The Nation Newspaper

Category: Aviation

  • No going back on Abuja Airport closure – FG insists

    No going back on Abuja Airport closure – FG insists

    • Says damaged gear grounds Lufthansa for three days

    The Federal Government on Monday insisted that it is not going back on the closure of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja for six weeks for repairs to be carried out,

    Speaking at the 2nd Presidential Business Forum at the State House, Abuja, the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi pointed out that the bad state of the airport is already affecting smooth operations.

    He was responding to the concerns of the negative impact of the closure of the airport by the President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Frank Udenba-Jacobs, who made a presentation on behalf of the Organised Private Sector (OPS).

    The round table was a platform for interaction between the private sector and the government.

    Amaechi stressed that ministers will do the right things at the right time and will not put themselves in a position where they would be asked by Nigerians to resign over the Abuja Airport.

    He pointed out that Lufthansa has been grounded for the past three days due to damaged gear on landing at the airport.

    He said that the airport has outlived it’s 20 years live-span and is now 34 years.

    The work to be done, he said, is not repairs but complete re-building of the airport.

    According to him, the entire architecture of the runway from bottom to top has collapsed, stressing that it is totally unsafe to continue to use the runway.

    The minister also explained that the work cannot only be done at night.

    He said: “We are not going back on the closure of Abuja airport. I understand that ‎Lufthansa landed and damage their gear and have been here for three days. The runaway was built to last for 20 years but it has been in use now for 34 years.

    “We cannot do it only at night. We don’t want to loose anybody.  We are not repairing but rebuilding‎. If anything happens you will ask us to resign and we don’t want to resign,” he added.
    ‎
    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.‎

  • Olateru seeks AIB’s staff cooperation to reposition agency

    Olateru seeks AIB’s staff cooperation to reposition agency

    Newly appointed Commissioner of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Engr. Akin Olateru has appealed to management and staff to cooperate with him in order to move the agency forward.

    This is just as he said that his vision for the agency is to make it the biggest in the sector.

    Olateru stated this during the handing-over ceremony at the agency’s headquarters at Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA.

    He commended the immediate past Commissioner, Dr Felix Abali for improving the parastatal from where he met it and keeping it together over the years despite the challenges.

    He also promised to make training a priority for staff, stressing that through this, their technical know-how would improve.

    “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 commended the entire staff for their support towards him as the Commissioner of the agency and called on them to support the new administration.

    He, however, appealed to some of the disgruntled elements in the system to sheath their sword for the growth of the organisation.

    “I thank the management and staff for their supports for me through thick and thin. And for those who were bent on destroying the agency, I don’t know what else to tell them to change their minds. I’ve spoken with them, but all to no avail,” he said.

  • Airport closure: FG meets with foreign airlines operators

    Airport closure: FG meets with foreign airlines operators

    As anxieties mount over government proposed closure of the Nnamdi Azikwe International airport runway in Abuja, the federal government held a closed door meeting with foreign airlines in Abuja.
    Highlighting what transpired at the end of the meeting which lasted for over one and half hours, the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika said the operators would be subjected to inspect some of the facilities that would be installed in Kaduna before the closure.
    According to him: “Foreign airline operators in Abuja have certain questions, queries and concerns and I am glad to inform you that even though we have not exhausted the questions 100 percent, we have done so by 95 percent.
    “They want to know whether Kaduna airport has an operational fence to ensure that the airport is secured, to know whether the airport can contain several aircrafts at the same time, to know the level of preparedness as regards security within the city of Kaduna enroute Abuja and the airport?
    He further said: “Whether there is the availability of Jet A1 in Kaduna? Whether the airlines will participate in the screening of passengers and baggage? Handling of aircrafts and catering also?
    “Possibility of having a breakdown of any of the aircrafts in operation in Kaduna, whether the airport or Kaduna as a city has the capacity to contain such breakdown and if there is the availability of engine system by which airlines talk to themselves?
    The operators according to the minister also sought to know if there is an office that the opeeators can use for the stipulated time.
    He said: “they also wanted to know if there are airline offices that can be used temporarily for six weeks and whether there are enough boarding gates and what happens if there is any delay in catering which is a necessity in all of the flight operations?
    “They also wanted to know if there was any delayed bag, how the bags could be tracked? Also, the fuel contracts that may arise knowing fully well that they are all engaged and they have some arrangements and agreement with fuel companies in Abuja and what will happen if they move to Kaduna?
    “We also talked about a delivery team to deliver procurement and also discussed the possibility of putting up a website where all these can be interactive and it will be between us and them”, he said.
    Moving forward, the Sirika said: “Because the questions are many, we have dealt with each of them, and some of them are subject to verification and inspection of Kaduna as an airport to see whether those facilities are available”.
    On whether the closure will be put on hold or not, he said: “We cannot continue to use the runway for safety reasons, the airport will be closed for six weeks. We want to take advantage of the dry season to be able to rehabilitate the only runway in Abuja and this is the demonstration of the fact that we have successfully succeeded in removing hitherto impunity in governance, we are able to consult, interact with members of the public and stakeholders in decision making in governance.
    “We are not closing the airport for fun, we are doing it in the interest of safety as demonstrated by high level of destruction of the runway”, he stated. 
    Some of the foreign airlines present at the meeting are: Ethiopian airways, Air France/KLM, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Egyptair, and South Africa Airways
    The minister also noted that a media chat will be held to discuss further fears and concerns on the closure of the airport.
  • Row over planned closure of Abuja Airport 

    Row over planned closure of Abuja Airport 

    The government’s planned closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NNIA) in Abuja for the repair of its 34-year-old runway has sparked a row. The Senate, embassies and airlines, among others, have kicked against the plan. But experts warn that continuous use of the facility raises more safety questions than answers. KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR writes.

    • Experts warn against ‘continuous’ use of runway

    Should the Abuja Airport runway be shut down for repairs?

    This is the question that has sparked a huge row in the sector.

    Some experts and industry watchers are quarrelling over the government’s plan to shut the Abuja Airport for six weeks for the repair of its runway.

    The airport, according to the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, will be shut from March 8 to 27 and on April 19.

    The runway, which was designed in 1982, is expected to last for 20 years. But it has overshot its lifespan by 14 years, a development Sirika described as risky.

    Experts have warned that the “continuous”use of the runway may lead to catastrophe.

    At a meeting with stakeholders in Abuja, Sirika said: “I know that it is unimaginable that we will want to close Abuja airport to traffic for such a long time. But we have to, because the situation has reduced the riding quality and safety in operation. The continued deterioration of the facility will eventually make operation unsafe.

    “This action will affect travellers, airport users, airline operators, travel agents, hoteliers, car hire services and others. Unfortunately for us, it is the entire structure of the runway that has failed.

    “The structures of the runway through the bottom–all the four levels–are gone; completely dilapidated. They open up without giving notice. If we fail to close the runway now, it will eventually shut down itself. We want to take advantage of the dry season to fix it.”

    He said the government decided to use Kaduna airport after considering operational and safety parameters as well as input from stakeholders.

    But, opinions remain divided over the choice of Kaduna Airport. Some experts canvassed Minna Airport, which, they argue, is closer to Abuja.

    Sirika said upgrade of facilities was ongoing at Kaduna Airport to serve as alternative, adding that arrangements have been concluded to provide bus shuttle services between Kaduna and Abuja.

    Domestic and foreign carriers have expressed worry over the use of Kaduna Airport as  an alternative.

    Speaking at a stakeholders forum in Abuja, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) Chairman Captain Nogie Meggison canvassed partial closure of the runway to allow for some flights.

    Meggison said Nigeria could adopt the model used in Britain where repairs on the runway at London Heathrow Airport are done at nights.

    According to Captain Nogie Meggison of AON, operators were in support of the government on the rehabilitation of the airport, but they have their reservations.

    He said: “AON is of the view that the runway should be repaired at night from 6pm to 6am as it was done in other airports, such as Gatwick.”

    He suggested that since the runway is about 3900 metres, it should be divided into two instead of the proposed total closure.

    A representative of the International Airline Operators (IAO) Mr. Osho Joseph said: “We are supposed to learn from past experiences. We ought not to have waited till 34 years before attempting to fix what was meant to last for only 20 years.

    “We believe that Kaduna might be for local operators and not international flight. What arrangements have been made with fuel marketers in terms of assistance? Why not start in February instead of March since we are taking advantage of the dry season?”

    Maria Careayo from the British High Commission, who spoke on behalf of embassies, sought to know the number of international airlines that fly from Kaduna.

    The Senate last week invited  Sirika, Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, his Federal Capital Territory (FCT) counterpart, Bello Mohammed, Chief of Air Staff, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Managing Director and others,  to explain why the airport would be closed for six weeks.

    Last Thursday’s meeting involving the Senate, Amaechi and Sirika ended in a stalemate over lack of accurate information on the cost of the project.

    The Senate demanded from Sirika the cost of the project and other expenses that would be incurred in ferrying passengers from – Kaduna to Abuja.

    Sirika failed to provide the cost.

    According to him, the estimated cost of the project is N5.8 billion. But, the senators rejected the estimate, insisting on valid and specific information on cost of the project.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, insisted that the minister must provide a detailed document.

    Ekweremadu said: “Mr. Minister, can you please give us the cost of the repair works and the break down of the financial cost? Specifically, how much you intend to spend in conveying passengers from Kaduna Airport to Abuja during the closure of Abuja Airport? We need to know.”

    Sirika’s failure to furnish the Senate with the actual cost made the upper chamber to reschedule appointment with the minister for today.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki, said: “Discussion on the matter will resume today.’’

    Former President, Aviation Round Table (ART), a non-governmental organisation, Capt. Dele Ore, has called on  the Federal Government to use the opportunity that would be presented by the shutting of Abuja airport for repairs, to review its Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with other countries to rectify the lopsidedness of the agreements.

    Ore, who said Kaduna was a good choice for the diversion, added: “The government should use this period to review BASA. It can ask the foreign airlines to choose one entry point. The government can use this closure to review our policy because it favours the foreign airlines more. Abuja airport must remain closed until it meets international standard.’’

    He, however, urged the government to immediately deploy good facilities, such as potable Instrument Landing System to Kaduna airport for higher efficiency.

    Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) President, Otis Anyaeji last week faulted the six-week duration for the repair of the airport, describing it as unrealistic.

    Anyaeji, who spoke in Abuja, said considering the economic and social implications of the airport shut down, the Federal Government should embrace modern engineering model adopted during runway repair of the Frankfurt Airport, Germany.

    He said the government could adopt other options, such as repairing the runway in batches or doing the work from 6pm to 6am.

    Anyaeji said: “Six weeks for the airport runway repair is impossible. The NSE will send a petition to the President that the government should conduct itself in the right order and do things as being practised in developed societies.”

    Centurion Securities Managing Director, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), said if the Abuja Airport runway were rehabilitated four years earlier, the situation would not have been as bad as it is today.

    “Must we divert Abuja traffic to Kaduna? Why can’t the Minna Airport serve the purpose for the local flights? After all, it is closer to Abuja than Kaduna. The runway in Minna will still accommodate aircraft whose takeoff and landing runs are within 1000 to 2000 metres.

    Ojikutu said the choice of Kaduna for air traffic diversion would scare most foreign airlines away.

    “My only worry is that they want to use Kaduna for traffic and I ask the question: “why can’t they use Minna?” Minna may not be as good as Kaduna, but a 737 can land in Minna.

    Nigerian Aviation Safety Initiative (NASI) Governing board Chairman, Capt. Dung Pam, said though temporary closure of the runway was for safety concerns, the effects would be too huge on the already troubled sector.

    Pam said Kaduna Airport does not have the capacity to cope with the anticipated traffic.

    “It is going to be a serious dislocation of the nexus of our air travel system. Every major airport in the country connects to Abuja and Lagos. So, to have that place completely shut for six weeks will be a huge blow to the travelling public.

    Last week, the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) President, Bankole Bernard, hinted that many international airlines might withdraw their services to Kaduna airport.

    His words: “International airlines will never joke with the safety of their passengers. They may want to leave or withdraw their services for six weeks. They have expressed fears that they don’t want to go to Kaduna.’’

    Meanwhile, aviation sector unions: National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) have petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over what they described as the “misadventure” of planned six weeks’ closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NNIA), Abuja.

    They faulted the choice of Kaduna Airport as an alternate aerodrome, saying facilities at the airport could not accommodate domestic and international traffic.

    The unions said Sirika sidelined the relevant agency of the government, which is supposed to handle the runway repairs.

    According to them, Sirika, who is assuring Nigerians of adequate security on the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, was going beyond services outside his purview and control.

    In January 13 letter signed by Comrades Olayinka Abioye, Aba Ocheme and Francis Akinjole, the unions said total closure of the airport would be counter productive.

    They said the closure would lead to significant loss of revenue for agencies at the airport and jeopardise the livelihood of workers and people, who do business around the airport. Instead of total closure, the unions canvassed skeletal repairs.

    They said the government should put measures in place to construct an additional runway.

    The petition reads in part: “An additional runway should be effectively considered for construction as a long-term measure while the subsisting one is continued to be put in use, under some phased reconstruction.

    “Skeletal repairs of the runway could be adopted by allowing the airport for use, likely between 6.00am and 6.00pm, while fixing of the major damaged portions of the runway continues during the nights, as has been done in several parts of the world. Why should Nigeria’s case be different?’’

  • Runway: Aviation professionals endorse closure of Abuja Airport

    Runway: Aviation professionals endorse closure of Abuja Airport

  • Airport closure is best safety options for Abuja – Allied Air boss

    Airport closure is best safety options for Abuja – Allied Air boss

  • Getting it right in 2017

    Getting it right in 2017

    For local carriers, 2016 was tough. They contended with shortage of aviation fuel and scarcity of foreign exchange, among others. Will business be better this year? KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR writes that the Federal Government will need to do more to help the industry.

    wHAT lies ahead in the aviation industry in 2017? Nigerians who are asking this question need not look further.

    Reason: the government has given its nod for the airports’ security architecture overhaul.

    Following the presidential approval last week, airport security workers are now to be trained to use arms like their counterparts in the United States.

    Expectedly, the Ministries of Aviation and Interior are already working on a template for the training of airport security workers to enable them function like their colleagues in the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

     

    Use of arms at airports

     

    If all goes well, the airport security workers are to be trained on the use of K-9 dogs, handcuffs, batons and light weapons.

    This measure, experts said, had become imperative because of new threats to airports security globally.

    But Selective Securities Limited Managing Director, Ayo Obilana, said the government should go beyond security workers’training in  arms handling.

    He said, for example, if the agency takes charge of access control at the airport, it would boost harmony in the execution of the national airport security programme.

    This vital issue, Obilana said, should form the major assignment of the government in the year.

    The Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Police, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Aviation Security Personnel (AVSEC), Department of State Security (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and others man various screening points at airports.

    Aside airports security, stakeholders are worried over how the government intends to deliver its proposed private sector-driven national airline in the year and how it intends to navigate around its ambitious airports concession programme.

    These proposals are causing anxiety in the sector, over what modality the government intends to adopt for its execution.

    The anxiety, industry watchers said, was predicated on controversies surrounding the project.

     

    Closure of Abuja Airport for repairs

     

    Though aviation has courted scandals and controversies in the last few years, experts are worried that the year may have started on similar note, following concerns being expressed by some foreign carriers  over plans to use Kaduna Airport as an alternate aerodrome, while the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, is closed for runway repairs in March.

    The government said the Abuja Airport would be closed for six weeks to enable it fix the dilapidated runway.

    As one of the developments to watch in 2017, experts are worried that it will take the government such long time to address a fundamental safety matter.

    According to the Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, the Abuja Airport runway was designed in 1982 to last for 20 years.

    The runway, Sirika said, has lasted 34 years. He said further use of the runway could expose it to collapse.

    The closure of the Abuja Airport, experts said, would have negative effects on passengers, airline operators, travel agents, hoteliers, car hire an other service providers.

    Fixing the Abuja Airport runway, experts said, could be one of the major developments that would shape activities in the sector in the year, adding that the airport is the second busiest airport in the country’s political capital.

    Apart from the huge cost required by carriers to mobilise men and materials to Kaduna for scheduled flights, attendant challenges bordering on the state of the terminal, security and availability of aviation fuel remain key areas to watch in 2017.

    Though Sirika said a decision had not been taken on the matter, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) Chairman, Captain Nogie Meggison has proposed partial closure.

    In the year, stakeholders expect the government to consider seriously the issue of airport perimeter and security fencing in line with Annex 17 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

    If the government adopts this suggestion, it will reduce the recurrence of stowaways and other unlawful acts, which could cause unlawful interference to civil aviation.

     

    Airport perimeter and security fencing

    According to a security expert, and member, Aviation Roundtable, Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd), airport perimeter and security fencing should be given priority by the government in the year.

    He said compliance with Annex 17 is a global requirement that member-states of ICAO, including Nigeria, must adhere to.

    Besides airport perimeter fencing, experts said, the government should focus on poor radio communication in the airspace to address  the serious gap, leading to what many pilots  now describe as “ blind spots“.

     

    Overhaul of obselete equipment

     

    Towards this end, they canvass the overhaul of obsolete air navigation equipment managed by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

    These include the upgrade of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) components, switch of fixed telecom equipment to Aeronautical Information System (AIS) automation.

    For optimal utilisation of equipment to be acquired by the airspace agency, experts said, recruitment of aeronautical professionals, including air traffic controllers and engineers, would help improve service delivery.

    Significantly, the government should embark on an aggressive debt recovery drive to enable agencies have enough funds to carry out ambitious projects.

    Stakeholders look forward to what will become of the airports remodeling projects. They said work should resume at the terminals to meet the deadlines set for their completion.

     

    Completion of terminals

    Specifically, the experts are asking if the four international airport terminals built by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), with the $500 million loan secured from the Chinese Import-Export Bank, will be completed.

    The terminals are at various stages of completion in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

    It is unkown when the international airport in Enugu and the airport  terminal in Bayelsa will be completed.

     

    Better service delivery

    by carriers

     

    In the year, stakeholders expect improvement in flight services from both local and foreign carriers.

    But, some passengers have expressed worry over the failure of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to oversee Arik Air for its many infractions against passengers.

    Passengers expect Arik Air to put up a good showing as the carrier by keeping to its flights schedule. This, they believed, would reduce frequent fracas between passengers and its workers.

    Passengers are optimistic that Arik Air and other carriers on international routes will seek lasting solutions to incidents of short- landed luggage in the year, to make their travel experience seamless.

    Apart from short-landed luggage, passengers look forward to improvement in flight services.

     

    Competition among domestic carriers

     

    Competition among domestic carriers will be keener this year, as operators are designing business models, to not only keep them afloat, but also remain market leaders in the routes they operate into.

    Some carriers: Medview Airlines, Overland Airways and Air Peace, are likely to alter the stakes in the domestic scene as they up their games in venturing into new routes within and outside the country.

    According to Medview Airlines Managing Director, Muneer Bankole, service delivery will boost airlinespatronage in 2017, if operators do the right things.

     

    Return of Aero

     

    Meanwhile, experts said the return of Aero Airlines after  a four-month  closure last year is one of the major developments to watch out for in 2017.

    The possibility of getting its market share back as the oldest domestic carrier remains slim, as its managers grapple with its turnaround strategy.

    It is unclear if IRS Airlines, Afrijet Airlines, Discovery Air, and Chanchangi Airlines will bounce back this year, as the operating environment gets harsher.

    No thanks to high operating costs, oscillating price of aviation fuel, insurance premium and huge offshore cost for aircraft maintenance.

    Though still in the pipelines, stakeholders look forward to the setting up of an Aviation Leasing Company, which, according to Sirika, would make it convenient for airlines to acquire aircraft from lessors.

    Stakeholders expect the restructuring of aviation agencies to make them more efficient and effective.

     

    CEOs of agencies

    What will become the fate of chief executives of aviation agencies, including FAAN, NAMA, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Meteorological Services (NIMET), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) hangs in the balance in the year.

    Industry watchers predict a clean sweep of these chief executives, who appear to use archaic ideas on how to move their agencies forward.

    Sirika in an interview said. He said: “One has found out that agencies and parastatals within the industry have become such a burden that it is very difficult to operate them. Some of them are not operating or nearly all of them are not operating according to the act that established them or according to ICAO Standard and Recommended Practices.

    “There is an urgent need to reposition them to ensure that they comply with Act and also to comply with ICAO Standard and Recommended Practices. Some of them are bogus, over-staff, inefficient and the only way is to begin the process of reorganising and restructuring them for efficiency and better service delivery.”

    He said on his plans for 2017: “There are quite a number of project that we will do in 2017. I want to say this is the year we will flag-off the national carrier itself. This is also the year we will go into the concession of our four airports. This is also the year we will complete the transforming of Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria into an ICAO Centre of Excellence.

    “I am sure it is the same year all our aviation agencies will be streamlined and follow the Act that establishes them. This is also the year that Nigerian Civil Aviation Act will be reviewed and approved, hopefully, as new set of laws guiding our operations.

    “I know also that this year, by God’s grace, we will receive quite a number of our personnel that have gone on training to enrich themselves.

    “I will like to say that we will like to commence if we can hopefully, this year, begin the exportation of agricultural produce, especially perishable items through air transportation.”

    Whether Sirika will deliver on these promises lies in the belly of time.

  • How to overcome poor visibility, by operators

    How to overcome poor visibility, by operators

    For how long will air travellers continue to be at the mercy of the weather? Since the harmattan set in, many flights have been cancelled by operators because of “bad weather”, a problem said to have been solved in Europe 40 years ago, Operators are demanding an upgrading of facilities, such as Category Three air field lighting system, glide slope and localisers to overcome poor visibility, reports KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR.

    Deficit in air navigation infrastructure is having a toll on flying in Nigeria. How? Many airports nationwide lack standard air navigation facilities, including Category Three air lighting and glide slope, on many airport runways.

    Localisers and glide slope are air navigation equipment installed on approach to airports to help aircraft pilots locate the centre line of the runway.

    Without this air navigation equipment, experts said, it would be difficult for pilots to land their aircraft, whether in clement or adverse weather conditions.

    Airports where such facilities exist, experts said, have decayed or obsolete equipment; worse still, they are below the contemporary standards.

    This development, investigations revealed, has fuelled demands by pilots, airline operators, air traffic controllers and members of the National Assembly Committee on Aviation to subject these equipment to integrity test.

    Despite its International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Category One safety rating, air navigation facilities at airports, according to experts, are less than deserving.

    To them, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) needs to step up efforts at upgrading decayed and obsolete air navigation facilities.

    One of the ways to achieve this, they said, was for the agency to think out of the box to secure funding to fix such critical facilities.

    Worried by this development, the Committee on Aviation two months ago canvassed a state of emergency on aviation to draw the government’s attention to sore points in the airspace.

    During an oversight visit to the Lagos Airport, a member of the committee, who is also a pilot, Bala Ibn Na Allah, disclosed that the committee has received reports from pilots over poor radio communication in the airspace.

    He said radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers in some sectors of the airspace has become a nightmare.

    The lawmaker cum pilot said radio communication on the northern and eastern flanks of the airspace has become a lingering headache.

    Apart from poor radio communication, Na Allah said approach equipment, including instrument landing system at the Lagos Airport runway 18 left, are not performing optimally.

    He faulted the functionality of the localisers and glide slope, which guide pilots to get their bearing when landing at the Lagos Airport.

    Specifically, Na Allah narrated an experience of how he manoeuvres his aircraft to arrive at his destination and the sour experiences of other pilots, who go through similar challenges flying in the airspace.

    He said: “Succinctly put, there is poor ground-to-air communication between pilot and air traffic control. In some parts of the airspace, there is no communication and these areas are known as blind spots. This is very precarious because when the pilot cannot communicate with air traffic control he may not know his whereabouts and he will just rely on his intuition and experience.

    “There are also poor, obsolete and non-functional navigational aids, which do not provide proper guidance for landing and takeoff of flights. All these impede smooth flight operations in the Nigeria’s airspace and also endanger safety of flights.”

    Air traffic control sources said the eastern flank of Lagos, which include Enugu, Calabar, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Uyo, has poor communication system.

    Appalled by the abysmal situation, an aviation security expert, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), appealed to the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika to come to the aid of the NAMA in the acquisition of navigational tools to ensure airspace safety.

    Ojikutu in a letter to the minister said he was worried by the myriads of problems bedevilling the sector.

    He listed the challenges to include poor navigational aids at virtually all the aerodromes across the country.

    His words: “These are not natural phenomenon, but man-made. Why should the major airports known to have been installed with Category Two Instrument Landing System (ILS) remain closed to commercial flights because of 300 meter visibility if they were or had been regularly calibrated according to the Nigerian civil aviation regulations and the NAMA operational standards and procedures.

    “With these problems, it appears your hands are full and you need help; that you must seek urgently before the industry collapses on all of us. I am worried and I believe you are too about the persistent problems in the industry, but we both must agree that what has been happening does not put us in good light to the public and certainly not to the rest of the aviation world.”

    Only last week, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) expressed disappointment with the deplorable state of navigational facilities at airports.

    AON Chairman, Capt. Nogie Meggison said Nigeria needed to step up its air navigation facilities at airports in line with steps taken by other countries.

    He said about 40 years ago, in the United Kingdom, the first aircraft operated at category three air field lighting  landed in zero visibility at Heathrow Airport.

    The AON chief said it was regrettable that Nigeria was unable to land an aircraft with the visibility of about 800 metres due to poor air navigation facilities, when aircraft are landing on zero visibility in other countries.

    Meggison queried: “Why are the navigation aids not working or upgraded over the years? Why is there no solution to this issue after 40 years of crying out by the airlines? It is rather shameful that in the 21th Century we are still talking of operating at category one air field lighting and aircraft are unable to land at 800 metres at our airports.

    “It is sad to note that the Murtala Muhammed Airport, which is the nation’s biggest and busiest airport, is a category one air field lighting airport. This means flights cannot land at below 800 metres due to the obsolete Instrument Landing System (ILS) in place at the airport.

    “What we need are simple solutions. Get better equipment. The relevant agencies  need to invest in modern navigation aids and runway lights so that we don’t have to come back next year, complaining about the same thing as we have done for so many decades.”

    In an interview, NAMA’s Acting Managing Director, Emma Anasi, said the agency had taken appropriate measures to ensure the availability and reliability of air navigation facilities.

    Anasi said NAMA, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Transportation, has embarked on the upgrading of its facilities to enhance safety and efficiency of flight operations.

  • Etihad, Lufthansa Airlines sign pact

    Etihad Airways and Lufthansa German Airlines have announced the conclusion of a codeshare agreement.

    The arrangement is set to commence this month.

    Under the deal, the German airline will place its ‘LH’ code on Etihad Airways’ twice daily non-stop flights between its home base of Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt.

    The call sign will also be placed on its twice daily non-stop services between Abu Dhabi and Munich, the biggest city in southern Germany.

    The United Arab Emirates national airline will, in turn, put its ‘EY’ code on Lufthansa’s long-haul, non-stop intercontinental services between its home base of Frankfurt, the business and commercial capital of Germany, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as well as Bogota, Colombia.

    President/Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, James Hogan said: “We have long seen Germany as a key strategic market for Etihad Aviation Group and this new relationship with Lufthansa marks the next step in our commitment to the leading European aviation group. Lufthansa is highly respected globally and I’m very pleased that we will work together in the future for the benefit of our customers.

    “Additionally, we are, in our role as a minority shareholder in airberlin, fully supportive of the separate agreement reached today with the Lufthansa Group to wet lease 38 airberlin aircraft. It is very clear to us at Etihad Airways that Lufthansa is a like-minded, forward thinking organisation with which we can do strong, meaningful and mutually beneficial business.”

    Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Lufthansa Group, Carsten Spohr said: “We are looking forward to partnering with the Etihad Aviation Group. The wet-lease contract with airberlin fosters the growth of our Eurowings Group. The codeshare agreement of Lufthansa and Etihad will offer our customers more benefits and complement both airlines’ networks. We will consider extending our cooperation in other areas.”

  • A hoard of challenges trail sector

    A hoard of challenges trail sector

    The outgoing year is a mixed bag of fortunes for the aviation sector, with unresolved airport concession issues, and unavailability of foreign exchange, the sector’s woes remain daunting, KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR reports.

    As the year winds down, players in the sector are taking stock of the activities that shaped the industry.

    In the year under review, the slow pace of work by the government on remodelling of airport terminals came under focus.

    Despite the assurance from the government, contractors handling the new terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, could not meet up with the deadline for completion.

    This, according to industry watchers, has been one of the sore points in the sector as the year draws to a close.

    The year witnessed the shut down of scheduled operations of the oldest domestic carrier, Aero Contractors Airlines for four months due to financial challenges. It only resumed operations last week.

    The challenges that affected Aero was an indication that all may not be well with the aviation sector.

    Apart from the temporary shutdown of the airlines’s fixed wings operations, other carriers including Arik Air, First Nation temporarily suspended their operations sometime in the outgoing year for aircraft maintenance as well as renewal of insurance premium on operating aircraft.

    Both domestic and foreign carriers had their fair share of operational challenges. They included access to foreign exchange from the window provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and their unability to repatriate funds from ticket sales to their home countries.

    Many domestic carriers had to grapple with high operating costs for either insurance premium for their aircraft, cost of training for their crew as well as offshore maintenance of their aircraft, which was denominated in dollars.

    According to the Chairman, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) Captain Nogie Meggison, domestic carriers experienced series of challenges which included hostile operating environment that made airline business unattractive.

    Meggison said the challenge of accessing foreign exchange was one of the greatest headaches for operators in the year under review.

    The government, he said, needs to address wide range of issues in the sector ranging from prohibitive taxes and charges, and poor air navigation facilities at airports nationwide.

    Foreign airlines were adversely affected by the inability to access foreign exchange to repatriate tickets sold to their home country.

    Sequel to this, foreign carriers lodged complaints with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which impressed it on the government to release over $700 million trapped at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Though, a significant part of the intervention funds have been released to the affected foreign carriers, such ugly arrangement was part of the developments that shaped aviation in the outgoing year.

    From the point of view of international safety certification, Nigeria recorded some achievements in the out-going year, with the enlistment of a few domestic carriers into the IATA registry.

    Three Nigerian carriers: First Nation, Medview Airlines and DANA Air got their international operations safety audit (IOSA) certification.

    According to the IATA regional representative, Sampson Fatokun Nigeria was bracing up to global safety recognition with the enlisting of three carriers.

    He said activities in the year have nudged higher with more carriers getting into the global safety certification.

    Industry experts have described the IOSA certification as one of the major achievements of the sector in the year under review.

    Experts have identified the scarcity of aviation fuel and its oscillating price as one of the headaches of the sector in the year under review.

    But, Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the government is set to begin the refining of aviation fuel from the Warri and Kaduna refineries to ease the challenges encountered by domestic airlines.

    In the year under review, domestic carriers had to cancel flights due to either scarcity or unavailability of the product.

    Such developments, experts say accounted for the sore points in activities of aviation in 2016.

    Industry sources hinted that the scarcity of aviation fuel in the year under review could be linked to the rationing of the product by major marketers.

    Another activity that characterized the aviation sector in the year under review is the furore generated by plans by government to concession some international airport terminals.

    The proposal was however received with mixed feeling by players, operators and stakeholders in the sector.

    They faulted the template proposed by government, urging the ministry to ensure that if it must carry out the exercise, it should be seen to be transparent.

    Aviation unions acting under the aegis of Air Transport Services Senior Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) mobilised against the concession proposal urging government to convince them that work force will not be affected by the exercise.

    In an interview, President, Aviation Round Table (ART), Mr Gbenga Olowo said activities in the sector in 2016 has been upbeat.

    He said: “If at all not much was achieved in the sector in the outgoing year, but industry experts are able to meet to deliberate on ways to move the sector forward.

    “The year has been a mixed bag for aviation . At the Roundtable, we have brought to the knowledge of government issues we think should be deeply considered.

    These border on aviation security, personnel training, the best way to achieve airports concession or privatisation and other topical issues.”

    In the year under review, restructuring of agencies was on the burner as government was set to put square pegs in square holes.

    The need to restructure the agencies was a fall out of the report endorsed by the office of the Head of Service of the Federation, which recommended proper placement for personnel recruited into the sector.

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) was the first casualty in the restructuring brouhaha.

    In October, about 22 persons including some directors and general managers were eased out in the first phase of restructuring that engulfed the industry.

    Besides theSE persons, aviation unions have raised the alarm over possible alteration of the original list of scheduled to be sacked in FAAN.

    Sirika said about restructuring in the sector: “If all we have not achieved anything in the sector in 2016, it is desire to bring about efficiency in personnel posting.

    “We have started proper placement in FAAN, the list we have released is the first batch  in FAAN, another batch will soon be released and this will spill over to other agencies. A situation in which we 84 general managers in the aviation sector alone is unacceptable.

    ‘’There will be no going back on the need to restructure agencies and personnel in the industry.”

    ‘Despite assurances by the minister of aviation, we are yet to see anything concrete as evidence that the airline will ever return.

    Though Sirika has been long in talk and short in action, his quarterly convocation of stakeholders forum is noteworthy in the sector in the year under review as it provided a platform for players, experts and others to consider issues of how to set up a private sector led national carrier as well as an aviation leading company.

    Also in the year under review, the issue of poor air navigational facilities at airports engaged the attention of the National Assembly, which urged the relevant aviation agencies to arrest the ugly situation.

    During a recent oversight exercise at the Lagos Airport, members of the Senate Committee on Aviation, led by Ibn Na’ Allah complained of poor radio communication in the Nigerian airspace.

    The complaint by the senators re-echoed observations by air traffic controllers and pilots who have urged Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to do something about the sore facilities.

    In the year under review experts consistent called on government to overhaul security at airports nationwide to stem the ugly tide of incessant stowaways by unauthorised persons.

    Chief Executive Officer of Centurion Securities Limited, Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd) said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should be held liable for the breach.

    Experts believe that government needs  to redesign a new security architecture at airports nationwide as part of the activities that shaped the sector in the year under review.

    In the year under review, the prohibitive cost of air fares came under focus, on account of the high exchange rate, which forced some foreign carriers to withdraw operations from Nigeria.

    According to investigations, United Airlines and Iberia withdrew their operations from Nigeria adducing harsh economic realities.

    Other foreign carriers including : Delta Airlines, South African Airways  and Rwand Air have clarified that they are not pulling out of Nigeria.

    According to the Country Manager of Rwand Air, Ms Ibiyemi Odusi, the Nigerian market holds huge potential that no airline could ignore.

    She said the East African carrier recently brought in a brand new aircraft to service the route.

    Part of activities that shaped developments in the sector in 2016, is incessant power outage at the Lagos International Airport, where the terminal many times was thrown into darkness.

    Such ugly developments may have occasioned a recent deal between FAAN and generator manufacturer- Caterpillar.

    Meanwhile, the issue of debt recovery from airlines is part of the major issues that shaped the sector in the year under review.

    Also in the year, a Nigerian, Dr Bernard Aliu was re-appointed as Council President for International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

    Similarly, the Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma, was appointed President, Africa, Airports Council International (ACI).

    Activities in the sector are ending on a good note following the return of Aero Airlines last week, after four months of self-imposed suspension of flights.

    Industry watchers are looking forward to the consolidation of Aero flights after the return of flights .

    In the period under review, the industry also witnessed a major industrial unrest following the one day strike by Arik Air workers over sundry issues.