NCAA alerts pilots, travellers to inclement weather
• Minister rationalises aviation fuel scarcity, says it’s global
NIGERIAN Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA), yesterday, alerted pilots and operators to inclement climate.
The regulator, subsequently, urged air travellers on patience in cases of flight delays and weather- induced disruptions.
NCAA’S Director General, Capt. Musa Nuhu, in an advisory referenced, AC: NCAA- AEROMET– 33, noted that the warning was in sync with the Seasonal Climate Prediction ( SCP) released for 2022 by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency ( NIMET).
He noted that the rainy season, at outset, is usually characterised with severe thunderstorms and other hazardous phenomena like severe turbulence, microburst and low- level wind shear events that could negatively affect flights.
The NCAA boss said: “Hence the need for all stakeholders to perform their roles to ensure safety of flight operations.
“With the issuance of this circular, NCAA – AEROMET 32 is accordingly cancelled. Therefore, for safety purpose, the Air Traffic Controllers ( ATC) may temporarily close the airspace when hazardous weather conditions such as severe thunderstorm, squall lines, microburst or level wind shear, are forecast by NIMET.
“On the other hand, responsibilities for pilots and flight crew or operators are to ensure strict adherence to aerodrome operating minimal. Pilots shall exercise maximal restraint whenever adverse weather is observed or forecast by the NIMET,” he stated.
Nuhu went on: “Pilots / flight crew members shall obtain adequate departure, en- route and destination weather information and briefing from NIMET aerodrome meteorological stations prior to flight operations.”
In view of the above, operators are required to play a key role in ensuring that adequate measures are in place to lessen effects of flight delays and cancellations. However, the stakeholders have been warned that violation of safety guidelines would attract sanction.
THIS comes as Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, justified the current aviation fuel scarcity in the country, insisting that the situation was not peculiar.
He spoke when President Muhammadu Buhari received Secretary- General of International Civil Aviation Organisation ( ICAO), Juan Carlos Salazar, yesterday, at the State House, Abuja.
Salazar said: “Nigeria became a member of ICAO Council in 1962, and since then, it has continued to make valuable contributions to the council’s work and its activities.