The Nation Newspaper

Category: Aviation

  • ICAO: Hurdles to Lagos, Abuja airports’ certification

    ICAO: Hurdles to Lagos, Abuja airports’ certification

    The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has set May as deadline for Nigeria to get the Lagos and Abuja airports certified. Last week, a team of the global body visited the airports, preparatory to the exercise. Will the country scale the hurdle? KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR asks.

    BARRING any hitch, Nigeria will soon benefit from a global coalition to address its airport infrastructure challenges.

    The coalition between the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is a follow-up to the African-Indian Ocean (AFI) project to assist Nigeria achieve its aerodrome certification.

    But, the deal is coming after the country’s efforts of many years to get the airports — Lagos and Abuja — certified by the NCAA and ICAO.

    Eleven years after NCAA got its regulatory autonomy, it is yet to certify any airport because of lack of basic facilities.

    Since 2006, the regulator has engaged other agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to enable the aerodromes get the required manpower and infrastructure to qualify them for certification.

    Many of them lack effective operations manual, and emergency plans as well as aerodrome security programme prescribed by the ICAO.

    In the last 20 years, efforts by the government to certify the airports did not yield any results because they failed to meet prescribed regulatory checklist on safety and security.

    Worried, the government  a few years ago embarked on infrastructure upgrade.This is in addition to other measures.

    Over the years, Nigeria has worked hard to ensure the airports meet the global body’s standards.

    The government has acquired many fire-fighting equipment for airports. This is in addition to runway markings as well as airport operations manual.

    According to Peter Hampson, an international aviation consultant in the United States,  for an airport to be certified, it must have the following: adequate fire cover, efficient airspace communication infrastructure, water hydrant, fire fighting vehicles, airfield lighting, and perimeter fencing.

    Without these, Hampson said, no airport would be certified by the global regulator.

    Other conditions, he said, are a standard runway and runway strength known as the Pavement Classification Number (PCN), non-interference by the government, adequate fire tenders, standard instrument landing systems, fuelling, baggage handling, apron and quick response to distress, among others.

    Since 2013, the government has been putting measures in place to address the gaps.

     

    ICAO picks Abuja and Lagos airports

     

    Last week, the ICAO selected the Abuja and Lagos airports for certification.

    According to ICAO Regional Director, Western and Central Africa ( WACAF), Mam Sait Jallow, the body selected the two airports for the implementation of its Africa Aerodrome Certification Project.

    Jallow was part of a delegation to assist the NCAA to ensure that the two airports were certified. He was accompanied by the Regional Officer, Nika Manzi.

    At NCAA’s headquarters in Lagos, the ICAO team reiterated the objective of its visit.

    Before the visit, the global body at its recent assembly adopted the African regional plan to address the safety status of aircraft operations.

     

    NCAA reacts

     

    NCAA’s Director-General Capt Mukthar Usman said ICAO’s plan would benefit many countries. He said: “It is to assist states to resolve identified deficiencies within reasonable time to enhance aviation safety culture for aviation service providers.”

    He said ICAO and WACAF last year signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NCAA and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to facilitate the certification.

    After a three-day tour of facilities  with FAAN’s officials, Usman said the instrumentation for the airports’ certification was ready in line with  ICAO Standard and  Recommended Practices (SARPs) as well as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs).

    Usman said the certification would be in five phases, adding that Lagos and Abuja airports had reached stages two and three.

    He said the authority had trained technical workers on handling the challenges that may arise from the certification.

    Usman, however, assured that Nigeria would meet the requirements within the stipulated time.

    It was gathered that FAAN, NCAA and NAMA were collaborating to close gaps in infrastructure and operational procedures to ensure that Nigeria scaled through the certification.

     

    Sore points at airports

     

    But, some experts, including Centurion Securities Limited Chief Executive Officer Group Captain John Ojikutu, have drawn attention to some sore points at the airports.

    He said the government should go beyond fire-brigade measures to get global certification to look at porous security at airports and failure to comply with Annex 17 of the ICAO regulations.

    Ojikutu asked: “How many areas of our airports have received attention? What about the landing instrument, security and communication infrastructure, water hydrants, fire-fighting vehicles, airfield lighting and uninterrupted 24-hour electricity supply?

    “What have we done about equipment for the control and prevention of bird strikes, conveyor belts, functional air-conditioning systems for the terminals?

    “What about the avio-bridges, sufficient apron buses to halt the risky practice whereby passengers walk through the tarmacs to board aircraft?

    “This is the only way we can get our airports to be certified.”

     

    Doubts over certification

     

    Another expert, who pleaded not to be named, said though certification of the airports was good, he expressed doubts whether the exercise would guarantee 24-hour safety at the terminals.

    He said: “Does airport certification mean that our airports are always safe?

    “Does it mean that there will not be stowaway incidence without fencing the airport?”

     

    Benefits of certification

     

    In an interview in Lagos, Briggs Kari, an airport operations consultant, said certification would not only boost safety, but that it would also grow efficiency and profitability.

    Citing Airport Council International (ACI), the global airports regulator template, Kari said certification would make the airports more national and international regulations compliant.

    Kari said: “A few questions needs to be asked about airport certification in Nigeria. Is the operator ready to maintain safety at the aerodrome at all times?

    “How prepared is the airport authority to ensure that there is a safety management system in place to address hazards and risks?

    “What is the personnel competence and infrastructure level, compared to the type of operations at any airport?

    “Airport certifications help to make the airports have robust procedures, enhanced training and efficiencies, safety and profitability.”

  • Why retirees were evicted from Strabag Quarters, by FAAN

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has explained why it evicted its retirees from the Strabag Quarters in Ikeja, Lagos. The eviction was to enable it have accommodation for serving workers whose services are critical to airport operations.

    In an interview, its Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, said the exercise affected persons that had since left service and had been paid their gratuities.

    She said: “FAAN took the right steps to secure the “duty quarters”  so that staff in essential operations department have accommodation to respond timeously to emergencies.

    “If the previous occupants have not vacated the quarters, the serving staff will not have accommodation . The affected persons have been paid their gratuity and other entitlement in the last one year.

    “They have to vacate the duty quarters because FAAN has paid them and written several notices to them . They were even given an ultimatum, and they signed  a letter of undertaking that they will move. But, now some are resisting the directive to move out.

    “The apartments cannot be sold , they are duty houses for essential staff . Such people have to disabuse their minds from thinking that they can buy government houses.

    “The affected retirees are just giving excuses, that do not hold any water.

    “If they do not leave how will serving staff have quarters to occupy . Duty houses are needed to run the airport -+system effectively.”

    Last week, officials of the security, estate, legal and operations departments evicted six retirees occupying the quarters.

  • Senate committee vows to block leakages in aviation sector

    Senate committee vows to block leakages in aviation sector

    The Senate Committee on Aviation has vowed to work within its powers to block leakages in the Aviation Sector.

    The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Bala Na’Allah, made this known when agencies in the sector defended their 2017 budgets before the committee on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The agencies include Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

    He said the Senate would do everything possible to cut down wastage that had affected efficiency in the sector over the years.

    According to him, the essence is to check the level of budget implementation to ensure accountability and transparency.

    He urged the agencies to among other things, review agency’s tariff to encourage the use of Nigeria’s Airspace by foreign airlines.

    He further decried the high personnel cost and  emphasised the need for “ continuous improvement in the quality of service, particularly in securing the country’s airspace.’’

    The vice chairman also urged the agencies to “ensure that care was taken for appropriate and judicious disbursement of money.

    “Here in the Senate and under my watch, it will not be business as usual.

    “For the AIB, it  must be up and doing in its responsibility by ensuring that reports on accidents in the sector are made available at the right time.”

    He said the committee would call on the agencies for more clarification when necessary.

  • How prepared is Nigeria for cyber threats?

    How prepared is Nigeria for cyber threats?

    Passengers, airlines and aeronautical authorities are worried by Cyber threats on aviation systems and infrastructure. Experts warn that delay by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to take precautionary strategies portends danger for the sector, Correspondent KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR reports.

    ThreatS to air safety across national borders are becoming worrisome for aeronautical authorities.

    Nigeria and its air transport sector are not insulated from the threats to air travel—no thanks to the use of in- flight communication systems on board aircraft to either  distrupt a flight or create confusion.

    Apart from the aircraft avionics that could be remotely infiltrated by cyber attackers using on board in-flight wifi communication equipment, airlines reservation and check in facilities could be hacked into by cyber attackers to access digital information.

    According to Ifeanyi Ogochukwu, Chief Technology Strategist, Debbie Mishael Consulting, the industry may be at risk without appropriate cyber security containment measures.

    He warned that the evolving threat could extend to the country, if the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA) fails to drive efforts to combat threats related to cyber security.

    He said while Nigeria is still grasping with physical security issues, the threat to landscape had shifted from the physical plane to cyberspace.

    He added: “But then any disruption of the aviation domain may create catastrophic consequences which include loss of lives, destruction of aviation infrastructure, revenue loss, shut down of businesses, loss of jobs and serious emotional and psychological trauma among others.

    “Aviation is one of the most complex and integrated systems of information and communications technology (ICT) in the world, the global aviation system a highly technology driven environment is a potential target for a large-scale cyber-attack.

    “The industry keeps expanding, changing, and becoming increasingly connected due to the continual and rapid integration of new technologies. As technologies rapidly evolve in a frenetic pace, however, so do our adversaries and their threats.

    “The aviation industry, therefore, may be at risk without appropriate cybersecurity measures put in place for this evolving threat. It is imperative therefore that the industry maintain the highest levels of confidence in aviation.”

    He urged the relevant agencies to put in place a two-pronged containment strategy on the physical and digital domain to deal with cyber-attacks.

    Ogochukwu said the strategy should involve all stakeholders.

    “So, in effect, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as the regulator should be driver or enabler of this industry-based stakeholder approach to dealing with cyber threats.

    “Other agencies, including Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology(NCAT), airlines and aviation servicing companies should be involved in this industry wide approach,” he said.

    NCAA’s spokesman, Sam Adurogboye declined comments on the issue. But, an official of NCAA, who pleaded not to named, said efforts were being made to address issues that might arise from cyber attacks.

    He said: ”As experts in aviation security, the threat of cyber security is becoming increasingly of great concern as airlines payment system could be hacked, so we have to educate airlines, ground handling companies, aviation services providers to protect their systems from hacking.”

    Investigation revealed that airline payment platforms, automated airport operations management systems are vulnerable to attack by hackers.

    As attack on civil aviation moves  from land and airside to cyberspace, a global coalition is building on how to mitigate the effects of cyber security to air travel.

    Global aviation regulator International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO),  has designed new measures to mitigate the effects of cyber attack on air travel.

    Last year,  International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the ICAO  signed a cyber security agreement.

    “Our common goal in developing this agreement is to work more effectively together to establish and promote a robust cyber security culture and strategy for the benefit of all actors in our industry,”said Raymond Benjamin, an ICAO expert on cyber security.

    He said: “As technologies rapidly evolve and become more readily accessible to all, cyber threats cannot be ignored.

    ‘’This is an important new area of aviation security concern and our global community will ensure that it is met with a strong level of commitment and response.”

    Last year, the European Union (EU) urged the European Airspace Safety Agency (EASA) to launch a common strategy to fight cyber threats.

  • Dana offers low fares at Valentine

    Dana Air has launched a Valentine campaign aimed at assisting its passengers to fly for less on any of the airlines’ route network.

    The new campaign, according to the airline, will encourage passengers to plan their trip at all points of sale and across the counters.

    According to the firm’s Communications Manager, Kingsley Ezenwa, passengers will get the best fares across all sales channels from February 14.

    He said: “Over 30,600 seats on all our routes have been opened for sale at these low fares and we believe this valentine promo, which we have unveiled as we, countdown to the month of love.

    “This offer will not only be convenient for our teeming passengers, but it will encourage them to travel more and spend more time with family and friends.”

    Last week, the airline entered into an airline partnership with the Imo state government to promote business in the state and drive tourism.

  • Rwand Air to unveil new routes in April

    Rwand Air is to expand flight operations into Harare and Mumbai from April, its Country Manager, Ms Ibiyemi Odusi has said.

    Flights into Harare and Mumbai, Odusi said, were part of the expansion plans by the East African carrier in the first quarter of the year.

    In an interview in Lagos, she said the carrier hoped to expand flights into other routes including :Lilongwe, Bamako, Conakry , New York and London.

    According to her, “This year, there are plans to expand flights into New York, London, Mumbai, Harare, and Lilongwe.”

    Flights into London, she said, would also commence in the first quarter.

    She said the unique selling point of the new routes for the airline would be driven by its International Air Transport Association (IATA) operational safety audit (IOSA) safety record.

    Odusi listed other unique selling points to include good product and operating aircraft, young fleet with reliability, customer service, in- flight entertainment, on time performance and seamless connectivity beyond its hub in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.

    She said the airline would deploy its new Airbus 300-200 and Airbus 300- 300 as well as Boeing 737- 800 aircraft with on board wifi and mobile network.

  • ‘FAAN addressing manpower gap’

    To address its manpower gap, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has employed over 300 aviation security and airport rescue fire fighting officers, its spokesperson, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, has said.

    This year, many senior and middle cadre staff are expected to retire service.

    To bridge the anticipated manpower gap, FAAN is training its technical personnnel, including aviation security and airport fire rescue workers.

    According to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, FAAN requires no fewer than 1,500 aerodrome rescue and fire fighting officers. The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos requires a minimum of 160 fire fighters, it was learnt.

    In an interview, she said the authority is working hard for its safety certification audit at the Lagos and Abuja Airports in the year.

    Mrs Yakubu said key operational officers, especially from the Aviation Security and Fire Rescue departments, had been trained to enhance their efficiency.

    The training of such personnel, it was learnt, came on the heels of shortage of aerodrome safety and fire fighting personnel far below those required by the ICAO.

    She said: “Reports from the audits conducted in the last one year showed a remarkable improvement in our level of compliance with regulatory requirements. There is no doubt that a lot still needs to be done but statistics show that we are on upward swing.’’

    Yakubu said: “ In the last few years,  the number of serviceable fire hydrant systems at our airports has increased. New firemen have also been recruited, trained and redeployed to airports, according to their manpower needs, in line with ICAO recommendations.”

    She said FAAN would  address the  gaps in airport infrastructure to consolidate its performance in the  pass the ICAO universal safety oversight audit programme (USOAP).

    The FAAN spokesperson said the authority had started the migration to a new independent power source at the Lagos Airport with the acquisition of six new generators to resolve the power challenges at the terminal.

    Mrs Yakubu said: “We are pursuing the entrenchment of safety and security as core values as an airport organisation by ensuring that the right facilities are installed to speed up baggage facilitation and ensure passenger convenience and comfort.”

    She said the construction of new airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu was nearing completion.

  • How weapons can get onto planes, by experts

    How weapons can get onto planes, by experts

    SOME experts have identified unauthorised persons’ access to weapons and explosives as renewed threats to aviation security.

    Speaking at the third Annual Security Lecture organised by the Aviation Security Department of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in Lagos, they said weapons and explosives could be smuggled into planes through carry on baggage and check in luggage using airport workers.

    The event drew participants from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), FAAN, airlines ground handling companies and para-military organisatons in the airport.

    Its theme was, “Security awareness: Panacea for threats to civil aviation.”

    Director of Aviation Security Unit of NCAA, Ademola Oladele, General Manager, Training and Human Resources Development, FAAN, Nathaniel Mc Abraham-Inajoh, Director, Aviation Security, FAAN, John Omaghomi and Head, Airport Chief of Security, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Sadiku Mamman, urged the government to invest in the acquisition and upgrade of security equipment and training of security personnel to secure the airports from attacks.

    They said the renewed threats to aviation security made it imperative to invest more in technology, enhanced training for personnel.

    Oladele said though aviation security is everybody’s business, FAAN needs to train its personnel regularly to prevent interference at the airports.

    He said though aviation security is covered by regulatory provision under Annex 17 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Nigeria has inched further to design appropriate programmes that will enhance security at the airports for operators to comply.

    Oladele said the National Civil Aviation Security Programme has enough provision for aviation security.

    He however identified threats to airport security to include access to modern weapons and explosives by unauthorised persons, which could be smuggled through carry on baggage, check-in luggage, and other activities using airport workers.

    Oladele said the government needs to zero in on insider threats in airport security by re-evaluating security measures.

    Part of such measures, he said, should include constant mitigation, profiling of airport workers including aviation security personnel, behavior detection, regular background checks and training.

    He said: “It is for this reason that security awareness trends and threats to new aviation personnel should be carried out at least once in a year.

    ‘’Other ways is to ensure the issuance of on duty cards to airport workers are subjected to security checks in addition to ensuring that there is reporting of suspicious movement of people, abandoned vehicles and luggage at the airport and any form of photographing of sensitive areas using cellphone or camera.”

    Omaghomi called on the government to provide more training facilities for aviation security personnel, insisting that such training will expose the sophisticated methods used by unauthorised persons to conceal weapons at airports.

    He said: “The government needs to assist FAAN by upgrading our operational equipment as a strategic counter measure.

    ‘’More training for aviation security personnel will improve their knowledge for efficiency. We need adequate manpower that is sufficiently motivated to guarantee adequate supervision and general guidance.”

    In a presentation, titled: “Security awareness A,B,C,D, and E”, Inajoh canvassed the support of all stakeholders because any lapse on aviation security could result in deaths of hundreds and loss of public confidence in air travel and revenue.

    According to him, there is need to build strategic alliances among stakeholders driven by cooperation and not antagonism.

    Inajoh called for the fortification of access around the airports by aeronautical authorities.

    He cautioned that access to vital security information, equipment should be controlled because, “protecting the system demands a high level of vigilance because any single lapse in aviation security could cost the industry severely”.

    Aviation security personnel, he said, should demand alertness by paying attention to details, especially against the new threats posed by cyber security to aviation.

    Inajoh said threats by cyber security have become disturbing because unauthorised persons could tamper with critical aviation infrastructure through hacking, thereby throwing the system into danger.

    He said: “Cyber security is becoming a big threat to aviation safety because people could tamper with aviation infrastructure, airlines payment system, air traffic control systems to carry out hazards to aviation. We must all observe unusual trends and focus on the job.”

    Mamman said the government’s efforts to step up training for aviation security personnel should be stepped up.

    Capacity building through awareness creation swould go a long way to boost performance for aviation security personnel at airports.

    Mamman said: “We are convinced that our professional calling as security operatives has a deep intellectual foundation that should be reinforced and continuosly strenghtened. This conviction sets the focus for our annual lecture series were experts gather to collectively look into the essential role security awareness plays in mitigating threats confronting the safety and security of our industry.”

    According to him, aviation security personnel will rise to new trends and threats in airport security by using information at their disposal to track any attempts by persons to attact the airports.

    Mamman said the government could do more by exposing aviation security personnel on how to use technology to improve security at the airports.

    He said the vigilance of FAAN aviation security personnel has exposed many unauthorised acts against civil aviation at many airports.

    Closer collaboration between FAAN security personnel and other security agencies, he said, would  improve security architecture at airports.

    “Our FAAN security personnel have continued to do their best within resources and equipment at their disposal.

    “ This explains why one of our officers was able to detect a passenger publishd on the wanted terrorists list at the Abuja Airport. The officer allowed the passenger to go through the boarding process, get to the boarding area before he was handed over to the military.”

    Mamman urged airlines and other operators to comply with the airport security programme designed by government to ensure compliance with Annex 17 of ICAO domesticated in Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCAR).

    He added: “There is need for all stakeholders to begin to see airport security as everybody’s business. All operators must ensure they adhere strictly to relevant regulations concerning aviation security, training programmes for service users and providers.’’

  • Commissioner: my plan for AIB

    Commissioner of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Akin Olateru, has appealed to workers of the bureau to cooperate with him to move the agency forward.

    He said his vision for the agency is to make it the biggest in the sector.

    Olateru said this during the handing-over at the agency’s headquarters at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA).

    He praised the immediate past Commissioner, Dr. Felix Abali, for improving the parastatal, despite the challenges.

    He promised to make staff training a priority to boost their technical know-how.

    “I thank you for keeping this place together despite the missiles. I have heard a lot about AIB. I know it is the smallest in the ministry, but, before the end of my tenure, I will ensure that the agency becomes the biggest of all. That’s my mission.

    “However, for that to happen, I will require the maximum cooperation of all staff. I can’t do it alone, but we are here to make it happen. It is for the benefit of all staff of AIB, if we can make this organisation to work. It’s not about size sometimes, but about efficiency and effectiveness.

    “This is a new dawn and I am begging everyone to give this new administration a chance. Whatever that has happened in the past, let it be in the past. Aviation is highly technical, very expensive and the most regulated in the world. At the end of the day, we are all going to be happy because everyone will go on training and more opportunities would be given to people.”

    Earlier, Abali praised the staff for their support during his tenure. He called on them to support the new administration.

  • NCAA gets knocks for planned Abuja Airport closure

    THE Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) has accused the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) of failing in its duties.

    In an interview, its Secretary-General, Adulrazak Siedu Usman, cited the proposed shutdown of the Abuja Airport as one area where NCAA failed to act.

    He said the agency failed to issue a notice to airmen (NOTAM) on the unsafe state of the airport to enable the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) design a template for its repairs while flights were moved to an alternate airport in Kaduna.

    His words: “I am surprised at the lack of input from the aviation regulatory body, the NCAA.

    “It is irresponsible for the NCAA to keep mute in the face of high-level intrigues from people who want to truncate the repair of the facility that has posed danger to lives and property.

    Siedu queried the rationale for having a directorate of Aerodrome Standards at the NCAA, if such unit could not advise the government on the need to close Abuja Airport, rather than allow needless debates and rancour on the issue by uninformed persons.

    Siedu said it was the duty of the NCAA to ensure that any unsafe airport is shut down and that this should not be subject to debate.

    Also, Siedu faulted three aviation unions namely: National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) which wrote a letter to President Buhari to express opposition to the closure of the Abuja Airport.

    He said the unions were wrong in considering loss revenue above  safety of lives over use of a dilapidated runway.

    Saidu accused the three unions of pursuing a political agenda on the Abuja Airport closure, instead of being driven by safety interests.

    Saidu said: “ANAP supports the closure of Abuja Airport for its runway to be repaired. This is not negotiable. We cannot wait for an aircraft crash to fix runway. This is a safety critical issue.

    “This is why ANAP is disappointed over the letter written to the President by NUATE, ATSSSAN and NAAPE that the airport should not be closed.

    “This is a wrong position and highly unprofessional. Even, air traffic controllers have been complaining about the bad runway.

    “The NCAA has remained silent on the poor state of Abuja Airport runway.’’