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New air safety tools to gulp $10m
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said it plans to embark on aggressive deployment of communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) infrastructure in the next one year to further boost the safety of air travel in the country.
Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, disclosed this to our correspondent in Lagos.
He stated that the agency has consequently put in place arrangements for the installation of Category 3A Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) at the Lagos and Abuja Airports.
Although, Akinkuotu did not give the cost of procuring and installing the air safety tools, experts in the field said the equipment could gulp over $10 million.
The agency had, in the last one year, improved and installed communication radios in strategic areas in the country as well as upgrade of existing ones, deployment of Instrument Landing System (ILS) and other navigational aids across the country.
The NAMA boss also said that the Federal Government had installed a brand new ILS and a Doppler Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (DVOR) in Kano including its calibration.
Other areas of progress, according to the NAMA boss, include improvement in Air Traffic Control (ATC) capacity through training and retraining of critical personnel and others, addressing depleting ATC manpower, enhanced staff welfare through implementation of harmonization of salaries and the signing of new condition of service, which is awaiting approval by government.
On critical projects to be embarked upon by his administration in the next one year, Akinkuotu said although the issue of Aeronautical Information Services Automation by the agency has dragged on since 2009, his administration was determined to see to its completion so that NAMA can migrate to Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) in view of all the deliverables that would accrue to the agency.
Also to be given attention by management, he said, is the upgrade of TRACON system and communication radios.
Other areas to be addressed according to Akinkuotu, include another set of ILS and DVOR to be installed in Maiduguri, Jos, Minna and other airports
He also promised to commence the installation of multi-lateration equipment recently approved by the government to capture and provide guidance to low-flying aircraft at the Gulf of Guinea.
This equipment could help the country’s airlines to overcome incessant incidents associated with harmattan haze, which makes flight operations to be very difficult because of poor visibility at aerodromes.
Akinkuotu admitted that visibility at many of the aerodromes is bad, but gave assurance that with operable ILS to go to the aerodromes, “come December this year, there should be no excuse of them not landing in harmattan.”
He said that all the country’s navigational facilities are working at optimal levels, with precision approach landing aids at the five international airports where traffic is high also in top form.
There have been efforts made over the years to install airfield lighting at some airports in the country but such efforts end woefully as they were usually followed by scandals of huge sums of money diverted by the government officials.
The NAMA boss explained that there are two basic sets of costs associated with an ILS: installation costs, purchase of equipment, site surveying and preparation and upkeep costs.
Akinkuotu equally disclosed that air traffic controllers and other critical staff have been deployed to busy airports to ensure that there is no fatigue arising from pressure of work.
He also noted that airspace managers in all Nigerian airports have consequently been directed to embark on measures to strengthen air traffic management and surveillance systems in their respective domains to ensure maximum operational safety during the yuletide.
The NAMA boss reiterated that the need for extra vigilance at this time became imperative due to the usual upsurge in traffic and the increased tempo of airport activities that come with the season.
Thanks off the update.