FG reads riot act to Pilots, Airline Operators on weather Compliance

The Federal government have directed all Airline Operators and Pilots to obtain and confirm their destination weather reports from the Aeronautical Information Service before start-up and take-off to prevent air mishaps that may arise from unfavourable weather condition.

The Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Odua gave the directive in Abuja following observations that only Flight Dispatchers go to the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) to obtain Meteorological Folders without the Pilots themselves actually receiving the weather briefing.

She said in order to prevent incidents of avoidable air returns due to unfavourable weather condition, pilots must obtain weather information before flying aircraft, according to international standard and best practices

Odua noted that the inability of pilots to get weather information accounts for why air crafts take off and get to their destinations but are unable to land.

She said “this information provided by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and readily available at the AIS is meant to guide pilots on destination weather and to assist them make informed decisions on whether or not to take off from one airport to another”.

“There is therefore absolutely no reason and justification for an aircraft to make an air return on the basis of poor weather condition since initial weather report from the AIS would have been adequate to indicate the futility of an initial take-off under such harsh weather conditions” she added

The Aviation Minister stated that recklessness on the part of airline operators and pilots will no longer be tolerated and infarctions would be met with serious sanctions.

She noted that failure to do this has the potential of compromising air safety in the country