The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advised pilots, airline operators and other stakeholders in the nation’s aviation sector on the need for caution in their operations as hazardous weather associated with rainy season begins its manifestations in the airspace.
The aviation sector regulator gave this charge on Tuesday in an Advisory Circular (AC) with reference No AC: NCAA-AEROMET – 33 issued by the Directorate of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards (DAAS) signed by its Director-General, Capt. Musa Nuhu, and addressed to all pilots and airline operators in the country.
The NCAA charged all stakeholders to perform their roles as stated in the circular in order to ensure the safety of flight operations during the rainy season, adding that with the issuance of the latest circular, Advisory Circular (AC): NCAA – AEROMET 32 is accordingly cancelled.
It stated: “Air Traffic Controllers, may in the interest of safety, temporarily close the airspace when hazardous weather conditions such as severe thunderstorms, squall lines microbursts or level wind shear are forecast by NIMET.
“For Pilots and Flight Crews/Operators, NCAA said they should ensure strict adherence to aerodrome operating minima.
“Pilots shall exercise maximum restraint whenever adverse weather is observed or forecast by NIMET.
“Pilots /Flight Crew Members shall obtain adequate departure, en-route and destination weather information and briefing from NIMET Aerodrome Meteorological Stations prior to flight operations.
“In view of the above, 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 rainy 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 NCAA added.
The issuance of the circular came on the heels of the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) released for the year 2022 by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).
It would be recalled that the weather forecast agency had earlier predicted early/late March as the commencement of the rainy season in the Southern part of the country and April/May and June 2022 as the onset of the rainy season in Central and Northern regions.
