All is now set for aircraft to smoothly land at the runway 18 Right at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammad Airport in Lagos following the commissioning of the Category 3 Instrument Landing System (ILS) by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
Also, the equipment has been installed at the Runway 22 of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the agency disclosed in an electronic statement on Sunday
For some weeks now, there has been concerns over the diversion of international flights into neighbouring countries due to inclement weather occasioned by the absence of equipment to aid aircraft land successfully at the Lagos Airport.
NAMA Managing Director, , Capt. Fola Akinkuotu told reporters 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.
According to him, 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.
Capt. Akinkuotu said “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.”
While pledging a timely calibration of navigational facilities going forward, Akinkuotu said “the availability of our flight calibration aircraft will ensure that NAMA is able to carry out calibration as and when due.”
