NAMA begins calibration of navigational aids at Ilorin Int'l Airport
- Matthew Denis
- Jul 6, 2015
- 2 min read
In a bid to further enhance the safety of the country's airspace, the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has commenced the calibration of its navigational aids at Ilorin International Airport and other en-route stations across the country.
The routine calibration exercise intends to determine the precision and accuracy of these navigational aids is expected to last for about two weeks.
The exercise would involve the calibration of the agency's Instrument Landing Systems, Very High Omni-Directional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, Path Approach Precision Indicators, tracon and Air Field Lighting Systems.
While other facilities to be calibrated include the Communication Radio Coverage across the nation.
During the exercise on Thursday, the officials, who came with an aircraft named ASECNA no. 6V- AFW were seen flying round Ilorin airspace for several hours monitoring the facilities before they finally landed at the apron with staffers on ground in Ilorin coming to interact with them.
Speaking with a top NAMA staff at Ilorin International Airport who pleaded anonymity because he is not allow to attend to press, said the operation was targeted at putting all the navigational aids at Ilorin Int'l Airport, other airports and en-route stations in optimal capacity.
The source said "the exercise is a routine check on the effectiveness of facilities and is conducted nationwide.
"Our officials came from the Headquarters, Lagos in response to the supervision already carried out earlier by ground Engineers on the fitness of air controllers' equipment."
"During the air exercise, there was communication with the ground Engineers on the level of instruments fitness and it was done successful here in Ilorin."
According to him, Ilorin Int'l Airport uses the traco in carrying out its operations as Lagos radar carries out all communications with pilots in the Southern sector, including Ilorin, when the aircraft is on board and only handover to Ilorin control Tower when the plane is already in Ilorin airspace and about landing .
He equally stressed that Aminu Kano International Airport radar does the same for Northern Sector even though Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja is busier than Kano.
He said "Aminu Kano Int'l Airport covers all the airspace operations in the northern sector, including Abuja. It only handover operations to Abuja control tower about 60miles to the airport.
The reliable source assured air passengers from Ilorin Int'l Airport of safety as the facilities are of world standard.
He said "we are assuring our air passengers nationwide that Nigeria airspace is safe as almost all the facilities in advanced countries "we have them here.
"The management is equally doing a lot in upgrading the facilities and training of man-power for expertise".
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