Tag: NAMA

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has received the report on the communication navigation surveillance and air traffic management ( CNS/ATM) assessment on low level flight operations for helicopters in the Niger Delta region.

The report, according to its Managing Director, Nnamdi Udoh is an evidence that the proposed deployment of multilateration surveillance system in the Niger Delta by the Federal Government was on course.

As part of its implementation, the agency early this year inaugurated NAV Sar Consulting of Canada to prepare a report for assisting NAMA in making decisions on the scope of control of low-level flight operations in the region.

Udoh said the report was based on the information provided by NAMA, its advisers representatives and selected third parties.

“The estimates, assumptions and findings underlying the recommendations,” according to the firm, “are inherently subject to significant economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies.”

“The report is meant for the information of senior management and key stakeholders of NAMA and its representatives. The preparation of the report and the analysis is at the request of NAMA in line with IATA’s agreement for consulting services between NAMA and NAV STAR Consulting,” he said.

The Managing Director of the agency, Mazi Nnamdi Udoh, while receiving the report from the Director of Operations, John Oyegiri,said the technical input from the consulting firm would be scrutinised before launching into the next phase of the project which is the implementation billed for next year.

Describing the report on the operation of Helicopters in that region as essential for the successful take off of the new surveillance system, noted that the step taken by the agency was in line with global practices before embarking on this safety critical project like the case in reference.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Nnamdi Udoh has said due to inadequate funds, the training of technical staff would take priority over the other employees.

The Managing Director, who stated this at the 31st Annual General Meeting of the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, explained that it is mandatory to train and re-train all the NAMA staff, but under the circumstances safety-critical personnel would be considered foremost.

However, Udoh said such priority “does not mean total neglect of the non-technical staff”.

“We are going to do our best to train our staff. Because we have limited funds, we can only do our suit within the limit of the available cloth. Consequently, we are prioritising training by addressing technical training mainly. If we train five engineering staff, we will train one from the human resources department. One is safety-critical; the other is management. This is the only way we can cope with the challenge of paucity of funds. That is why we are asking the people who enjoy the luxury of a robust airspace to pay the correct charges,” he said.

Earlier in his keynote address, Udoh had said that the provision of air navigation services in the country had been saddled with enormous responsibilities in the realisation of aviation safety and security.

He said safe and secure airspace would not be realised without professionally sound platforms duch as NAAE, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NATCA) and National Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA).

He also appraised the roles and responsibilities of Air Traffic Safety Electronic Personnel (ATSEP), saying they were becoming more challenging in the new era.

“ATSEP definitely play an extremely critical and pivotal role in the aviation industry and it is obvious that all ATSEP are opportune not only to provide services to flights but also play key developmental roles in the country,” he said.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has begun calibration of navigational equipment at some airports and en route stations to enhance air safety.

Its Managing Director Mr Nnamdi Udoh, said the agency spends about N200million yearly to calibrate navigational aids at the 26 airports.

Calibration means the flight checking of navigational equipment to ascertain their accuracy and efficiency.

The exercise, Udoh said, would last for 14 days, explaining that the calibration of the navaids would assist in putting the aids in proper shape at these airports and en-route stations.

Udoh appealed to airlines to support the agency in its safety drive by clearing their outstanding debts.

The calibration, which kicked off in Lagos with the routine calibration of the two Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), Very High Omni-directional Radio Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) and the Path Approach Precision Indicator (PAPI) of the airport.

Equipment being calibrated include- the recently installed ILS/DME,CVOR/DME at Enugu airport,Makurdi and Kanji.

The newly installed air field lighting system at Makurdi will equally be flight- checked by Flight Calibration Services of the United Kingdom using DA42 multi-purpose platform aircraft.

Other navigational aids being calibrated are Conventional Omni-Directional Radio Frequency (CVOR), Instrument Landing System (ILS), Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) Very High Omni-Directional Radio Frequency (VOR) all located in ,Uyo Abuja, Kano and Portharcourt.

Similarly ,Communication radio coverage check for Lagos and Kano area control centres will be undertaken during the calibration exercise.