The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advised Pilots and Airline Operators to exercise caution during flight operations in hazardous weather conditions.
This warning was contained in an Advisory Circular (AC) addressed to all Pilots and Airline Operators and signed by the Director General, NCAA, Captain Muhtar Usman.
The Advisory Circular is sequel to the Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) released for the year 2019 by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).
NIMET has predicted March/April and May/June 2019 as the commencement of rainy season in the Southern and Northern parts of Nigeria, which is usually accompanied with turbulence.
This is in addition to microburst, low level wind share and sometimes events that could affect the safety of flight operations.
In a statement by the NCAA spokesperson, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, with this information, it is expected that Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) may temporarily close the airspace when there are adverse weather conditions.
According to the statement, Flight Crews, Operators and Air Traffic Controllers shall ensure strict adherence to aerodrome operating minima in line with standard and recommend practices.”
In addition, “all pilots are therefore obliged to exercise maximum restraint whenever severe weather condition is observed or forecast by NIMET.”
For the purpose of safe flight operations, the NCAA says, “Pilots, Flight Crew Members are mandated to obtain adequate departure, en route and destination weather information and briefing from NIMET Aerodrome Meteorological Offices situated in all the airports prior to flight operations”.
Operators are also 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 Authority therefore urged all passengers “to exercise patience and understanding during this period as their safety was of utmost importance and stakeholders to are expected to ensure strict compliance to safety regulations as violations would be viewed seriously”.
