The Cessna Skyhawk 172 will boost training at NIT
The National Institute of Transport (NIT) is expecting to receive two single-engine aircrafts, Cessna Skyhawk 172 as part of the support from World Bank’s East Africa for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) which aims at sustaining Centre of Excellence in Aviation and Transport Operations at the Institute.
Speaking in an interview, NIT’s Centre of Excellence in Aviation and Transport Operation Head, Abubakar Noor said that in fulfilling the basic requirements of the aviation training programmes, the two aircraft made by US’s Textron Aviation Company will arrive at the institute in April or May 2021.
“Nothing is more liberating than learning to fly. The Cessna Skyhawk piston is the most popular single-engine aircraft ever built and has achieved a reputation for being the ultimate training aircraft. This will attract more local and international aviation students,” Noor said.
Apart from procuring aircraft, through the EASTRIP Programme, NIT will construct nine new buildings which are Mocap building, boys and girls hostel, high tech building, modern computer lab, staff and students residences and the hangar in Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro.
Noor further explained that two hangars will be constructed, one in Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) and the other at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA).
“In line with the pogramme, the institute will also procure the state of the art cabin crew mocaps, Aircraft engineering system trainers, virtual maintenance trainers and we are expecting the goods to arrive here at the institute mid next year,” he said.
NIT is a beneficiary of the Eastern Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and three East African countries participating in the project including Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
Through the project NIT received 21.25 million US dollars (almost 50bn/-) as financial support from the World Bank towards the procurement of three planes for practical purposes, building of a hostel and an aviation workshop.
The project supports the development of highly specialized Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs as well as industry recognized short term certificate level training, and will target regional priority sectors in transport, energy, manufacturing and ICT