NAMA to train airspace managers on global air navigation plan

Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has concluded arrangements to train Airspace Managers across all airports in Nigeria on the Global Air Navigation plan. this, according to the agency, is targeted at equipping them with global trends in strategic air traffic management and also building their capacity for seamless airspace operations in their various domains.

Making this revelation at the weekend in port Harcourt during this year’s Airspace Managers’ Forum, the Acting Managing Director of the Nigerithe an Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Matthew Lawrence pwajok said it had become imperative that airspace managers at the nation’s airports are kept abreast of global trends in airspace management “as aviation is global, there is no Nigerian aviation standard. We are not operating in isolation and so we are maintaining international standards. We are benchmarking and implementing the International Civil Aviation (ICAO) standards and recommended practices (sarps),” he said.

pwajok noted that the training would expose managers to global air navigation plan, regional air navigation plan and national air navigation plan just as it would keep them acquainted with the civil aviation policy which is the framework that guides operations nationally.

According to him, “you must also be kept abreast of the aviation roadmap or masterplan of the federal government; our Communication, Navigation, surveillance/air traffic Management (CNS/ ATM) Masterplan and the milestones towards attaining these masterplans because these are frameworks within which we are expected to operate in carrying out our statutory function as the nation’s airspace manager.”

the NAMA boss said airspace managers needed to be top-notch in understanding the national air navigation plan as it relates to the implementation strategies, milestones, timelines, technology roadmaps for achieving the national plan and the strategic position of NAMA in the entire plan, even as he solicited for their buy-in to ensure successful implementation.

pwajok said with the increased pressure on the aviation industry at the global, regional and national level following the growth in passenger and cargo, there was the need for the agency to grow capacity to be able to cope with the increasing traffic.