NIGERIAN CAA DIRECTS ARIK AIR ON SECURITY

In order to augment security functions at the nation’s airport, The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Muhtar Usman has directed the management of Arik Air to review their existing security arrangement around their aircraft when not in operation.

According to a statement by NCAA, “In the specific, the airline operator has been ordered to ensure the presence of static security guards at all times at its aircraft parking positions.

According to Captain Usman, this directive is consequent upon the stowaway incident involving an Arik aircraft A340 CS-TX on a scheduled service to JFK Airport, New York.

Therefore, in order to forestall any future occurrence and subsequent security breach, the airline needs to take urgent remedial actions.”

The statement further expressed that the Regulatory Authority clearly recognises the clause in the airline’s Approved Air Operator Security Programme that the responsibility of securing aircraft when not in service lies with the airport operator. However, as evident with recent developments, increased capacity is required to safeguard aircraft.

The DG therefore reiterates that static security guards be continually deployed to the foot of the aircraft when not in operation.

Capt. Usman added that this measure will subsist for this period pending when all investigations on the incident are concluded. Thereafter adequate measures will be established and implemented by all concerned stakeholders.

NAMA to deploy CPDLC, ADS-C to enhance airspace safety and efficiency

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA is bolstering its airspace management functions as it is ready to deploy Controller to Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C) to improve aircraft communication throughout Nigerian airspace.  According to an on-line statement from SITA, “The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has selected SITA OnAir to enhance aircraft communications across Nigeria. SITA OnAir’s advanced systems will enable NAMA to comply with the recommendations of ICAO’s regional Air Navigation Plan and in doing so increase safety and efficiency in Nigerian airspace.

In this multi-year deal, SITA OnAir is supplying Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C) solutions and services at the Lagos and Kano Control Centers to enhance long range data communication between air traffic controllers (ATC) and pilots.”

In his response towards the agreement, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, Managing Director, NAMA, said: “SITA OnAir is already well-known for its superior VHF datalink coverage on the African continent and with its highly reliable services SITA OnAir is the ideal partner for NAMA.  The new CPDLC systems at our air traffic control centers in Lagos and Kano will move voice traffic off congested frequencies and allow for accurate data exchange between the controllers and pilots.”

With this new ADS-C capability, the agency will receive automatic position reports from aircraft to its air traffic services. This will enable NAMA to acquire surveillance information from aircraft flying outside of radar coverage.

Philip Clinch, Vice President, AIRCOM, SITA OnAir, said: “NAMA is making significant changes that will ensure increased safety while boosting Nigeria’s airspace capacity. Besides the new FANS capability, NAMA will also benefit from SITA OnAir’s connectivity and technical support.”

Future Air Navigation System (FANS) is the protocol which airlines follow to manage increasing levels of air traffic. With it, an air traffic control center (ATC) can track aircraft along their full route. When an ATC has accurate position data, and knows exactly where an aircraft is, it can reduce distances between aircraft and safely allow more in the airspace.

The use of CPDLC will improve ATC communications in Nigerian airspace. NAMA handles an average of 550 flights daily across the nation’s airports and airlines could see improvement in communication and surveillance efficiency almost immediately.

Use of air-to-ground data link has been endorsed by ICAO as a key enabler in its vision of a performance-based Global Air Traffic Management system.

According to SITA, the benefits of CPDLC  is much. Supplementing traditional voice communications with direct data links between aircraft and Air Traffic Control, CPDLC allows controllers to handle more aircraft and manage them more safely.

Improved efficiency:  It Conserves scarce radio frequency resources .

Improved safety: It has no interpretation problems caused by poor voice quality or regional accents.

 Messages are sent directly between ATC and the aircraft concerned

Improved performance: Trials show very positive feedback from pilots and controllers, expected 11% capacity gain across the Link Airspace and expected 29% reduction in controller workload

FAAN HOLDS ACCIDENT SIMULATION EXERCISE AT MMIA

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will hold an emergency simulation exercise to demonstrate its preparedness for aircraft emergency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Tuesday(today) March 10, 2015.

The exercise, which is an ICAO mandatory requirement, is usually carried out every two years. The last one was held at the airport in 2013.

According to a statement from Yakubu Dati, the General Manager Corporate Communications of the agency, the exercise will be done in collaboration with other stakeholders in the industry including the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), all security agencies at the airport and other relevant agencies outside the airport such as the Lagos State Fire Services, and surrounding government hospitals.

The simulation exercise is designed to test the competence of the relevant airport personnel on ground as well as equipment used in handling real airport emergencies.

The Authority wishes to assure members of the public, especially airport users, that the exercise will not hamper flight operations neither will it affect airline schedules. They are also advised not to panic when they notice unusual movement of airport operational and security staff during the period.

FAAN to carry out Bomb Simulated Exercise at MMA

In aviation, planning is crucial to quell any unforeseen occurrence. Sequel to this, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN has made plan to carry out Bomb Simulated Exercise which is part of the  testing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Emergency Response Plan.

The General Manager Corporate Communications of FAAN, Yakubu Dati  in a statement said, plans have been concluded for the testing of Murtala Muhammed Airport Emergency Response Plan.

The exercise involves a Bomb Simulated Exercise slated for tomorrow, Saturday, 28th February, 2015 between the 1000hrs and 1100hrs.

Dati further explained that the drill is intended to test the Airport's response procedures in the event of real bomb explosion at the Terminal Building.

The  Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria hereby appeals to passengers and the general public not to panic as a result of the exercise.

Furthermore, there will be no disruption to flight operations as a result of the exercise.

‘FAAN remains committed to safety and security, and is carrying out this drill in fulfillment of ICAO requirements for certification’-Dati said.

NCAA rates 40 ATC for NAMA

The critical manpower capacity of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) has attained another giant leap with the rating of 40 Air Traffic Controllers by the Nigerian by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA).

The Air Traffic Controllers who cut across different cadres got their ratings after successfully passing the oral, practical and written examinations conducted in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt as well as Benin airports and supervised by the regulatory authority.

A total of 43 Air Traffic Controllers took part in the rigorous rating examinations held between November and December, 2014 on Aerodrome, Approach, Approach Radar, Area/Airways and Area Control Surveillance. Out of this number, forty were successful while three were not.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the agency, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam has commended the  

Air Traffic Controllers for justifying the huge resources invested in the exercise by coming out with an impressive  result.  In a statement, Engr. Abdulsalam stated that ‘’as part of management’s strategy to build a robust safety infrastructure across the Nigerian airspace, training and re-training of critical manpower has remained the focal point of his administration.’’

While congratulating   the Air Traffic Controllers on their brilliant performance, Engr. Abdulsalam expressed confidence that this latest ratings would further boost the critical manpower need of NAMA especially in Area Radar Control service.  

It will be recalled that in its determination to build  critical manpower capacity in the area of operations, over 124  Air Traffic Controllers were rated in 2014, just as  a batch of 40 ATCs  were recently trained on Performance Based Navigation Flight Procedures in Cairo, Egypt while another batch of 5 were trained on  Wind Shear Equipment handling in Germany.  

FAAN, Airforce partner on airport security

Add L-R: Squadron Leader J.O Abioye (CPRO); Squadron Leader Y. Yusuf; Sir Wendell Ogunedo, Director of Security Services; Air Commodore HU Mohammed; Engr. Saleh Dunoma, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); AVM AL Osanyintolu; Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Sam Ethnan Airforce base, Ikeja;  Yakubu Dati, GM, Corporate Communications & Maázu Dahir, PA to MD-FAAN during the AOC’s courtesy visit to the MD FAAN, Headquarters

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria FAAN and the Nigerian Airforce are collaborating in tightening security of all the airports in Nigeria as the general election of the country approaches. According to a statement by Yakubu Dati,  the General Manager Corporate Communication of the agency: ‘The Nigerian Airforce has been called upon to continue its support to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) especially in securing the Nigerian Airports.

This appeal was made by the MD/CEO, FAAN, Engr. Saleh Dunoma during a courtesy call by the Air Officer Commanding of the Nigerian Airforce.’

Furthermore, Engr. Dunoma appealed for closer collaboration between the Airforce Airport Command and the Aviation Security (AVSEC) especially at this period of electioneering campaigns and the general elections.

He assured the team of the Authority’s support and assistance as both institutions are pursuing a common goal.

Earlier, the AOC pledged the support of the Airforce in the area of security and other sundry issues.

The AOC who was represented by Air Commodore A.L Osayintolu further requested for collaboration in other areas to enable the command serve the Authority effectively.

He stated that the Airforce is ever ready to play its constitutional role

Arik Air commences flight to 7th route in West Africa

Arik Air's aircraft

The dream of International Air Transport Association, IATA’s dream of Intra-Africa connectivity is becoming a reality as Arik Air will from 16th February 2015 commence scheduled flight operations from Lagos, Nigeria to the Ivoirian city, Abidjan via Cotonou, Benin Republic. The new service will operate four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The Abidjan(Cote d’Ivoire) will be the seventh as the airline already operates to Accra (Ghana), Banjul (Gambia), Dakar (Senegal), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Monrovia (Liberia),Cotonou (Benin Republic) on the west coast

According to the airline : “On Mondays, the outbound flight will depart the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 2:45 pm (local time) and arrive at Cotonou International Airport at 3:15 pm (local time). The flight then leaves Cotonou at 4:00 pm (local time) and arrives at Felix Houphouet Boigny International Airport, Abidjan at 4:20 pm (local time). The inbound flight departs Abidjan at 5:05 pm (local time) and arrives in Cotonou at 7:25 pm (local time). The flight thereafter leaves Cotonou at 8:10 pm (local time) and arrives in Lagos at 8:40 pm (local time).

On other days (Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays), the outbound flight departs Lagos at 11:15 am (local time) and arrives in Cotonou at 11:45 am (local time). It will then leave Cotonou at 12:30 pm (local time) to arrive in Abidjan at 12:50 pm (local time). Inbound flight departs Abidjan at 1:35 pm (local time) and arrives in Cotonou at 3:55 pm (local time). The flight departs Cotonou at 4:40 pm (local time) to arrive in Lagos at 5:10 pm (local time).”

Furthermore, the new Lagos-Abidjan service will be operated using Arik Air’s state-of-the-art Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft configured to carry 10 Business Class and 64 Economy class passengers.

Arik Air’s Managing Director/Executive Vice President, elaborated on the new service:

“Abidjan is a preferred destination for Nigerian businessmen and women. Arik Air’s foray into this commercial city will make life a lot easier for our guests who have been yearning for flight connection between Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. This service will further underline Arik Air’s position as West Africa’s premier airline.”

The Lagos-Abidjan service is Arik Air’s first new route in 2015.