Bad Weather: NAMA Takes Safety Measures, Installs Cat III ILS in Lagos, Abuja

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has installed category III Instruments of Landing Systems (ILS) in Abuja and Lagos as pilot projects, being safety measures to ensure smooth landing of aircraft during extremely bad weather.

Speaking at the Airport Business Summit and Expo (ABSE) in Abuja, the Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said the project was geared towards tackling the problem encountered by pilots during the harmattan season when trying to land.

Akinkuotu, whose paper titled, ‘Recent strides for safer 2018 airspace management’ was presented by Engr. Johnson Otitolaye, noted that the installation of Doppler VOR and distance measuring equipment were on going in 14 airports to replace the old ones.

According to the NAMA boss, multi-lateration system have been deployed to the Niger Delta region to take care of helicopters flying in the area.

Further, he said also installed by NAMA includes, a back up radio in Kano and Lagos, remarking that vigorous trainings for air traffic controllers and engineers were being carried out in order to be at abreast with current developments.

Akinkuotu revealed that NAMA has taken steps to ensure seamless flight operations in the country’s airspace, stressing that the airspace was very safe

He, however, noted that unmanned area remote vehicle remained a great challenge to air safety across the globe.

To continue to achieve safe airspace, Capt. Akinkuotu urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to provide adequate lighting facilities at the airports while the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority must not relent in their oversight function.