Mixed reactions trail alleged use of kerosene as aviation fuel

•NCAA raises alarm over contaminated Jet-A1
Less than 24 hours after The Guardian hinted that marketers were selling kerosene to airline operators as aviation fuel, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned of the presence of contaminated products.

Benedict Adeyileka, the director of Airworthiness Standards at the NCAA, who was the guest of Channels TV last night, said marketers supply the products to unsuspecting operators to, among other reasons, cut costs.

This came on the heels of mixed reactions from aviation stakeholders and agencies yesterday following The Guardian’s exclusive report regarding the supply by some oil marketers of gasoline to airlines in place of aviation fuel, also known as Jet-A1.

Chairman of the Forte Oil Plc, Femi Otedola had advised the Federal Government to curb what he described as the rising trend of selling Household Kerosene (HHK) to airlines as substitute for Jet A1 fuel. He alluded to the fact that petroleum marketers now engage in the practice with impunity.

The Chairman, Airline Operators of Nigeria, (AON) Captain Nogie Meggison dismissed the claim that independent fuel marketers were selling kerosene as aviation fuel to airlines.

Meggison said if kerosene is sold as adulterated aviation fuel it could affect the performance of aircraft engines thereby reducing the lifecycle of aircraft engines powered by such adulterated product.

He said such product if adulterated could make the aircraft engine burn faster and cause major malfunction that could become an impediment to safety.

He said operators were still investigating the rumour and were yet to establish any veracity in the claim of adulterated aviation fuel sold to airlines from kerosene.

Speaking at a one-day breakfast meeting organised by Aviation Round Table, ART, in Lagos, Meggison said major oil marketers were alleged to be selling kerosene as aviation fuel to the operators.