Ghana's presidential jet not ideal for long-distance travel – Aviation Expert

Ghana's Falcon more suited for travel within Africa – Expert

Presidential jet has to stop every 6 hrs for long-distance travels – Expert

Ghana needs a bigger presidential jet – Eugene Arhin

A United States-based Aviation Expert, Sean Mendis, has said that Ghana's presidential jet cannot travel for long hours.



Read full article/> According to Sean Mendis, the French-built Dassault Falcon 900 EX-Easy aircraft is more suited for travels in Africa and some parts of Europe, 3newsroom.com reports.

In an interview on TV3, Mendis answered "No," when asked whether Ghana's Dassault Falcon 900 EX-Easy jet is good enough for long-distance travel.

He explained that "the Falcon is not the ideal jet for long haul travel. It is optimally suited for trips from Ghana to anywhere in Africa, maybe some parts of Europe. If you are going to Asia, if you are going to North America, the Falcon will be able to do it but will require higher technical staff.

"Optimally, it can probably do around 3000 miles which is about 6 hours. It is capable of flying further with less luggage, with less people on board," he added.

The aeroplane that the President of Ghana uses to travel for international conferences has recently become a subject of discussion.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been accused by the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, of abandoning the current Dassault Falcon 900 EXE for a luxury aircraft that grants him comfort at the expense of the ordinary taxpayer.

The French-built Dassault Falcon 900 EX-Easy aircraft was acquired during President John Agyekum Kufuor's era in 2007 but was delivered for use in 2010.

Speaking to the media on Monday, September 27, at the Jubilee House, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, hinted: "Government is already in the process of acquiring a bigger jet for use.

"The Minister of Defence has made it clear that the government has decided to buy a bigger jet to save us from all these troubles. I wouldn't want to go into details. I am sure when the Minister of Defence has the opportunity, he will do that."

Eugene Arhin was answering whether the government intended to buy a bigger aircraft to accommodate the president and his entourage on official foreign trips, as the current presidential jet had proven inadequate for the purpose.

He explained that the move to get a bigger fit-for-purpose aircraft was part of a cost-saving measure on the travels of the president and other key state functionaries.

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