Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE National Institute of Transport (NIT) plans to receive five training planes in this financial year–two from the government of Tanzania and the other three from the government of People’s Republic of China and World Bank’s loan.
Deputy Minister for Works and Transport Mwita Waitara made the revelation on Monday during his visit to Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) Headquarters in Dar es Salaam.
The revelation comes after TCAA Director General Hamza Johari informed the deputy minister that currently the authority was sending pilot students to Uganda because NIT was yet to meet an aviation college’s qualifications.
Responding to the query, Mr Waitara said the fifth phase government under the Late President John Magufuli pledged to procure two training planes and the government has already dished out more than 3bn/- to NIT as initial payment for the planes.
According to Waitara, the college also has received aid from the government of the People’s Republic of China and a loan from the World Bank. The aid will, among other things, be used for the construction of the Aviation College and procurement of three training planes.
“About ten buildings will be built including hostels and lecture rooms at the institute. Through this project, three training planes will be bought. In total, the college will have five training planes, a deliberate move aimed at enabling NIT to meet qualifications to be recognised as an aviation college,” said Waitara.
He said when NIT begins to offer such training; it will help to save funds which TCAA spends on training students abroad. He said it costs about 200m/- to train one pilot abroad but when NIT begins offering such training, the cost will go down to about 70m/- per pilot.
In order to have all facilities required for aviation training, Waitara said NIT has already requested the government to reserve Dodoma Airport for aviation training once Msalato International Airport is complete.
On his side, Mr Johari noted that there are five levels to be followed in order for an institute to be registered and recognized as an aviation college and at the moment NIT is at level four. He also informed the deputy minister that TCAA enters into agreements with different countries that help to open markets for domestic planes.
Mr Johari added that currently, the authority has contracts with 76 countries and yesterday they expected to resume talks with Angola for the same purpose. According to TCAA, the plan is afoot to build modern aviation college in Dar es Salaam at the tune of 42bn.
