NAMA’ s move to complete Surface Movement Radar for Lagos, Abuja airports ‘ll curb airside, ground incidents, others

• NAMA sensitizes stakeholders

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is on the verge of completing the installation of Surface Movement Radar (SMR) for the country’s two busiest aerodromes of Lagos and Abuja.

The installation of this safety ground surveillance tool would help to detect negligent and criminal activities on the ground that are inimical to air safety including runway incursions, excursions and incidents of stowaway.

The SMR projects at both Lagos and Abuja airports have reached 95 per cent completion stage with completion time slated before the end of the year.

NAMA MD/CEO Umar Farouk

The SMR is a surveillance system that works effectively with transponders fitted to vehicles and motorbikes that patrol the sensitive airside of aerodromes.

The Managing Director of NAMA, Ahmed Umar Farouk was represented by the agency’s General Manager Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos Mr. Ogegere Jonny Kevwe at the Surface Movement Radar (SMR) sensitisation event in Lagos at the weekend explained that the radar system is configured in two parts which are the primary and secondary.

The sensitization even brought together all stakeholders in the industry, including domestic and foreign airlines, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), operators of private airlines, security operatives and other critical stakeholders.

The primary radar he noted can detect every vehicle that is going on the ground which does the job of the Surface Movement Radar, adding that it aids the controllers to see every aircraft with the help of transponders.

He said, “Every aircraft will be seen by the primary radar but it won’t be able to say this is a particular vehicle or not. With the transponder and with the code that we have imputed; we can identify the actual vehicle because we are going to give you a code, and the vehicle is going to be registered. We are going to reveal everything. We will have clear identification of vehicles that are going to the airside. They are all carrying transponders. So, if there is any infringement, it is easier to identify the aircraft and they can also relay to FAAN security to get those vehicles out or impounded from the airside.”

He stated that NAMA thought it wise to further improve safety when it comes to ground movement, stressing that in addition to helping the controllers, it will help NAMA to improve its workforce and also help the other agencies especially FAAN on the control of vehicles and other incursions to the airside.

The installation of the surface movement radar at both Lagos and Abuja airports would improve air safety and lauded the Federal Government for supporting NAMA on the project.

“You find out that there are hundreds of vehicles that are in the airside just going in. Now, there will be control to monitor and then it will also help in emergencies because we can see about six kilometres around the airfield. It will improve and enhance the safety of the airside safety on the ground and safety in the air. We are appreciative of the Federal Government’s support, especially my MD who assumed office not quite long ago and he is pushing this because he is very passionate about the safety of the airspace.”

Deputy General Manager Terrestrial Services of NAMA, Dr. Felicia Agubata described the SMR sensitization event as one of the very best that has happened to the aviation industry.

She hinted that NAMA in its wisdom decided to install Surface Movement Radar in the busiest airports in Nigeria Lagos and Abuja for the effectiveness of safety of air navigation in Nigeria.

Her words, “With this, the era of a stowaway in the past, the era of runway incursion and excursion will be a thing of the past because controllers in the tower will not just see the targets on the runway but will be able to respond and pass information to the appropriate enforcement authorities to take action immediately, real-time as it is happening.”.

“In the past, we had issues whereby motorcycles or vehicles would pass through an aircraft undetected. When such a thing happens, controllers will be able to know that particular vehicle and take appropriate actions. That is the importance of today’s event. It is actually to enhance air safety on the ground. It is an excellent initiative of NAMA. We appreciate the management of NAMA, the Ministry and the Federal Government”.

‘We are going to collaborate with FAAN. We are going to collaborate with the CAA because FAAN is going to have to monitor the people stowing away and vandalizing critical safety equipment can be tracked.”

Speaking technically on the equipment and its use for air traffic ground control at the sensitization event, Principal Air Traffic Control Officer (PATCO) in the Directorate of Air Traffic Services, NAMA, Ebelechukwu Chiezie-Kuti said the SMR is radar equipment specifically designed to detect all principal features on the surface of an airport, including aircraft and vehicular traffic and to present the entire image on an aircraft indicator console in the control tower.

She equally stated that complex traffic flow may require an Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS) to function as a surface management system by providing for the planning and management of all aircraft and authorized vehicles in the manoeuvring area while interfacing with the air traffic management (ATM) system (ICAO) Doc 9830 and 9467.

The procedures according to Chiezie-Kuti are complementary to the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) of ICAO Annex 2 (Rules of the Air) Annex 11 (Air Traffic Services) and Doc 4444 Procedures of Air Navigation Services-Air Traffic Management, PANS-ATM.

Wole Shadare