Helicopters are indispensable to Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem, supporting offshore oil operations, emergency services, and security surveillance.
Their safe and reliable operation depends not only on skilled pilots but also on highly trained maintenance engineers who ensure these aircraft remain airworthy.
Yet, while pilots often dominate the spotlight, maintenance professionals form the backbone of aviation safety.
In Enugu, Eastwing Aviation has positioned itself as one of the few privately owned institutions offering specialized helicopter maintenance training, alongside theoretical instruction in fixed-wing aircraft maintenance. The center has trained over a thousand professionals, including personnel from the Nigerian Customs Service, Police, Navy, and Air Force, as well as students sponsored by the Anambra and Rivers State governments.
Nairametrics spoke with Dr. Christopher Edeh Okechukwu, Founder and CEO of Eastwing Aviation, about his educational journey, career background, and the challenges and opportunities of building a training institute in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Nairametrics: Can you walk us through your educational journey and how it shaped your expertise in aviation?
Dr. Christopher Edeh Okechukwu: My aviation-related education began at the Air Force Institute of Technology while working with the Nigerian Air Force, giving me hands-on experience in aircraft maintenance and operations. I then studied aeronautical engineering at Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation, completing my bachelor’s in 1997, master’s in 1999, and PhD in 2002. That provided a strong technical foundation in aviation engineering and gave me exposure to international aviation standards.
Nairametrics: Can you tell us about your professional career and the key roles you held before founding Eastwing Aviation?
Dr. Christopher Edeh Okechukwu: I worked as an aeronautical engineer with the Nigerian Air Force for 7 years and 118 days, where I served as an Aircraft Maintenance Technician on the Hercules C-130. After that, I traveled to Russia for my degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Upon returning, I became an instructor at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, rising to the rank of Principal Instructor. I then moved into the airline industry, joining Aero Contractors and later spending over 10 years at Caverton Helicopters, which deepened my expertise in commercial and helicopter aviation.
Nairametrics: Can you share the story behind how you started Eastwing Aviation and how it evolved over the years?
Dr. Christopher Edeh Okechukwu: I registered Eastwing Aviation with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Lagos in 2012 while still working for another company. Initially, it was set up as a training center for aviation professionals, such as aircraft technicians and cabin crew, who needed their licenses. The center operated this way until 2018, when, using funds from my salary as an aeronautical engineer and financial support from my wife, who is also an aircraft maintenance engineer, we erected the Eastwing Aviation structure in Eseme, Enugu.
The name ‘Eastwing’ references the eastern part of the country. It’s located about 20 minutes walking from Enugu Airport and 5 minutes by car. In 2018, Eastwing Aviation received approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority as a recognized training organization, and in 2024, the National Board for Technical Education approved Eastwing Aviation Training Institute to offer national diplomas and higher national diplomas in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Technology and Aviation Management.
Nairametrics: What would you say has been the biggest challenge in establishing and running Eastwing Aviation?
Dr. Christopher Edeh Okechukwu: Funding has always been the toughest hurdle. Despite my qualifications, including a doctorate and several professional certificates, the real constraint has been money. In the early days, we relied heavily on rented training facilities, which were expensive and unsustainable. Today, we have our own center in Enugu, but we still maintain a rented facility in Lagos, so the financial pressure hasn’t gone away.
Nairametrics: Can you explain the structure of Eastwing Aviation and the specialized training programs it offers, including any international partnerships?
Dr. Christopher Edeh Okechukwu: Eastwing Aviation has two main branches. One is the Eastwing Aviation Training Center, which operates under Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority approval to provide aircraft type courses, including Agusta Westland 139 Airframe, Powerplant, and Avionics Maintenance Type Training — one of the most popular helicopter types for type rating — as well as Sikorsky S-76C++ Maintenance Type Training covering Airframe, Powerplant, and Avionics. Each aircraft type course ranges from about N3.5 million to over N8 million, depending on the license.
NCAA licensing starts from N3.5 million, while IATA licensing is based on a partnership with Icarus Aviation Training Center in Cyprus and starts from N8 million and above. We also offer conversion courses in partnership with Air Service Training in Perth, Scotland, a wholly owned subsidiary of Perth College UHI, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands. These partnerships grant Eastwing Aviation access to the instructors, training programs, and certifications given to the organizations stated above.
We also provide theoretical instruction in the basics of fixed-wing aircraft maintenance, ensuring that students gain a broader understanding of aviation engineering even if their practical focus remains on helicopters.
In addition, the Eastwing Aviation Training Center has trained personnel from various government agencies, including the Nigerian Customs Service, Police, Navy, and Air Force. The Anambra State Government under the Willie Obiano administration and the Rivers State Government under Siminalayi Fubara have also sponsored indigenes to receive specialized training at the center.
Nairametrics: Can you share the scale of Eastwing Aviation’s impact so far, and how you are working to make it more accessible for young Nigerians?
Dr. Christopher Edeh Okechukwu: Since inception, we’ve trained over 1,000 aviation professionals, including some who now work outside Nigeria and even foreign nationals who enrolled in our programs. More recently, by linking our institute with JAMB admissions, we’ve opened the door to more young people who want to pursue a career in aviation. This step has made our programs more visible and accessible to youths across the country.
Nairametrics: Given the cost of training at Eastwing Aviation, what career prospects can individuals with these licenses for aircraft type maintenance courses expect after completing their training?
Dr. Christopher Edeh Okechukwu: The aviation industry is very lucrative for individuals with these licenses for aircraft type maintenance courses. They can work with airlines or companies that own helicopters and service the offshore or charter industries, and starting remuneration typically begins at around N4 million and above.
Nairametrics: Can you share how the Eastwing Aviation Institute operates, including admission, tuition, and practical training opportunities for students?
Dr. Christopher Edeh Okechukwu: The Eastwing Aviation Institute, which received NBTE approval in 2024, admits students strictly through JAMB. Tuition is around N400,000 per semester, though costs can increase slightly with hostel accommodation and feeding options.
Through a partnership with Enugu State University of Technology, students spend some months using the university’s workshops. For SIWES, the one-year compulsory internship, the institute has arrangements with several airlines, including Aero Contractors, Bristow Helicopters, and Arik Air, to give students exposure to real-life aviation operations.
Nairametrics: The Federal Government recently announced plans to expand aviation colleges across six geopolitical zones. How does this align with your own growth plans?
Dr. Christopher Edeh Okechukwu: It’s an encouraging move because aviation training in Nigeria needs to be more widely available. At Eastwing, we also have expansion plans, particularly in Enugu, where we’ve been offered land and purchased additional plots. However, scaling comes with enormous costs — our estimates for Enugu alone stand at around N6 billion. Without stronger financial backing, expanding at the scale we envision remains a significant challenge.
