NAMA To Operate Satellite-Based Navigation, March

In an effort to improve air safety, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) will from March migrate from terrestrial to satellite-based navigation.

This is a new technology popularly called performance Based Navigation (PBN) that will see NAMA jettisoring most of its land-based navigational aids, such as the Instrument Landing System (ILS), Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) and others, which now serve as back-ups.

The new technology will offer pilots more accurate data from the satellite and give them quicker and better precision approach and lauding into the airport. It will in turn save them more fuel and ensure quick turnaround.

Supo Atobatele, the General Manager, Public Affairs of NAMA, who disclosed the development stated that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has already pledged to complete and deliver the new PBN procedure and charting for the four international airports- Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano to NAMA by March.

According to Atobatele, already, the PBN (GNSS) procedure design datasheet for all the 24 airports have been uploaded to NAMA cartographers for charting, pointing out that plans to move to the Global Navigation Satellite System /Air Traffic Management (GNAA/ATM) has been in the works for a long time.

He stressed that part of the obstacles to achieving the order has been epileptic power supply, adding that the World Geodic Survey (WGS 84) of the 24 airports in the country has already been concluded at the cost of N360 million.

The procedure to enter the airports will soon change immediately the satellite-based navigation comes on stream, Atobatele said, noting that with the new chart, planes can come in via satellite aid.

This, according to him, means that pilots will engage in far less talks with the Air Traffic Controllers (ATCS) while “you just plot your way in and start coming because everything is based on satellite”.

We, already have the support and approval of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the MD said and explained that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has given 2016 as deadline for countries to migrate from terrestrial-based navigation to satellite.

He added that NAMA wants to comply with the directive before the deadline elapses, saying that state-owned airports such as Gombe and Akwa Ibom have already subscribed to the GNAA/ATM just as they would not be insulated from it when it becomes fully operational.

The NAMA spokesman noted that all the stakeholders involved in making the PBN a success are being carried along, saying “Aviation Wing of the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Air, Force, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), NCAA, NIMET and others are being carried along”.

Atobatele reveled that foreign airlines such as Lufthausa, Emirates and others have agreed to test-fly the new procedure once it comes on stream while training on the new procedure has carried out locally and internationally.

According to him, Lagos zone was done in October 2009, while Abuja was done in December same year, disclosing that stakeholders were awarded Diploma in PBN in Canada from the IATA Training Institute.