Aviation

Airplane cleaner becomes pilot after 24 years of hard work

You can always find a way if you have the desire. No matter where you are in life, if you put your all into your desires and goals and work hard, you will succeed in reaching your goals.

The 24-year experience of the aviation industry, who is from Nigeria, began his work as an airplane cleaner for a daily salary of approximately $0.50 cents. Nevertheless, after putting in more than 24 years of hard work, one man’s dream of becoming a pilot has finally come true! Now, Mohammed Abukar sports a pilot’s hat along with his pilot’s license.

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His desire to continue his education at a higher level began when he was very young. He left his small Nigerian community to enroll in Kaduna Polytechnic after completing high school. He was unable to enroll in college as a result of the fundamental criteria’ late submission.

However, Abubakar took the job and was eventually promoted to ground staff and later to the cabin crew. Abubakar went on to work for Aero Contractors as a flight attendant where he was able to use his years of experience and add value to the company. Although the pay was much higher as a flight attendant, Abubakar wasn’t satisfied and still had dreams of becoming a pilot.

Abubakar was able to enroll in a pilot training programme in Canada with the aid of his managing director, earning his private pilot’s license before going on to earn his commercial pilot’s license. He is currently an employee of Kano, Nigeria-based Azman Air Services Limited.

Azman Air posted a picture of Abubakar earning his fourth bar, signifying his promotion to captain, on Twitter. The example of Abubakar demonstrates that ambitions are achievable with perseverance and determination.

He Joined the Aviation industry 24years ago as Aircraft Cleaner. Today He is getting the Fourth Bar to becoming a CAPTAIN. Congratulations Mohammed Abubakar from all of us @AirAzman#FlySafeFlyAzman https://t.co/QVwapWYK3Q pic.twitter.com/DIHwPQOIPD

— AzmanAir – #LetsFlyAzmanAir (@AzmanAir) July 30, 2018

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Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.