FAAN installs, test runs airfield lightings in 13 airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN says work on the installation of airfield lighting at 13 airports has reached advanced stage  while that at the Margret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar has been test-run.

Yakubu Dati

The General Manager, Public Affairs of FAAN, Yakubu Dati explained that the Authority kicked off the test run last week and it was working perfectly, while others have reached advanced stage of completion.

Dati said (FAAN)  was focusing on providing critical equipment on the airside of all its airports in order to enhance landing and take off of flights.

The Authority noted that while it continues to work on the rehabilitation and expansion of airport terminal facilities, it has now focused on providing landing aids, not only to meet the conditions for the certification of nation’s airports but to enable flights take off and land in low visibility occasioned by adverse weather situations.

He said FAAN is also collaborating with the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to ensure that all critical navigational and landing aids are provided at the airports.

“In order to urgently install all the necessary landing aids, FAAN and NAMA are collaborating with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (IACO) to ensure that the provision of airside facilities meet given international standards.

“I believe by the time we complete the installation of runway lights in these 13 airports flight cancellations due to poor visibility will reduce to the barest minimum and airlines can fly to these airports in the night. This is our focus and we are working hard to ensure we meet the expectation of our airlines.

“Some of the airports already have airfield lighting but we need to replace dead bulbs which we have almost completed. We decided to concentrate on airport development on runway and provision of airfield lighting and bulbs to enhance safety,” Dati said.

He also disclosed that FAAN is currently certifying the airports and working assiduously to conclude everything by end of February in order to prepare for ICAO audit which would be coming up in March.

Recently the regional representative of ICAO, Albert Taylor commended the efforts FAAN and other aviation agencies were making in order to ensure that safety critical equipment is provided at the airside of the nation’s airports, especially the four international airports in Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Abuja.

Taylor said the problems with the runways are not critical issues that cannot be addressed, adding that Nigeria has the capacity to provide the needed facility so that flights can land and take off during low visibility.