The Minister of Transport handed the keys of two MA60 aircraft to the Board Chairman of Camair-Co on April 7, 2015.

It was a strong caution from the Minister of Transport 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 two MA60 aircraft assembled in China by the AVIC International Group with bills footed by the Cameroon government. Robert Nkili insisted on the need for Camair-Co to embrace efficiency and profitability.

Cognizant of the fact that reliability and continuity are essential to profitability, the Minister, in prelude to the official hand over of the aircraft keys to the Board Chairman of Camair-Co, Edouard Akame Mfoumou, stressed that output must increase. “You must take advantage by having in mind that a plane is only useful when it flies, not grounded,” he noted. Minister Nkili 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.”

The two MA60 will join the company’s fleet for national and international routes. The aircraft are expected soon on the runways in the Douala, Garoua, Maroua and Yaounde international airports. The Minister also directed that the aircraft also serve the country’s local airports of Bafut in Bamenda, Bafoussam, Bertoua, Ngaoundere and Tiko.  His intention is to facilitate the movement of Cameroonians from one town to the other and as well as from one country to the other.

The 48-seat 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 planes manufactured, 400 are in use in Africa.

The planes are said to be less costly in terms of fuel consumption and meet modern international 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.

As of May 2014, Camair-Co’s fleet consisted 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, says for the airline company to make profit, its fleet must continually increase.