NCAA evaluates weather certification for 18 aerodromes
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in conjunction with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has carried out a review of Aerodrome Operating Weather Minima for 18 airports in Nigeria.
The agencies said this is in compliance with the provision of Part 8 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs Part 8), and in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Doc.9365.
Spokesman for NCAA, Sam Adurogboye in a statement made available to Woleshadare.net said in this review, the regulatory authority took cognisance of improvements in visual and navigational aids within the affected airports.
The reviewed aerodrome operating minima would serve to enhance the operating capacity of the aerodromes.
This is due to the fact that it will avail the operators with improved minima for low visibility operations.
According to the review, the landing minima specified for all the 18 (Eighteen) airports were determined based on applicable criteria as defined in the ICAO PANS-OPS Doc. 8168, Doc.9365.These includes all relevant amendments, as well as available navigational facilities (ILS,VOR/DME, etc) or PBN Navigational Specification (RNAV/GNSS).
On the other hand, he said the reviewed operating minima provided for a performance based take-off minima for the affected aerodromes in Nigeria are determined by available visual aids for take-off.
Others are Gombe, Ilorin, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Owerri, Sokoto, Uyo, Yola and Zaria.
It should be noted that the last time weather minima were actually reviewed was in 1983.
“However, a semblance of revision undertaken in 1993 only stated that the takeoff minima shall be equal or greater than landing minima at all airports. This is to allow for an air return to the same airport should there arise an emergency“.
To him, this present review allows for take-off as low as 150 metres Runway Visual Range (RVR).
Before this review, the lowest visibility with Category Two ILS in the nation’s airports was 800 metres/550 RVR (Runway Visual Range).
Based on the review, the following airports now have ILS Cat II Approach and Landing Minima, Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Ilorin, Gombe, Owerri, Sokoto, Uyo, Yola, Dutse, Calabar and Enugu.
The implementation of these revised aerodrome operating minima (both takeoff and landing) shall be based on compliance with applicable standard operating procedures for low visibility operations at the affected airports.
This is executed by flight crew, Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), aerodrome operators and the meteorological agency.
To ensure the seamless operation of these revised minima, he reiterated that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) shall continue to ensure prompt and regular provision of required meteorological information.
“The air navigation service provider is expected to ensure regular flight calibration of all available navigational aids.This is to ensure safe and efficient flight operations, especially during low visibility operations. The NCAA will continue to provide a proactive regulatory oversight that will ensure safety and security of all flight operations “, he added.
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