Aviation Expert Deflates Akufo Addo’s Air Jacuzzi Excuse For Presidential Jet

An aerospace expert Dr. Akparibo Yakubu has debunked claims by Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul that the existing Presidential Jet cannot do long haul flights without stopping to do refuelling like a classic “trotro”.

According to him, this was the reason why President Akufo Addo had to rent the Airbus ACJ320neo from UK Company Acropolis Aviation at the conservative estimate of US$ 15,000 per hour for nine days.

The gold-plated aircraft one of the most luxurious in the aviation industry with an on-board bathroom and king-sized bed for President Akufo Addo’s traveling pleasure.

However, Dr Yakubu told Accra-based JoyNews there was no reasonable argument about the ability of the original presidential Jet Falcon 900 being capable of the long haul trip.

According to him, the Falcon 900 is capable of travelling to Europe and back. 

 “…The current presidential jet, the Falcon 900 can make such a trip. I don’t know why the President didn’t use it. And I don’t know if it had technical issues like they had a problem in Washington before. But if not, that aircraft can make such a trip. If you look at the range of the Falcon 900, it’s about 4000 miles for the aircraft to fly without stopping to refuel,” Dr. Yakubu said.

“So if you want to do Accra Paris, you can do that with the Falcon 900 without stopping to refuel. So our current presidential jet can make such a trip. To go to Europe with that aircraft, you don’t have to stop to refuel because, as I said, the range of the aircraft is about 4,400 miles.”

Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul had claimed that the president’s safety and the aircraft’s capacity were the reasons for hiring the multi-million cedi Airbus ACJ320neo.

“The choice to travel by road, by air or by sea, is a national security imperative and have reason to release the aircraft this particular aircraft to VVIP including ex-presidents to carry out national duties. These VVIPs or Presidential travels is not about aircraft type or even about cost; it’s all about safety,” Nitiwul had stated.

But that “cock and bull” story was also shot down by the North Tongu MP, Okudzeto Ablakwa.

“We have used the presidential jet with President Mahama and President Mills, and when it’s time for refuelling, you stay in the aircraft, and it’s refuelled. It doesn’t even take an hour, so the excuse we have been given today that because of Covid, it will take two hours and the President will have to be out there and exposed to Covid is not tenable. It’s a cock and bull story; we are not buying it.” Ablakwa countered.