DOES'NT have a heart. the way african's are been portrayed over here is jst beyond explanation. i cry so many times when i see ugly things about africa on tele. a ghanian man said to me last week, he said; we african's r waiting for nigeria to take the lead...i.e break that barrier of poverty and other african countries will follow suit.
Posted: at 28-05-2011 04:56 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
Some times I find it difficult reading on 9japals thread bcos dere r lots of misleading posts. However, I suggest d@ anyone who has something to post shud atleast research 2 bsure of d stuff intended b4 putting em up bcos I want 2 bliv there might b non 9gerians also reading and wrong info posted here does not say any good abt us.
D Pics on this thread are not Dassault Falcon 7X. Find attached for appropriate pics.
Moreover, dat the poster took dis news presumably from "Punch" does not make it professional in any way.
Whoever was the editor or writer as well as the poster shud try to findout appropriate terminologies bcos there are more serious people out here reading.
Professionally, that EASA’s grounded Dassault Falcon 7X issuing Airworthiness Directive (AD) does not mean it is banned. It means that once D safety concern is fixed it can be certified airworthy again. & usually, dis does not take 2long. Don't b surprised to know dat D (AD) might have even contain how to fix d concern. Please take note.
Posted: at 28-05-2011 05:31 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
kaycee1989 at 28-05-2011 08:30 AM (12 years ago) (m)
@poster, confirm ur information before postin fake news here..goodluck joe was abt goin to france for a g8 meeting. all of us know that therez a volcanic eruption in iceland which has causes a lot of air traffic problems due to ash clouds and from geographical information released, there might be another volcanic eruption and more ash being sent to the skys which is not good for air transport. the president cancelled his trip to france since he might not return on time to nigeria for his inaugration tomoro in the likely event of another eruption..stop postin lies please
Posted: at 28-05-2011 08:30 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
apprehended
chuwuka
whome
kingxxley
Simon-Zeletus
xxpbatsxx
c'mmon now mr president. we r so not poor in africa. we've only got bad leaders.. some times when i tell pple where i'm from, the first thing they say is "oh that rich country". but still thousands of people die of hunger and most of 'em youths r unemployed...so how the hell does this man get to buy a jet worth N7bn!!! I BET HE DOES'NT have a heart. the way african's are been portrayed over here is jst beyond explanation. i cry so many times when i see ugly things about africa on tele. a ghanian man said to me last week, he said; we african's r waiting for nigeria to take the lead...i.e break that barrier of poverty and other african countries will follow suit. 
okwas
Otot
KINGJHOE
parkerchan4life
SENTIMAL
Ibrutex
ajanni
kaycee1989
Unikly
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