Airport Reporters

United States team begins assessment of Lagos Airport A three-man United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) team has commenced  routine assessment of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja. Spokesman of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Sam Adurogboye disclosed on Wednesday. According to Adurogboye, the team's  visit was to observe the implementation of Aviation Security (AVSEC) measures and to also conduct inspection on recommended TSA security procedures for United States  air carriers. Delta Airlines is the only American carrier flying into Nigeria. He said the TSA's Annual Airport Assessment visit began January 28, 2019 and will extend till February 2,  2019. He listed members of the TSA team to include :  Laura Loya (team lead), Edward Cloniger and Mitch Mankowski. It will be recalled that the team came on similar assessment visit last year.  Adurogboye said :" As a matter of policy, the Tran...

Our training improvement plans, by aviation college rector The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State has concluded plans to improve its training facilities with the acquisition of additional trainer aircraft this year, its rector, Captain Mohammed Abdulsalami has said. Abdulsalami said government has given approval to the college to acquire over 20 Diamond aircraft, which will be deployed for the training of pilots in the college. Speaking in an interview, In Zaria, Kaduna State, the rector said the 20 Diamond trainer aircraft comprises five DA42 twin - engine   and 15 with DA40 single engine. He said the aim of the aircraft acquisition is to assert the institution as the foremost civil aviation training institution in Africa. Abdulsalami said the college was safe and conducive for learning , allaying fears by some foreign students who were worried over reports on insecurity in the some parts of Northern Nigeria. Abdusalam said the Interna...

FAAN collapses make shift tent at P/Harcourt Airport .........Moves local operations to old international terminal Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said on Wednesday that it has collapsed the make shift tent at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State. Its spokesperson, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu disclosed to The Nation. She said the move was occasioned by the recent commissioning and movement of international operations to the new international terminal at Port Harcourt International Airport. She said with the development, all domestic arrivals have now moved to the old international terminal. Mrs Yakubu said  the former local departure lounge will henceforth serve as local arrival hall, while the erstwhile international departure lounge has now been converted to local departure lounge.  Last week, three foreign airlines  commenced flight services into the  Port Harcourt International Airport. The airlines include : Air Fran...

Boeing working on single pilot aircraft .........Technology will save global carriers billion of dollars `      Plane maker Boeing is working on technology that would remove the need for two pilots in the cockpits of its passenger jets. Boeing said  the aircraft could be operational by the late 2030s. The new technology will save airlines billions of dollars paid to second pilots that are currently in the cockpit of global airlines. Besides, saving global carriers huge sums, the technology will address the global shortage of pilots affecting some parts of the world, including Middle East counties and China. The world’s largest airline manufacturer revealed how the doubling of the global commercial airplane fleet, record-high air travel demand, and a tight labor market are all contributing to a massive shortage of pilots in the near-term. The biggest demand will come from the Asia-Pacific region — which is looking to add 261,000 more pilots — ...

 Tackle  air side  crowding , NAHCO boss urges NCAA , FAAN  Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO ) Aviance Plc, Mrs Olatokunbo Fagbemi has called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take urgent steps to reduce the over crowding of at the air side of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. She said if the challenge was not addressed it could pose serious safety and security concerns for ground handling companies and others doing business at such critical parts of the airport. Speaking to The Nation in an interview at the weekend in Lagos, Fagbemi  said the regulatory and airport authorities needed to design some standard operating procedures and other initiatives that will reduce the number of persons, structures and equipment at the air side of the airport. She said too many people and structures at the air side could have negative im...

Global airports' manager unveils bulletin on drones operations Global airports' manager - Airports Council International (ACI)  has published an Advisory Bulletin to help airports address the risks posed by remotely piloted aircraft otherwise known as drones.  ACI World Director General Angela Gittens said the bulletin as part of efforts by the global body to regulate the use of drones and its attendant effects on aircraft operations. Investigations reveal that across  the globe , drones are used for courier ; security and logistic business.  The global market for commercial applications of drone technology, currently estimated at about $2 billion, will balloon to as much as $127 billion by 2020. In the past five years, the drone industry has seen impressive growth around the globe. Both the public and private sectors have leveraged unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in countless ways, whether to improve public safety surveillance in law enforcement, ...

NAMA  takes delivery of spares  for repairs  airspace radar The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has taken delivery of another consignment of critical spare parts required for the continuous service and operation of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON).  Its Managing Director, Captain Fola Akinkuotu disclosed this at the weekend. The equipment arrived at the weekend. The consignment,  Akinkuotu  said  was cleared at the Apapa port in Lagos from Thales Group, in France include MES1 1400A power supply modules, control units and other critical units. The spares , he said will be  used by NAMA engineers to effect repairs on any of the nine TRACON installations across the country as may be required to ensure optimal functioning of the system.   Akinkuotu said : " The relationship between NAMA and the equipment manufacturer, Thales has never bee...

Accident Investigation Bureau begins probe of Caverton Helicopter crash in Kabba .......Deploys investigators to crash site to examine chopper wreckage .........To interview pilots, engineers ..........Preliminary report out in two days The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Sunday said it has commenced investigations into the crash -landing of an Agusto Westland AW139 helicopter conveying Vice President Professor Yemi Osibanjo to Kabba in Kogi State. Spokesman of the agency, Tunji Oketumbi disclosed this in a telephone interview. He said the bureau has already deployed its team of accident investors to the scene of the helicopter crash in Kabba , Kogi State to unravel the cause of the crash. Oketumbi said AIB's team of investigators besides combing the crash site to asertain the cause(s) of the accident will also interview the crew - pilots and engineers and other professionals from Caverton Helicopters that operated the ill- fated chopper. He said t...

AIB concludes ' high profile ' accident investigation  .. .Insurers of Caverton Helicopters arrive ......Visit crash site to examine chopper wreckage ..............Preliminary accident report out in two days Seventy two hours after an Agusta AW 139  helicopter flying the Vice President , Professor Yemi Osibanjo crashed in Kabba , aviation agencies led by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) have concluded investigations on the ' high profile ' , accident. The completion of investigation came on the heels of gatherreing of evidence- inspection of the chopper wreckage at the crash site; interview of airline crew- pilots, engineers and other technical personnel, eyewithnesses account , laboboratory testing of broken rotor and other parts of chopper. A source closed to the AIB said the prelimany report of the high profile accident will be released in two days, but he could not give probable cause(s) of the crash. A source close to Caverton Helicopters ...

  Welcome to Istanbul: An unforgettable Experience For most  travellers , finding an ideal and  suitable travel destination is  probably the most uninteresting thing. This is often  because it is  difficult  to find  one location that  has  all the desired  tastes and p references.  When you do visit a place and your expectations are met, the feeling is beyond thrilling.   This was my experience when  I embarked on a school tri p to the Great City of Istanbul. Istanbul  is a  travellers’  delight  to visit any time of the year as i t i s home to  several   millions of international  visitors  every year .  Istanbul is one of the world’s most ancient cities and is famous for its rich history and wonderful culture.  Straddled in between  two continents; Europe and Asia,  it oozes some of the most relaxing gentle wind nature has to offer...