NAMA installs critical landing equipment at Enugu airport

The tempo of upgrade of airport facilities at the Akanu Ibiam International airport in Enugu ahead of its reopening has increased with the installation of a brand-new CAT 2 Instrument Landing System / Distance Measuring Equipment (ILS/DME) to replace the old system that was in service since 2003.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said a successful site acceptance test on the equipment has also been conducted by NAMA engineers in Enugu in preparation for its calibration in the coming days.

The airspace safety agency disclosed that in a bid to address communication blind spots in the Lagos South East corridor, it has also installed a VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) for satellite communication at the airport.

It said “This SATCOM (Satellite Communication) node has further been integrated into the national satellite communication network which is linked to the AFISNET (African Indian Ocean SATCOM Network).

Also liked to the VSAT is the newly installed Remote Control Air-Ground (RCAG) Very High Frequency (VHF) radio communication system, ensuring that Enugu now has an extended VHF coverage on 127.3MHz  frequency for Lagos South East sector.” NAMA added.

On the gains of the latest installation, Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu noted with delight that radio communication along the Lagos South East sector has “improved tremendously,” affirming that the installation of the VHF radio in Enugu is “particularly significant as the city is strategically located to accommodate over six routes, both local and international.”

“Enugu being on a higher latitude can cover for Manfe entry/exit reporting point in Cameroun for international flights like Ethiopian, Rwanda Airlines, Kenya Airways, South Africa Airways and the like,”Akinkuotu said.

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