According to Thisday, president Mohammed Buhari have ordered that nine presidential Airplanes be sold, so as to reduce running cost.
According to an aviation source who is aware of this decision , says that the presidency has several serviceable and unserviceable aircrafts and their disposal will reduce national expenses. He also said that 12 billion naira is spent annually on maintaining these aircrafts.
Although information on the exact size of the fleet is treated as classified information, the fleet,
according to aviation sources, is believed that there are about 16 aircraft, of which is the Boeing 738 BBJ, NAF 001 or Eagle One, used by the president for his travels. With its luxury configuration comprising a master bedroom, washrooms and showers, a conference and dinning area, and a living area, the plane seats 25 to 50 passengers and would cost at least $100 million to replace today.
Eagle One can spend 12 hours in the air, covering 11,489 kilomtres or 6,200 nautical miles. In addition to the Boeing 733 reserved for the president, the fleet boasts two Gulfstream 550 jets.
According to Wikipedia, other planes in the Nigeria Air Force VIP transport fleet include two Dessa ultimate Falcon 7X jets, one Hawker Siddeley 125-800 and one Cessna 550 Citation II.
Information from a Nigerian web portal and Nigeria Air Force sources further revealed that the fleet also boasts two Dassault Falcon 900 jets, a Gulfstream IVSP, a Gulfstream V, a Dornier Do 228, one Beechcraft King Air B200, and three Augusta Westland AW139 helicopters. Sources said each of the two Dassault Falcon 7X jets were purchased for $51.1 million in 2010 while the Gulfstream 550 cost $53.3 million.
Aviation experts also put the average price of the Falcon 900 at $35 million; Gulfstream IVSP at $40 million; Gulfstream V at $45 million; Cessna Citation at $7 million; and the Hawker Siddeley at $15 million.
It also discovered that though all the aircrafts are under the presidential fleet, about eight of the planes are reserved strictly for the president.
These are the Boeing 737, the two Gulfstream 550 jets, the Gulfstream V jet, two Falcon 7X planes, the Hawker Siddeley aircraft and one Augusta Westland chopper.
Others are reserved for executive airlift.
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