Elin Air and Aviation Services has announced its successful completion of a 7,800-landing maintenance check on a Bombardier Challenger CL604 aircraft, a highly specialised procedure typically carried out abroad.

 The development, which is the first in the history of such checks done in Nigeria, was disclosed in a statement signed by the Executive Director of Elin, Dr Benedict Adeyileka, and made available to The PUNCH on Tuesday.

The 7,800-landing check is one of the most comprehensive inspections required over the life of an aircraft.

It is equivalent to a commercial airline’s “D check”, involving the complete disassembly, inspection, overhaul, and reassembly of major systems and structures, and often requiring more than 6,000 man-hours.

 The milestone, achieved by an all-Nigerian team at Elin Air’s hangar facility, is a significant leap forward for Nigeria’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul capabilities and a bold statement on the country’s growing aviation expertise.

 Dr Benedict said, “I never doubted we could do this. With meticulous planning and adherence to global standards, we’ve shown that Nigerian talent can deliver world-class results.”

Elin Air’s team carried out the procedure between April and June 2025. Key components such as the engines, thrust reversers, auxiliary power unit (APU), fuel tanks, and flight control systems were removed and serviced. Additional maintenance checks, including the 600-hour and 1200-hour inspections, were also completed during the process.

The aircraft’s cabin was refurbished and reassembled, now reflecting modern luxury and comfort standards suitable for premium operations.

 While most private operators in Nigeria typically outsource heavy maintenance to international MRO providers, Elin Air chose to handle the entire process in-house.

 The project was led by the Executive Director, Engr Benedict Adeyileka; Director of Maintenance, Engr Benjamin Dzer; and Director of Quality and Safety, Florence Bitrus-Opeyemi.

All engineers involved in the maintenance were Nigerians, reinforcing Elin Air’s commitment to developing indigenous technical capacity and retaining aviation value within the local economy.