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Tag: Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA)

  • Niger remains a no-fly zone to all commercial flights

    Niger remains a no-fly zone to all commercial flights

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has resolved that the Republic of Niger remains a no-fly zone after the coup d’état that took place on July 26, 2023

    Among the resolutions adopted during the summit, land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Niger is also closed.

    In retaliation to these measures, the Niger government suspended flights into Nigeria and overflying planes. Furthermore, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development issued a directive to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on August 2, 2023. This directive instructed NAMA to issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) effective from August 3, 2023, enforcing the no-fly zone on all commercial flights between Niger and Nigeria.

    As of 0600 UTC on August 3, 2023, aircraft departing from or arriving at aerodromes within the Niamey Flight Information Region (FIR-Nigerien Airspace) were prohibited from entering Kano FIR until further notice.

    Following standard procedures, the NOTAM transitioned into an Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) on January 29, 2024. The AIC reiterated the suspension of all commercial flights between Niger and Nigeria, as well as flights overflying Nigeria to Niger. However, certain exemptions were outlined, including over-flight aircraft passing through Niger airspace, aircraft in a state of emergency, and special flights. It is important to note that special flights require authorization from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

    It is crucial to highlight that the suspension of flights can only be lifted by the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aero Space Development as approved by the Presidency and ECOWAS.

    The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of airspace users, in compliance with international regulations and directives.

  • NAMA Embarks on Modernization of Nigeria’s Airspace Communication

    NAMA Embarks on Modernization of Nigeria’s Airspace Communication

    In the wake of the inauguration/induction of newly appointed Chief Executives and Directors, Engr Ahmed Umar Farouk, Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), has highlighted the pivotal role of performance bonds in advancing the aviation sector. Engr. Ahmed Umar Farouk made this disclosure during the in-house inauguration/induction for the newly appointed Chief Executive Officers and Directors of aviation agencies held in Abuja. He pledged NAMA’ s dedication to surpassing expectations, tackling challenges, and aligning with the Honourable Minister Festus Keyamo and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope initiative and agenda.

    Engr. Farouk also accentuated NAMA’s commitment to enhancing communication in Nigerian airspace as he declared an emergency on power challenges, emphasizing that the agency had secured immediate government approval to overhaul and modernise the country’s airspace communication architecture.

    Engr. Farouk reassured the public of NAMA’s unwavering commitment to optimal performance, with a focus on benefiting the Nigerian community. He stated, “The communication architecture of Nigerian airspace is now broadened, addressing prevalent issues. We are dedicated to ensuring seamless communication between pilots and air traffic controllers.”

    In response to NAMA’s request, the federal government has agreed to overhaul and modernise the country’s airspace communication architecture.

  • Engr. Ahmed Umar Farouk Assumes Leadership at NAMA, Declares Emergency on Power

    Engr. Ahmed Umar Farouk Assumes Leadership at NAMA, Declares Emergency on Power

    … Proclaims NAMA is on course, no longer on trial

    The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is pleased to announce the assumption of leadership by Engr. Ahmed Umar Farouk as the new Managing Director. With an illustrious three-decade career marked by significant contributions to Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure, Engr. Farouk takes charge, emphasizing a renewed commitment to safety and industry standards.

    Engr. Farouk’s tenure, which commenced with his entry into NAMA in 2002 from the federal ministry of labour and productivity, has been characterized by engineering prowess and strategic deployment of critical systems such as Instrument landing system and Doppler very high-frequency omnidirectional radio range. His planned retirement on January 18 marked the conclusion of an era dedicated to advancing the nation’s aviation capabilities.

    In assuming the role of Managing Director, Engr. Farouk prioritizes communication and airspace stability.Additionally, he declared a state of emergency on power within the agency, signaling a proactive stance aimed at enhancing operational efficiency.
    He stated, “NAMA is no longer on trial; we are on course, and our commitment to excellence is resolute.”

    Addressing the paramount importance of flight safety, Engr. Farouk pledged zero tolerance for air accidents. He emphasized strict adherence to global safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), prioritizing the safety and well-being of the flying public.

    Accepting his appointment, Engr. Farouk underlined his dedication to maintaining industry-leading safety measures and urged collective responsibility. His leadership envisions a future for NAMA marked by excellence and safety, invoking blessings for guidance in this new phase.

    Engr. Farouk expresses gratitude to his predecessor, Engr. Tayib Odunowo, for effectively tackling numerous challenges in the airspace. He commits to continuing the commendable work and emphasizes a focus on prioritizing the welfare of both active and retired staff at the agency.

  • NAMA, ASECNA sign MoU on Improved Airspace Coordination

    NAMA, ASECNA sign MoU on Improved Airspace Coordination

    In a bid to address challenges arising from the flow of air traffic between Flight Information Regions (FIRs), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has signed Letters of Agreement with the Agency for Aerial Navigation and Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA). The agreement, which was signed in Lagos at the end of a five-day coordination meeting with ASECNA officials from Lome and Cotonou sought to enhance air traffic coordination between the Lagos Area Control Centre (ACC) and Lome Area Control Centre as well as between Lagos ACC and Cotonou Approach Unit.

     Specified in the Letters of Agreement were procedures for separation of aircraft between the two ACCs in terms of radio frequencies, the point at which aircraft are transferred and altitudes for transfer of aircraft across the common boundaries. Also in the agreement were modalities for the coordination of air traffic along the newly created routes (UL255 and UN247) within Lome airspace terminating at POLTO.

     The ASECNA officials were assured that issues with coordination and data interchange equipment like Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) and Air Traffic Services Message Handling Services (AMHS) would soon be surmounted with the ongoing deployment of the new VISAT 10.02 network.

    The concept of Free Route Airspace (FRA) already in operation within Kano Flight Information Region (Nigeria) as well as its derivatives like increased airspace capacity; shorter travel time; reduced carbon emission, reduced operational costs to the operators and reduced workload for controllers and pilots was presented to the visitors for possible adoption and implementation.

    The visiting ASECNA team also inspected navigational facilities at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, like the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) Site, control tower, mobile control tower at CENTREX, CAT III equipment as well as the newly installed Surface Movement Radar.

    Meanwhile, the Managing Director of NAMA, Engr Tayib Odunowo has expressed confidence that regional collaborations and synergy between adjacent FIRs were critical to the safety of the African sky. Odunowo who was represented at the signing of the Letters of Agreement with ASECNA by the General Manager, Air Traffic Control Operations, Mr. John Tayo said such collaborations would guarantee seamlessness of air traffic management as well as interoperability of Communication, Navigation and Surveillance / Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) systems among states on the African continent.  

  • NSIB, NAMA, Seal Deal to Promote Air Safety

    NSIB, NAMA, Seal Deal to Promote Air Safety

    The safety of the Nigerian air space has received a boost as the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the Nigerian airspace management agency (NAMA) in line with their inter agency collaboration agenda today in Abuja entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement and renewed partnership to promote air safety.

    The main purpose of the agreement was to consolidate the existing relationship between NSIB and NAMA on the exchange of information, and data sharing during occurrences, among others, that can help in the quality and timeliness of investigation of air mishaps in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO Annex 13 and 19 of the 1994 Chicago convention on International Civil Aviation.

    Also included in the MoU was the flexibility in all transactions with the mutual agreement of both agencies, upholding the values of cooperation, honesty, mutual respect, openness and professionalism.

    NSIB and NAMA while signing the deal noted that though the MoU is not legally binding, the two agencies however agreed to perform their respective functions in a manner consistent with the values and principles of the agreement.

     The signing of the agreement, which took place at the NSIB Abuja headquarters, had the Bureau Director General, Engr. Akin Olateru signed on behalf of NSIB, while NAMA Managing Director/ CEO, Engr. Odunowo Tayib Mohammed, put pen on paper for his Agency.

    The NSIB recently signed a MoU with Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on cooperation during emergencies even as the agency has signed similar agreements with various agencies and institutions within and outside the country.

    Said Olateru, “Collaboration remains the centre point of our drive towards enthroning safety in the aviation industry. We remain committed to promoting safety in the aviation industry to the point of attaining and maintaining zero accident.”

    He added: “We, however, cannot do it alone. That is why we have chosen the path of collaboration with agencies and institutions with similar objectives.”

    He commended NAMA management for rising to the occasion by signing the agreement.

  • ICAO Audit: NAMA Conducts Validation Flight of Instrument Flight Procedures, Reviews Compliance

    ICAO Audit: NAMA Conducts Validation Flight of Instrument Flight Procedures, Reviews Compliance

    Ahead of the International Civil Aviation (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) expected to commence by the end of the month, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has conducted validation flights of Instrument Flight Procedures at all the international airports in the country to ensure compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). This is just as the agency has rounded off calibration of navigational aids at major airports in the country and commissioned newly installed ones in Maiduguri and Minna airports.

     The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr Tayib Odunowo who made this revelation in a statement said all required documents like Aeronautical Information Publications (AIP), Operation Manuals, MOUs with other agencies including military and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) have been reviewed and forwarded to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for approval. He also noted that critical manpower has been boosted at major airports across the country.

    Engr Odunowo also expressed satisfaction with the preparedness and compliance level of the agency ahead of the audit.  The NAMA MD who has, alongside his management team, already inspected navigational aids at the Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, Kano, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, noted with delight the dedication to duty and commitment of staff of the agency towards ensuring that all identified gaps in the safety-critical and operational areas were being closed.

    The NAMA boss also reiterated the need for units and departments to work in synergy and harmony, saying “Only a united NAMA can ensure we attain our set goals and objectives.” The facilities inspected include the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) sites, control towers, mobile control towers, Air Traffic Control 3-D Tower Simulator at Centrex Lagos, as well as administrative offices.

     Other facilities assessed were ongoing projects where Odunowo charged contractors to ensure speedy completion of work. Meanwhile, Engr Odunowo and his management team are billed to also visit Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa and Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu in the next few days, in continuation of the facility assessment tour. 

  • NAMA to deploy Surface Movement Radar & Ground Control System, Conducts Site Acceptance Test

    NAMA to deploy Surface Movement Radar & Ground Control System, Conducts Site Acceptance Test

    Preparatory to its full deployment in a few days, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has successfully conducted the site acceptance test for its newly installed surface movement radar and ground control systems in Abuja and Lagos airports to enable air traffic controllers to monitor aircraft and vehicular movement during low visibility or night time.

    Speaking while conducting the site acceptance test of the radar equipment in Abuja, the Acting Managing Director of NAMA, Matthew Lawrence Pwajok stated that in furtherance to its quest to enhance the safety and efficiency of flight operations in Nigeria, the agency had embarked on the procurement of the surface movement radar due to its capability for detection, monitoring, and control of aircraft and vehicles on the ground for the purpose of preventing collision between aircraft, and between aircraft and vehicles as well as between aircraft and obstacles on the ground (runway, taxiway, and apron).

    Pwajok said “The surface movement radar, which is a primary radar, would provide surveillance for aircraft and vehicles on the ground for the air traffic controller rather than physically seeing or looking out on the runway, the apron, taxiway or parking gate. Presently, what obtains is that the ground control is manually done. Air traffic controllers at the tower look outside to see where the aircraft is, to separate it, clear it for takeoff, and landing, and direct it to taxi to the parking gate. But with surface movement radar, guidance on the ground is automated as every surface movement is displayed clearly on the console. So, the air traffic controller can clearly see the aircraft and guide it while taxiing on the ground from the departure gate to the runway for takeoff, and once it takes off, he hands it over to the approach control.

     “The surface movement radar can be used when aircraft land in poor weather conditions. In most cases the airport is shut down because pilots can’t see and can’t taxi so they would have to wait until there is weather improvement. But with the surface movement radar we can guide aircraft on landing to the parking gate and, on departure, we can guide them from the parking gate to the runway for takeoff as everything is displayed on the console. The same way the radar sees aircraft in the air, this one will see aircraft and vehicles as they are moving on the ground,” he said.

    Speaking further, the NAMA MD said the surface movement radar would greatly enhance safety as it would help prevent runway incursions, excursions, and confusion. “Sometimes an aircraft is given an instruction to a particular taxi link and it enters the wrong link. If visibility is very poor or the place is dark, the air traffic controller will not know. Surface movement radar would therefore enable the controller to see clearly that the aircraft is in the right link. It would enhance safety on the ground by preventing collisions between aircraft. The issue of delaying aircraft by waiting for the weather to improve will be a thing of the past,” he said.

    Surface movement radar, according to Pwajok, would boost Category III Instrument Landing Systems operations because “with CAT III, aircraft can land at zero visibility while the surface movement radar would then enable the controllers even at zero visibility to separate and control aircraft to the gate as well as those taxiing from the gate to takeoff very efficiently. Surface movement radar can also detect conflicts. If two aircraft are going to converge at a point, it can give an alert to the controller to prevent a collision on the ground.”

    He recalled that a similar site acceptance test was conducted successfully in Lagos on the equipment located at Runway 18 Right two weeks ago and that “every aspect of the equipment is working effectively. So, we are now landscaping and fencing the antennas to prevent future encroachment. In Lagos, we had a major challenge of the tower being blocked by the Legend Hotel, Executive Jet, and aviation terminal. And that necessitated the deployment of the surface movement radar. So, with this, that problem has been solved. It has reduced stress on the air traffic controller as he can now see everything from the console. In Abuja, the Chinese terminal also blocked the tower and controllers can neither see the international terminal nor the presidential wing. At the moment we are using the mobile tower to augment the view. But with surface movement radar, we won’t need the mobile tower there anymore as every part of the airport is visible from the console,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Pwajok has said the agency was working with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the airlines to ensure that all vehicles coming to the airside carry a transponder to enable the surface movement radar to identify them and the controller to communicate and control them. On the training of personnel for the equipment, the NAMA boss said engineers had already been trained since last year while arrangements have been concluded for 12 air traffic controllers to proceed for training in a matter of days. 

  • NAMA to Reduce Airlines’ Operational Cost with SBAS Implementation

    NAMA to Reduce Airlines’ Operational Cost with SBAS Implementation

    The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has said that it’s resolve to constantly upgrade navigational infrastructure in the country was borne out of the determination to enhance safety, improve operational efficiency of airlines and increase their profitability in the long run through reduced operational costs.

    The Acting Managing Director of NAMA, Matthew Lawrence Pwajok, made these remarks in Abuja after a successful test flight of the Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) flight procedure using the agency’s calibration aircraft expressed confidence that the implementation of SBAS would not only enhance safety, efficiency and capacity of the Air Traffic Management system but would also increase the efficiency of the airlines through reduced flight time and turnaround time, reduced fuel consumption, reduced workload for both pilots and air traffic controllers and increased profitability over time.

    He recalled that NAMA had earlier implemented PBN in 32 airports including military, private, state government as well as federal government airports, adding that “the whole essence of the SBAS is to improve on the integrity, accuracy, availability and continuity of the PBN signals by deploying a ground infrastructure or a master station that receives signals from several satellites, triangulates them and takes the best location and then broadcast it through a broadcast media globally to be received by any aircraft within that airspace. So, we have done PBN that provides lateral guidance needed to locate an airport but we have gone a step further to improve on it by implementing precision approaches using the satellite provided by Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT).” 

    Explaining further, Pwajok said, “while PBN provides lateral guidance for the aircraft to locate an airport, SBAS would provide improved accuracy, improved integrity of the signals, improved availability and continuity of the signals as it collects information from several signals or satellites rather than an aircraft using just one signal from a GPS to fly. So, the samples from several satellites would improve on the indication of accuracy.

    Aircraft can then use it for improved accuracy in approach and landing, improved accuracy in flying en route, and improved accuracy in even descent profile as it provides us with the capacity to give aircraft lateral guidance, and vertical guidance either for approach and landing or take-off and climb for enroute flight. By this, it has helped us to maximize the use of limited airspace and that reduces what we refer to as controlled flights into terrain.”

    The NAMA helmsman said, “the SBAS would be a win-win situation for airlines because over time they have been focusing attention on reducing cost and increasing profitability and this innovation will surely be of immense benefit to them in that regard.” He maintained that an aircraft would not require more than a retrofit for those that have been flying PBN and that it will not be capital-intensive for an airline to acquire a retrofit, stressing that given the cost-effectiveness of satellite navigation, SBAS would improve the economies of airlines in the long run. He also allayed insinuations that the agency will be phasing out Instrument Landing Systems (ILS).

    “In aviation, it is required that every critical service must have redundancy. For us, it is an improvement in terms of the availability of service. When we had the ground-based navigational facilities we still went ahead to implement PBN. This is because the ground equipment are susceptible to power fluctuations, weather changes, technical errors and maintenance issues as well. The ILS is a system and can go off. If the equipment goes off due to power failure or any other reason and an aircraft is trying to land, the pilot can switch to satellite navigation. We must have a contingency and that is required by the NCAA regulations Part 14, and by ICAO Annex 11, that every service you provide must have redundancies,” he said.

    He expressed satisfaction with the SBAS test flight saying that “the guidance was very impressive, the system was fully aligned, the level of deviations was very minimal. The pilot was able to bring the aircraft even further down than the ground equipment. And when an aircraft is able to come to a lower decision altitude that means the pilot had more access to the runway. The ability of a guidance system to bring an aircraft to a lower altitude enables the pilot to have more visibility to be able to make a successful landing.”

  • NSIB releases seven final reports, issues twenty safety recommendations to NCAA, FAAN, others

    NSIB releases seven final reports, issues twenty safety recommendations to NCAA, FAAN, others

    The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) formerly known as Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has released seven final reports of accidents and serious incident air mishaps that occurred within Nigerian airspace to the public.

    The Bureau also issued a total of twenty (20) safety recommendations addressed to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria( FAAN) the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the affected airlines, among others,  as safety measures to prevent future reoccurrence of similar incidents.

    Addressing newsmen during the presentation of the reports at the Bureau Headquarters, Safety House, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, NSIB Director General, Engr. Akin Olateru, disclosed that the newly released reports make a total of 82 aircraft accident reports released by the Bureau since its inception in 2007 while a total of 63 reports were released by the current leadership from 2017 till date.

    He said this year alone, seven accident reports and 30 safety recommendations have been released. Olateru added  that, the Bureau has also released a total of two hundred and seventy-two ( 272) safety recommendations since the inception of the Bureau of which a total of One hundred and ninety-one ( 191) of the recommendations were equally released by the current management.

    He also assured of NSIB commitment to the quality investigation of accidents and serious incidents through improving processes, human capacity and equipment, among others.

    “We remain committed through improving our processes, human capacity and equipment, to fulfil our mandate effectively, purposefully, and professionally”, he said.

    Occurrences reports released by the Bureau include the serious incident involving  Bristow helicopters Nigeria Ltd with Registration marks 5N BSN which occurred at Port Harcourt Military Airport (NAF BASE)  on the 9th March, 2020.

    The report of the serious incident involving ATR 72 with Registration Marks 5N- BPG owned and operated by Overland Airways Ltd which occurred at Ilorin Airport on 29th November, 2014.

    The serious incident involving B737-300 with Registration Marks 5N- BUO belonging to Air Peace Ltd, which occurred at FL 310 enroute Enugu from Lagos on 14th December 14th. 2018

     Also released was the report of a serious incident involving British Aerospace BAE 125 -8008 with  Registration Marks 5N- B00 operated by Gyro Aviation Ltd which occurred at Port Harcourt, Nigeria on 16th July 2020.

     The report of the serious incident involving a Dornier 328-100 with Registration Marks 5N- DOX operated by Dornier Aviation Nigeria-  AIEP (DANA) Ltd., which occurred at  port Harcourt Military Airport on 23rd  January 2019 was also released.

    Also released by the Bureau was the final report of the serious incident involving Airbus 330- 243 aircraft operated by Middle Airlines with Registration Marks OD- MEA and  parked Boeing 777 aircraft operated by Turkish Airlines with Registration Marks TC EJC, which occurred at Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria, on 29th July, 2020.

    The released reports also included serious incident involving British Aerospace BAE 125 800B aircraft with Nationality and Registration Marks 5N- BOO operated by Gyro Aviation Ltd., which occurred at Osubi Airstrip, Warri, Nigeria on 10th September 2020.

     The Bureau’s Director General in his final remarks said the details of the reports, which include the factual information, findings, analysis, conclusions and safety recommendations on the investigations are available for download on the Bureau ‘s website.

  • NAMA MD Tasks Airlines on Incident Reporting

    NAMA MD Tasks Airlines on Incident Reporting

    …inducted into the AFARN Hall of Fame

    The Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr. Matthew Lawrence Pwajok has urged pilots, air traffic controllers, airlines, ground handlers, passengers and other stakeholders in the aviation industry to continue to report aviation incidents to the safety authorities as this would further enhance the relative safety in the industry and also boost confidence in air travel.

    Pwajok who was an award recipient at the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN) safety summit and awards which held in Lagos at the weekend contended that investing in sensitization of key stakeholders in the area of safety reporting is as important as investing in safety-critical equipment and manpower training, stressing that incident reports were a critical and strategic aspect of the aviation safety chain, because “if you don’t report incidents we can’t control them, if we don’t have reports we cannot provide the required risk analysis and mitigations.”

    He commended pilots “for being very faithful in incident reporting, even to the detriment of the airlines, as this could sometimes cause slight flight delays while awaiting a review or investigation of the incident by NCAA before releasing the aircraft back for operations. NCAA for investigation, and when the reported event or defect is mitigated, the aircraft is released back to service. For instance, we had an occurrence at Escravos yesterday that was reported to the control tower by the pilot, and consequently, NAMA informed AIB and NCAA, and after the required mitigations were effected, the aircraft was released back to service. It is as prompt as that! These are the kind of 24/7 collaboration, cooperation, and coordination that have largely enhanced safety in the sector.”

    The NAMA boss appreciated stakeholders in the industry for the enhanced safety in the sector which he attributed to the effective synergy amongst stakeholders and strategic efforts by service providers. The NAMA MD opined that the relative safety enjoyed in the sector over the last 10 years was not by chance or luck but as a result of significant investments both in infrastructural deployment and human capital development to enhance safety in the Nigerian airspace, thereby ensuring that major air disasters such as those witnessed between 2005 and 2006 were a thing of the past.

    According to him, “one of the first things the agency did under the Obasanjo government was the implementation of Safe Tower project and this began with the automation of the control tower at Abuja airport in 2007. In 2008 we completed that of Lagos and Port Harcourt and subsequently Kano. This project provided the main mitigation to what was considered the primary cause of most of these air disasters. The project provided NAMA with automated air traffic management systems, as well as meteorological sensors along the runways, and provided ATC with real-time weather information from the runways, availing us with wind direction, wind speed, low-level wind shear alerting systems, cloud altitudes, cloud densities, cloud direction of movement, air temperature, air pressure, prevailing weather conditions, etc. Thus, basically, every element of weather is displayed at the control tower at the four major airports, so pilots are given adequate information on approaching weather, prevailing weather, or forecasted weather conditions.”

    “We went further to deploy the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) in 2010. We could now track aircraft over the entire airspace of Nigeria and beyond, unlike before when air traffic controllers had to manually depend on pilot reports to control and ensure safety of flights, separation of aircraft from each other, and sequence them for arrival or for takeoff. The radar system has the capacity to detect conflicts, aircraft crossing each other, with inbuilt ground safety nets such as short-term conflict alert, and medium-term conflict detection with respect to aircraft crossing at the same level or in close proximity either vertically or laterally, the radar system will alert ATC. The radar system is also equipped with minimum safe altitude warning, thus if you are very low to the terrain it will alert us. The system also has a danger area infringement warning to alert aircraft away from restricted, prohibited or dangerous areas with known or reported activities hazardous to air safety. These are all ground safety nets, about ten of them that are in-built in the radar system to give the air traffic controller adequate information, and to a large extent, that has enhanced safety in our airspace.”

    Pwajok further stated that the drive towards enhancing air safety is attributable to global, regional and national initiatives following the development of the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan, Global Aviation Safety Plan in 2012. At the regional level, the ministers responsible for civil aviation in Africa met in Abuja, Nigeria following the ranking of Africa as the continent with the least volume of flight operations, but with the highest fatal accidents rate in the world. “Thus on 20th July 2012, we had the ministerial declaration in Abuja: what the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) refers to as the Abuja Safety Targets. Ministers responsible for aviation met in Abuja, reviewed the safety level in Africa and agreed that over 60% of the fatal accidents were caused by (i) loss of control in flight (ii) controlled flight into terrain, and (iii) runway incursion, excursion and confusion. In addressing these, the Ministerial Conference and the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) came up with a 16-point agenda out of that declaration: to reduce loss of controlled flight into the terrain by 50%; reduce runway incursion and excursion by 50%; reduce loss of control in flight by 50%, implement state safety programme by CAAs and also ensure effective implementation of oversight, Pwajok said.”

    He noted that the above strategies were domesticated at national levels, while strategic and concerted efforts were made towards implementation and enhancement of air safety through investment in safety critical infrastructure, training, establishment of safety management system and quality management system, as well as development of safety plans, safety policies, safety objectives, safety key performance indicators, and acceptable level of safety performance. He also lauded the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika for facilitating the huge investment in development of air navigation services in line with the aviation roadmap, as well championing recent collaborative efforts by aviation agencies, airlines and other stakeholders in a bid to enhance safety in the nation’s airspace.

    This year’s AFARN summit with the theme- Aviation Safety in a Global Distressed Economy: The Place of Nigeria, also had in attendance the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Engr. Akin Olateru and the representative of DG, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who were also inducted into the AFARN Hall of Fame alongside Pwajok.

  • NAMA moves to Implement Multilateration: Sensitizes Operators

    NAMA moves to Implement Multilateration: Sensitizes Operators

    Preparatory to the implementation of the Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) Surveillance Air Traffic Management System in the Gulf of Guinea, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has held a two-day sensitization workshop with stakeholders in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    The workshop which attracted participants such as airline operators, oil prospecting companies, the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, NAMA engineers and air traffic controllers as well as other aviation agencies was aimed at sensitizing key stakeholders and regulatory authorities on the imperative of the project as well as the economic, security, operational and safety benefits accruable from its deployment and also extracting their buy-in and cooperation. The workshop also aimed at brainstorming and interacting with the provider of the service, users of the service and key stakeholders in order to come up with an appropriate architecture for the airspace and also evolve a system that would be efficient, safe and economical to all parties.   

    In his remarks at the forum, Acting Managing Director of NAMA, Matthew Lawrence Pwajok said the Multilateration project dates back to 2013 when a contract was awarded for the assessment of the traffic volume, complexity and architecture of the airspace in the Niger Delta, in view of the critical role of oil exploration in Nigeria and the crucial role of helicopter operations in support of oil exploration activities. He said the volume of helicopter operations in the Niger Delta had increased significantly within a very limited airspace bloc, given that helicopter operations are within very low altitude.

    According to Pwajok, the increased volume of flight operations, as well as airspace complexity, necessitated the quest for the provision of a dedicated communication, navigation and surveillance system for the safe, effective and efficient air traffic management of low-level helicopter operations in the Niger

    Delta Area of Nigeria in support of oil exploration activities. “The density of their operations, the rising number of heliports, helipads, helidecks and landing platforms around the area became very critical. Helicopters were crisscrossing each other and the mode of control within the area had been procedural and by visual flight rules (VFR). The recommendation of the assessment team was that the traffic volume was beyond flight by visual flight rules and also beyond procedural control. What we currently have can no longer sustain increased flight operations or guarantee efficiency, safety and security of flight operations within the Niger Delta area, therefore the provision of an automated system of surveillance, monitoring and control of flight operations through Multilateration became imperative,” he said.

    He expressed gratitude to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for providing the agency the location for the Multilateration centre in Port Harcourt to control and coordinate the surveillance of the entire area, stressing that the reconstruction of the Port Harcourt MLAT centre had been completed, power and cooling systems already installed while the installation of transmitters and receivers is ongoing in 29 sites to cover the entire Niger Delta area.

    Pwajok disclosed that ahead of its commissioning by the end of the year or early next year, critical milestones in the project such as factory acceptance test and factory training for air traffic engineers and air traffic controllers had already been done in Czechoslovakia, adding that the equipment had been shipped to the country while installations are ongoing.

    He also noted that another key addition to the Multilateration system is the Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) system to be used to provide surveillance for the monitoring and control of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) or drones. He said the inclusion of the UTM system in the project became imperative because of the equally significant number of unmanned aircraft (drones) operating in the same airspace bloc with manned aircraft and used by oil companies for pipeline monitoring, surveillance, security monitoring and inspection of helipads and other landing platforms.

    The NAMA boss listed the benefits of Multilateration including enhanced safety, efficiency and security of flight operations within the continental and oceanic airspace, just as he said it would enhance search and rescue in the oceanic airspace. He also said Multilateration would aid in monitoring the operation of ships as well as the search and rescue of ships in distress within the maritime area.

    Multilateration is a system that makes use of multiple remote sensors that pick signals from aircraft transponders and use them to determine the position of an aircraft by calculating the Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) of the signals to the sensors. The system provides higher accuracy, greater update rates, better coverage and improved reliability at a much lower cost. MLAT uses small unmanned ground stations placed strategically around an airport or terminal or remote locations to provide constant and automatic air traffic surveillance. Like Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR), Multilateration is classified as a cooperative dependent surveillance system: the aircraft has to cooperate by switching on its onboard transponder.