The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has hinted that it would commence the implementation of the backup radios signals that would provide radio communication across Nigerian airspace as soon as the National Assembly passed the 2019 budget.
NAMA also confirmed that it has put in place a machinery to accelerate an ongoing programme geared towards the total upgrade of its radio communication infrastructure across the country.
In a statement over the weekend, its General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Khalid Emele said, “This is to ensure that communication challenges experienced by pilots in some parts of the airspace are totally eliminated”..
Emele added that as part of efforts to boost the clarity of radio communication especially at the upper airspace, the agency has taken steps to replace all the Very High Frequency (VHF) radios at the existing eight (8) remote sites in Lagos, Kano, Wukari, Sokoto, Ilorin, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Maiduguri and also add six (6) new sites in Jos, Kaduna, Yola, Enugu, Benin and Calabar making a total of fourteen (14) VHF sites spread across the nation.
These VHF remote sites, he noted, are operated in a network which will have signal pattern that covers the entire Nigerian airspace. The agency has taken delivery of the VHF radio equipment under the “Extended Range VHF Coverage” project and installation will commence soon.
“In 2018, NAMA deployed four stand-alone Jotron High-power long range VHF radios at Lagos East and Lagos West as well as Kano East and Kano West Area Control Centres (ACCs). This backup solution is targeted at addressing Remote Control Air to Ground (RCAG) communication challenges in the upper airspace by providing reliable backup in the event of loss of VHF radio communication on the main system.
“Also, plans have been completed to extend the range of the above stated long-range backup radios and is only awaiting the passage of 2019 budget by the National Assembly for implementation to commence. When completed, the backup radios would also have sufficient overlap of propagated signals to cover the entire Nigerian airspace,” Emele said.
Reiterating the commitment of NAMA to provide safe airspace management services across the country, the image maker said, “As an agency, one of our overriding priorities is to provide reliable communication link between the air traffic controller and the flying pilot at all phases of flight and this we are continuously committed to doing.
“NAMA therefore wishes to reassure airspace users and the general public that its radio communication infrastructure remains serviceable just as it is intensifying efforts to ensure that the quality continues to improve in line with international standards”.
