An expert in the Aviation sector and retired pilot, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, has opined that the issue of safety of an aircraft is largely the responsibility of its pilot.
Yadudu, who was reacting to the notion and speculations that flooding of the runway at the Port Harcourt Airport after rainfall was responsible for the skidding of the Dana flight from the runway recently, in a chat with newsmen at the Port Harcourt International Airport Thursday, said that pilots have discretions to take decision that will be in the best interest of the flight and passengers on board.
He said that runways are specifically designed to take care of flooding, stressing that as a retired pilot with many years of experience, he knows that the runway is designed with contour, and that the contours take care of the flooding, which he said is the design pattern of the Port Harcourt airport.
“Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), as well as other regulatory agencies, have procedures for operations and that they ensure that everything follows the standards of operations.
“It will still be the pilot who will take the final decision to land or not, given the situation at hand which he is aware of, but that flooding of the runway is not a reason to overshoot the runway, it is not the issue because the runway has contour which expels water”, he said.
The retired pilot, however, noted that he was in Port Harcourt for a one-week official duty towards ensuring that safety and security of the Port Harcourt airport meet the International Standard for certification.
He said that documentation is on-going and that the manual and complete documentation will tell how, and the procedures for doing business.

Corlins Walter