The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association, NATCA, has said most aircraft find it difficult to land at airports across the country during adverse weather conditions such as dust haze, rain and fog because of inadequate instrument landing systems .
According to NATCA General Secretary, Mr. Olawode Banji “Nigerian airports do not have some categories of instrument landing systems (ILSs) that would enable aircraft to land at airports under severe weather condition and zero visibility.”
He added that many of the landing aids such as ILS, airfield lightings (AFLs) and others are inadequate thereby making it difficult for airlines to operate in adverse weather conditions.
“Some adverse weather conditions that are associated with harmattan season include mist, fog and dust haze. All these reduce visibility and could limit the usage of an airport or impair air safety. Many of the landing aids such as ILS, airfield lightings (runway, approach and taxiway lights) are inadequate at our airports thereby limiting operations in adverse weather condition like dust haze, rain and fog. Many of the airports operations are restricted under adverse weather conditions due to absence of airfield lightings and non-availability of desirable landing aids,” he said.
Banji also said some airports that are equipped with instrument landing aids had been battling with power and technical challenges.
“Some airports with ILS are always having problems of power supply to the equipment and other technical problems that could make the equipment unserviceable.
The categories of the available ILS and non-availability of airfield lightings do not allow for aircraft operations when the visibility reduces below some set minima for each airport. There are categories of ILS that are not available at Nigerian airports to allow for landing under severely reduced visibility even as low as zero visibility,” Banji said.\ Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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So much for our renovated international standard airport. Not to talk about bad cooling installations, substandard toiletry systems that are spoilt already and the alarming cost of this non beneficial renovation.
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