The University of Mines and Technology has recently taken delivery of one of the Ghana Air Force’s fighter trainer jets, the Aermacchi MB–326KB with registration G705 as part of preparations to mount programmes in Aerospace Engineering, Avionics, Instrumentation Engineering, and related programmes.
The jet, which is one, out of four double-seater ground-attack aircrafts of the Ghana Air Force was manufactured in 1978 by Aermacchi, an Italian aircraft manufacturing company.
The Aircraft has a viper MK 632-43 engine type, ceiling height of 46,998 ft, cruise speed of 797 km, and a maximum speed of 867 km/h (468 KN). The Aermacchi MB–326KB has a fuel capacity of 2322 ltrs (without pylon 1662 ltrs) and a maximum endurance of 3.45 hrs. So far, it has done 916:10hrs, with its total landing numbering 1098.
In the annals of the Ghana Air Force, the MB 326-KB G705 was flown by the late former President of Ghana, His Excellency, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings in his days as a commissioned pilot. Others who have piloted the aircraft are Air Vice Marshall Grifix Santrofi, Air Commodore Ayisha, Air Commodore Akron, Group Captain Atiemo, Squadron Leader Alukpui, Group Captain Forjour and Squadron Leader Kwadjan.
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The aircraft which is over forty years old has contributed greatly to the training of personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces in aerial warfare and was last flown on 18th April, 2001.
About UMaT
The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) is a public university located at Tarkwa in the Western Region of Ghana
UMaT was first established as the Tarkwa Technical Institute in 1952. In 1961, the university was changed to the Tarkwa School of Mines to help train manpower for the mining industry in Ghana. UMaT became a faculty of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in 1976. On 1 October 2001, UMaT was elevated to university college status and was known as the Western University College of KNUST.
UMaT became a fully fledged University in November 2004 by act of Parliament (Act 677). In 2008, the first batch of Students graduated in Tarkwa without going to KNUST for the ceremony.On January 12, 2018, the university was renamed to George Grant University of Mines and Technology in honour of Paa Grant.