The Aviation Division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers has asked the Federal Government to ensure regular upgrade of the nation’s navigational aids.
The Chairman, Aeronautical Division, NSE, Engr Patrick Achurufe, while commending the Federal Government on the investment it made in the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria project, called for a sustained upgrade of the facility.
“Given that aviation is dynamic, most components of these facilities need to be upgraded from time to time in line with world best practices and International Civil Aviation Organisation specification,” he said.
Achurufe, who made this known when he led a team of aeronautical engineers on a tour of facilities at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, said the NSE had confidence in the capacity of the nation’s navigational infrastructure to guarantee safety of air travel in the country.
He said the findings of the team at the end of the tour, had boosted the confidence of its members on the safety of the Nigerian airspace.
According to him, the on-the-spot assessment of the nation’s navigational tools and how the facilities are being deployed by the personnel in operations revealed that a lot has been done by NAMA both in terms of acquisition of critical infrastructure and training of appropriate personnel.
He commended the staff members of the agency for their diligence and hard work, saying that members were amazed at the dexterity and efficiency with which critical personnel discharged their duties in communicating with pilots, vectoring aircraft and surveillance of the airspace in general.
He explained that with membership drawn from all engineers working in the aviation sector, the Nigerian Society of Engineers’ Aeronautical Division was established to promote the growth of the profession and to ensure that standards and best practices were maintained in the aviation sector.
-Independence