Ahead of the 2019 rainy season, the airspace may be shut temporarily by the Air Traffic Controllers, ATCs, due to adverse weather condition usually experienced during the period.
According to the 2019 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction, SRP, released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, the rainy season would begin in March/April and May/June 2019 in the Southern and Northern parts of Nigeria respectively.
To this end, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has advised Pilots and Airline Operators to exercise caution during flight operations in hazardous weather conditions.
The warning in response to NIMET’s SRP was contained in an Advisory Circular (AC) with reference no AC: NCAA-AEROMET–27 addressed to all Pilots and Airline Operators and signed by the Director General, Capt. Muhtar Usman.
The General Manager, Public Relations of NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, in a statement said the rainy season was usually accompanied with turbulence in addition to microburst, low level wind shear and sometimes events that could affect the safety of flight operations.
“With this information, it is expected that Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) may temporarily close the airspace when there are adverse weather conditions”, the NCAA said in a statement on Sunday.
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It advised Flight Crews/Operators and ATCs to ensure strict adherence to aerodrome operating manual in line with standard and recommended practices.
It further reminded all pilots that they “were obliged to exercise maximum restraint whenever severe weather condition is observed or forecast by NIMET.”
The aviation body urged pilots and crew members to ensure they get adequate departure, en route and destination weather information and briefing from NIMET Aerodrome Meteorological Offices located in all the airports prior to flight operations.
“Operators are therefore 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 as occasioned by this severe weather conditions in accordance with Part 19 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2015,” the statement added.
It warned stakeholders to ensure strict compliance to safety regulations as violations would be viewed seriously.
The statement also urged passengers to be patient and understanding during this period as their safety was of utmost importance.
