The Minister of Transport handed the key of two MA60 aircraft to the Board Chairman of Camair-Co on Tuesday.

It was a strong caution from the Minister of Transport that was echoed to the entire management of the Cameroon airline company Camair-Co yesterday March 7, 2015. It was on the occasion of the handing over of two MA60 aircrafts assembled in China by the AVIC International Group with bills footed by the Cameroon government.

Prof Robert Nkili did not mince his words. He insisted on the need for Camair-Co to embrace efficiency and profitability in the airline business. cognizant of the fact that reliability and continuity are essential to profitability the Minister in prelude to the official handing over of aircraft keys to the Board Chairman of Camair-Co, Edouard Akame Mfoumou, stressed that output must increase. He said “you must take advantage by having in mind that a plane is only useful when it flies not grounded.” He reminded management to bear in mind that the Head of State has spent a lot of money on the aircraft, reason why “Camair-Co must make good use of this investment.”

It was revealed that two MA60 will join the company’s fleet to satisfy national and its international clients. The aircraft are expected to get used to the run ways of the Douala, Garoua, Maroua and Yaounde international airports. The Minister expressed the wish to have the aircraft on the tarmacs of the country’s local airports of Bafut in Bamenda, Bafoussam, Betroua, Ngaoundere and Tiko. His intention is to facilitate the movement of Cameroonians from one town to the other and also internationally.

The 48-sitter aircraft have been described by aeronautical experts as being of good quality. The MA60 planes of the AVIC group, it was revealed, have impeccable security mechanisms and are in use in several countries in Africa and the world. The Chief Executive Officer of AVIC International Laiweixuan said out of 1,400 MA60 fabricated, 400 are in use in Africa. The planes are said to be less costly in terms of petrol consumption and meets modern and internationally recognized aviation standards.

The Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon, Wei Wenhua said it was a happy denouement, handing over the two MA60 planes to the Cameroon government. Negotiations for the two planes, began in 2011 and in 2012, China handed over a free gift of one MA60 plane to government which is in use by the Armed Forces. The Chinese diplomat described 44 years of diplomatic ties between Cameroon as fruitful, with remarkable results in the transport, energy and telecommunications sectors.

As of May 2014, Camair-Co fleet consists of two Boeing 737-700 and one 767-300 ER. However, the story is no longer the same with the acquisition of the MA60 TJX-SE and MA60 TJX-SD. The General Manager of Camair-Co, Jean-Paul Nana Sandjo has recognised that for the airline company to make profits, its fleet must continually increase. At five aircraft, the desire for more is still burning, and management has disclosed that they are not lying on their laurels, promising better days to Camair-Co customers.