Chinedu Eze in Lagos and Kasim Sumaina
Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has commissioned its newly installed Category 3 Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Runway 18 Right, Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos as well as Runway 22 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
NAMA also disclosed that a flight commissioning of the newly installed DVOR (Doppler Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Radio Range) in Lagos has successfully been carried out just as routine flight calibration has also been carried out on Runway 18 Left in Lagos.
NAMA, in a statement by its Managing Director, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) to this effect has been disseminated accordingly while calibration of navigational aids in other locations across the country is in progress to ensure all navigational aids in Nigeria that are due for calibration are covered.
“In spite of initial hitches, it is gratifying to note that Runway 18R in Lagos has been certified for CAT 3 just as Runway 22 in Abuja with the newly acquired calibration aircraft by the Aviation Ministry. Both facilities are now fully operational,” he said.
While pledging a timely calibration of navigational facilities going forward, Akinkuotu said the availability of our flight calibration aircraft would ensure that NAMA is able to carry out calibration as and when due.
Earlier in February, international carriers diverted flights to Accra in Ghana when Harmattan haze lowered visibility and the ILS at the Runway 18R was not functional.
The airlines and aviation agencies lost estimated N5 billion during the period.
