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Minister for Aviation  calls for African Co-operation in Air Transport

Power supply and operation airfield lighting.

The two navigational guidance systems provided by NAMA and FAAN are intrinsically different. I will go further to explain.

The area of operation of NAMA is AIRSPACE while the area of operation of FAAN is AIRPORT.

For aircraft to navigate safely through AIRSPACE, NAMA provides various radio signal generating and transmitting equipment known specifically as VOR/DME, GLIDE SLOPE, LOCALISER and NDB’s. These equipment generate frequency-propelled signals which are monitored by air-borne frequency-conscious equipment in the approaching aircraft.

FAAN on the other hand provides colour-coded AIRPORT GROUND LIGHTING (AGL) System, which is normally sighted. A pilot can choose to fly by instrument or go visual upon sighting the runway lights on its final approach. We can see therefore that while NAMA provides ILS, FAAN provides AGL.

It is therefore wrong to assert that the two services (ILS and AGL) form components of the ILS system. AGL forms and integral part of the airport much the same way that the central nervous system of the human being is an integral part of the physical body. This is illustrated in the attached drawing. AGL (AFL) and airports are therefore inextricably interwoven.

It is for this reason that ICAO classifies AGL and Runway MARKINGS as integral parts of AIRPORT in ANNEX 14(an ICAO document) and not as a part of CNS/ATM. Doing otherwise will be acting contrary to the provision of ICAL and will definitely be at variance with the practice all over the world. I do not think NIGERIA is ready to be the only odd nation in the whole world.

Similarly the engineering design of AGL is documented under Airport Design Manual Part 5 (also an ICAO document), and not under CNS/ATM. There is therefore no ambiguity in these areas of responsibilities of FAAN and NAMA; that is, AGL (AFL) is for FAAN while ILS is for NAMA.

It therefore follows that the decree setting up NAMA and charging it with the responsibility for visual aid is faulty and should be corrected accordingly.