Low visibility: NCAA reviews operating weather for 18 airports

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in conjunction with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has reviewed directives and standing operating procedures in terms of minimum ceiling, visibility, Runway Visual Range (RVR), or specified hazards to flight for 18 airports in Nigeria.
The review 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.
The 18 aerodromes where the operating minima and takeoff minima has been reviewed are Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Dutse, Eket and Enugu.
Others are Gombe, Ilorin, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Owerri, Sokoto, Uyo, Yola and Zaria.
However, the review allows for takeoff as low as 150 metres Runway Visual Range (RVR), while some airports in the country with Category Two Instrument Landing Systems (ILS Cat II) can permit landing with 300 metres RVR.
Before the review, the lowest visibility with Category Two ILS in the nation’s airports was 800 metres/550.
Based on the review, the Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Ilorin, Gombe, Owerri, Sokoto, Uyo, Yola, Dutse, Calabar and Enugu airports have ILS Cat II Approach and Landing Minima.
In a statement issued in Lagos, the director general of NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman said the agency took cognisance of improvements in visual and navigational aids in the affected airports.
He said 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.
He said the landing minima specified for all the 18 airports were determined based on applicable criteria as defined in the ICAO PANS-OPS Doc. 8168, Doc.9365. These include all relevant amendments, as well as available navigational facilities (ILS, VOR/DME, etc) or PBN Navigational Specification (RNAV/GNSS).
“On the other hand, the reviewed operating minima provided for a performance based takeoff minima for the affected aerodromes in Nigeria are determined by available visual aids for takeoff. These are runway centre lights, touchdown zone lights, runway edge lights, threshold lights, runway end lights and runway surface markings,” he said.
It would be recalled that last review of weather minima was done 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.
“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,” said Usman.
To ensure the seamless operation of the revised minima, Usman said the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) shall continue to ensure prompt and regular provision of required meteorological information. These will include flight visibility and Runway Visual Range (RVR) values to all ATC units in the airports.
He added that NiMet and NAMA shall ensure constant updating of the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) with the available RVR values as appropriate.
“All airlines, Aerodrome Operators and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP) are required to ensure adequate training of their personnel and flight crew that would be involved in low visibility operations.
Dana Air makes list of top 50 brands
For the third consecutive time, Dana Air has made the list of Top 50 Brands 2017 at the Brands Nigeria Leadership Forum held recently in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Top 50 Brands Nigeria, Mr. Taiwo Oluboyede said the airline made the list because of its innovations, corporate social responsibility, popularity, and online engagement.
“Nigeria is becoming more attractive to investors across the world in spite of our many challenges. More people are coming to invest and there is need to provide information about corporate Nigeria.
“The brands that have made it today are homegrown brands that have shown resilience, contributed to the economy of Nigeria, have good national spread, innovative and have good online engagement and popularity,” he said.
Responding, the spokesman for the airline, Mr. Kingsley Ezenwa, who received the award on behalf of the management expressed satisfaction with the recognition.
“We are highly honored to have been listed among the top 50 brands in Nigeria. We are a responsible corporate citizen and giving back to the society, contributing positively to the economy of the country, and churning quality products are the ways we have shown commitment to the Nigerian dream.
“Our investment across Nigeria and in various sectors of the economy, speaks volume of our commitment to continue to provide jobs for our people and assist the government to achieve a positive growth trajectory in the economy.
“We are nine years plus in the aviation industry and we have shown massive resilience in spite of the multiple challenges, providing value added services at all times and our guests should expect an all-round improvement in 2018.
“Dana Air is always open to giving more to its guests and partnering Ideas House to sample a new brand of soft drink on our flights is just another way of achieving this,” said Ezenwa.

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