May 17, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advised Pilots and Airline Operators, to exercise caution over aviation hazardous weather during the rain season.
This warning was contained in an Advisory Circular (AC) with reference no AC: NCAA-AEROMET – 33, initiated by the Directorate of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards (DAAS) addressed to all Pilots and Airline Operators and signed by the Director General, Capt. Musa Nuhu.
The AC is coming on the advent of the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) released for the year 2022 by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).
NIMET had predicted Early/late March as the commencement of rain season across the Southern states, while April/May and June, 2022 is the onset of rain season in Central and Northern parts of Nigeria.
Rain season, at outset, is usually characterised with severe thunderstorms and many other hazardous weather phenomena, such as severe turbulence, microburst, low level wind shear events that could affect the safety of flight operations. Hence, the need for all stakeholders to perform their roles as stated below, in order to ensure safety of flight operations.
According to NCAA, with the issuance of this circular, Advisory Circular (AC): NCAA – AEROMET 32 is accordingly cancelled.
It, however, enumerated the responsibility for Air Traffic Controllers as follows, in the interest of safety:
First is that Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) may temporarily close the airspace when hazardous weather conditions such as severe thunderstorm, squall lines microburst or level wind-shear are forecast by NIMET.
On the other hand, enumerated below are series of responsibilities for Pilots and Flight Crew/Operators: First is that Flight Crews/Operators and ATCs shall ensure strict adherence to aerodrome operating minima.
It stipulated that Pilots shall exercise maximum restraint whenever adverse weather is observed or forecast by NIMET.
Pilots/Flight Crew Members, according to NCAA, shall obtain adequate departure, en-route and destination weather information and briefing from NIMET Aerodrome Meterelogical Stations prior to flight operations.
In view of the above, NCAA further warned that operators are required to play a key role in ensuring adequate measures are put in place to lessen the effects of the attendant flight delays and cancellations on their passengers occasioned by hazardous severe weather during the rain season in accordance with Nig. CARs, Part 19.
“While the Authority urges all passengers to exercise patience and understanding during this period as their safety is of utmost importance, stakeholders should ensure strict compliance to safety regulations as violations would be viewed seriously”, the regulator stated.
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
