Fakoyejo OlalekanThe revenue of domestic airlines is under threat as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) warns that hazardous weather in the dry season will affect flight operations.
Pilots, airline operators and air traffic controllers (ATCs) were advised to exercise caution during flight operations in the last days of December 2022 to April 2023.
The NCAA stated that in severe conditions, Aerodrome visibility may fall. The aviation authority explained that visual navigation will become difficult.
It was gathered that dust haze can blot out runways, markers and airfield lightings over wide areas, affecting the visibility of the pilots during flights.
Note that bad weather has often caused domestic airlines to delay or cancel flights and closure of the airspace. It is one of the factors that led to domestic airlines recording 37,510 delayed and 356 cancelled flights out of 65,401 flights.
In a multiple media report on Monday, NCCA, in a circular dated December 19, 2022, stated that the warning was issued following Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) seasonal climate prediction (SCP).
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had disclosed that due to the dry season in Nigeria, there will be cessation of rainfall and weather.
According to the NCAA director-general, Musa Nuhu, haze dust or fog will reduce air to-ground visibility, “Aerodrome visibility may fall below the prescribed operating minimal and in severe conditions, dust haze can blot out runways, markers and airfield lightings over wide areas making visuals navigation extremely difficult or impossible.”
Nuhu added that “Flights are bound to be delayed, diverted or cancelled where terminal visibility falls below the prescribed aerodrome operating minimal.”
He also stated in the circular that, “Pilots/flight crew members shall obtain adequate departure, en-route and destination weather information and briefing from NIMET Aerodrome Meteorological Offices and Stations prior to flight operations and exercise maximum restraint whenever an adverse weather is observed.”
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