Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika has assured that the Federal Government would continue to support the aviation industry to enhance safety of flight op
Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika has assured that the Federal Government would continue to support the aviation industry to enhance safety of flight operations.
Sirika who was represented at the workshop on the planned introduction of satellite based argumentation system, (SBAS) in Abuja Thursday by his Permanent Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Meribole said relevant agencies would also be encouraged to evolve strategic measures to promote growth in the industry.
The Aviation Minister further expressed joy that the collaboration between the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) and the Nigerian Satellite Communication, (SATCOM-1) which is an agency under sister Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has given impetus to the planned deployment of SBAS into the country’s air navigation systems.
He noted that apart from helping to improve safety of flight operations, the Satellite based augmentation system would also enhance capacity, cost-effectiveness, interoperability, seamlessness, access and environmental sustainability.
Sirika stressed that upon the successful completion of the demonstration flights, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) would fast-track the required regulatory approval for the adoption and implementation of SBAS for use in Nigeria.
The Managing Director of NAMA, Mathew Pwajok in his welcome address disclosed that
SBAS ensures coverage of very wide sections of airspace and locations that were previously overlooked by terrestrial-based navigation aids.
“In many circumstances, it also provides more capacity, flexibility, and cost-effective navigation alternatives more than older ground-based navigation aids. SBAS is an important component of Performance Based Navigation (PBN). Pwajok stressed adding, “the cost benefits of the system to the airlines would be enormous when eventually deployed.”
According to him, “SBAS will save the airlines a lot in flight times and holding times in approach and take offs.
“When an airline tells you its fuel consumption, you will understand and you multiply that by 5 minutes you will know how much it is. We also have the calculation which we can make available to you for different aircraft categories in fuel savings, time savings, and carbon emission savings which are very critical. Environmental sustainability is very key to this satellite navigation.”
“One of the driving forces of SBAS is that it reduces flight time, fuel consumption, and carbon emission. When I calculated the number of flights on a particular route and the number of reductions in flight time and fuel consumption, they add to give a quantum per annum on the savings for that implementation. Multiply over a year, maybe 300 flights on that route, you can actually see an amazing reduction for an airline.”Quite a number of regional and international agencies as well as other African countries are attending the two-day business workshop on the deployment of the system.The programme which is being sponsored by NAMA and SATCOM-1 kicked off on Tuesday, February 31, 2023 with demonstration flights at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.
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