Pilots at Abuja Airport can now talk of Briefing Room of their own

By Sade Williams/Business a.m.

Pilots in Abuja Airport now have their own briefing room. Hadi Sirika commissioned the room known as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) pilot briefing room at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.

Sirika urged all aviation stakeholders, especially the airlines and flying crew, to take advantage of the Pilot Briefing Room for a safe, smooth, and enjoyable flying experience.

Speaking at the commissioning, he noted that right from the inception of any airport, weather information was an essential element for many purposes that include installation of infrastructure and orientation of the runway(s).

Sirika said in order to achieve excellence with 100 percent safety of lives, for civilian, military and property while on ground and during flight, weather information must not be ignored.

“For every flight that takes off and lands at any airport, weather information must have been consumed in one form. This is principally to ensure safety. For a successful flight operation without delay or cancellation, the weather required for take-off at originating airport, enroute and landing at destination airport must be conducive. Else, safety is already compromised. Remember, there is no bus-stop or parking space in the sky,” he said.

Sirika noted that NiMet is present at all airports and every state of the federation to provide adequate, accurate and timely weather information for the use of the flying community.

“In the chain of activities is communication. Weather information is available for all the airlines and directly communicated to the air traffic controllers. However, interactive sessions are also available for the crews of every flight, especially the Pilots in the form of Pilot Briefing,” he said.

The minister, who described Pilot Briefing/Pilot Weather Briefing as the act of translating Weather observations and forecasts into usable information and advisories for flight planning, enumerated information supplied to include: Surface observations, Upper Air observations, Satellite imageries, OPMET information, Terminal, Aerodrome Forecast, Aerial Report, Significant Weather Charts, METAR (Routine Weather Observations and Trend forecasts) and SPECI (Special Weather Report and Trend Forecast).

He noted that NiMet under his guidance has put in place a remodelled and modernised Pilot Briefing Room that was well equipped with state-of-the-art weather gadgets, and which is comfortable for every pilot and crew member.