The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said it would improve safety in the Nigerian aviation industry with the installation of Extended Very High Ominidirectional Radio Range (VOR) system in several of its stations across the country.
With the installation of the equipment, NAMA said that blind spots in the country’s airspace would be a thing of the past while safety and security in the air and on ground would further be enhanced.
The acting Managing Director, NAMA, Lawrence Pwajok disclosed this recently at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos during the oversight visit of the joint National Assembly Committee on Aviation.
According to Pwajok, the equipment, which is to boost air to ground communication, has already been installed in some northern stations of the country, including Abuja and Kano, while that of the Lagos centrewould be installed in the next one week.
Besides that, Pwajok explained that NAMA has Category III Instrument Landing System (ILS) in Lagos and Abuja airports, which could enableaircraft land in zero visibility weather condition.
He noted, however, that for the equipment to be functional, there would be other navigation equipment provided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) like the airfield lighting must be upgraded to the Category III status, while aircraft and pilots must also be in compliance with on-board equipment in the aircraft.
He also said that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) must certify the equipment, aircraft and pilots for that purpose.
“In Lagos and Abuja airports, we are on Category III status. With this, aircraft can have zero visibility landing on the two airports. However, NAMA is also planning to upgrade the lighting system to Category III. The moment this is done, airlines can land with zero visibility at the two airports.”
Pwajok further stated that the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON), which was installed in 2010, needed upgrade as most of its software has become obsolete.
According to him, since the contract for the maintenance of the radar elapsed in 2014, the contract had not been renewed, saying that there was the need to have an improved system to further improve safety in the country.
Reacting, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Sen. Smart Adeyemi promised that the National Assembly would make provision for the upgrade of the radar.
