At last: NAMA commissions Abuja, Lagos CAT3 ILS

After weeks of diversion to other countries by foreign airlines as a result of poor landing facilities at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Ikeja, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) says it has successfully commissioned its newly installed Category 3 Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Runway 18 Right, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos as well as Runway 22 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Also, 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.

Making this disclosure, the Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu said 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.

According to the NAMA boss, “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.

It would be recalled that passengers in the past one month suffered untold hardship as a result of flight diversions by mega carriers as a result of poor visibility due to none functioning landing aids.