Ghana’s presidential aircraft, the Falcon 900EX, has encountered fresh technical issues during ongoing maintenance in France, further delaying its return to service.
Deputy Minister for Defence Brogya Genfi briefed Parliament on the situation, explaining that although the jet’s initial corrosion problems in the fuel tanks have been resolved, new faults were uncovered during subsequent inspections.
“The reported corrosion spots detected within the aircraft’s fuel tanks, which affected the aircraft’s delivery date, have undergone extensive repairs. These corrosion issues in the fuel tanks have since been resolved,” Mr. Genfi said.
However, he revealed that additional challenges emerged when fuel leakages were found in the right-hand wing tank. While that issue was fixed, another setback occurred during the reinstallation of the wing’s lower panel, prompting the need for manufacturer-level intervention.
“Following the difficulties encountered, Dassault Aviation invited the Falcon Wing Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to conduct an on-site assessment and provide technical recommendations to speed up repairs,” he told Parliament.
According to the Deputy Minister, those repairs have now been completed, but a series of safety and performance tests must still be carried out before the aircraft can return to Ghana.
“The right-hand wing repair has been successfully completed. The aircraft will now undergo fuel tank leak tests, a third engine ground run, painting of the repaired section, and finally, an acceptance flight before delivery,” he explained.
Mr. Genfi emphasized that the aircraft will only return to Ghana once all tests confirm its full airworthiness.
The Falcon 900EX has been grounded for several months, with the ongoing repairs costing time and resources. The aircraft, used for presidential and state travel, has sparked public debate in recent years over maintenance costs and reliability.