Renowned pilot and aviation trainer, Captain Ibrahim Kadafir Mshelia, has warned that the move to close the Domestic Runway 18L/36R in Lagos for 90 days would amount to creating a chaotic environment at the airport that will overwhelm airline operators, Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) and other operators in the sector.
The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, had sent a NOTAM to airlines operating in the sector and also to the general public, informing them of the need to carry out the installation at the domestic airport.
A statement signed by the Ag. General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Faithful A. Hope-Ivbaze said the project, which will commence effectively on Friday, July 8, 2022, is expected to last for 90 days.
She said: “As part of efforts aimed at improving safety and efficiency of flight operations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has concluded arrangements to complete the installation of CAT III Airfield Ground Lighting system on Runway 18L/36R.
“The project, which will commence effectively on Friday, July 8, 2022, is expected to last for 90 days.
“Consequently, Runway 18L/36R will be closed to flight operations during this time.
“However, stakeholders are to note that there will be no disruption. All normal flight operations will be conducted through runway 18R/36L.
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“A NOTAM to this effect has already been published and disseminated accordingly.”
But Mshelia who also the CEO, West Link Airlines Ltd, advised that the airport authority does not need to close the airport completely noting that other measures could be adopted to ensure a seamless operation at the airport.
According to him, the installation can begin after sunset daily using construction lights till sunrise, then sweep off and open the 18L/36R at sunrise for normal use as currently being done daily .
“It is exciting to hear the lights are coming on finally, but I am afraid that closing it completely will create real traffic chaos.
The current curfew on that runway should not be Tampered with for obvious reasons. Night construction is possible and will maintain the status quo and less or no effect to current traffic flow, Airlines and passengers inconveniences.
Closing it completely will create heavy arrival and departure aerial traffic and ground traffic(aircraft go slow). ATC will be stacking aircraft overhead Lagos crazily and will overwhelm them with the epileptic radar making things even far worse. Even if radar was fully functional, when the aircraft all arrive, the Atcos can do little or nothing beside stack them overhead LAG to keep holding and take turns to land. I see so many diversions and possible declaration of emergency happening. This is also rainy season folks, wrong time to do this in my opinion. I am looking at this as a pilot who knows the airspace for decades.
Suggestion:
Western taxi has been neglected for decades and should immediately first be repaired so that the operators on GAT side use it after sunset to taxi to international through link 1(18L). While Arik and MM2 operators use link 4 (18L) to cross to international. Meaning the current status quo remains, while the construction is done bit by bit but during the current curfew hours (at night) on that runway (daylight use only continues).
The installation can begin after sunset daily using construction lights till sunrise, then sweep off and open the 18L/36R at sunrise for normal use as currently being done daily .
No matter how small at a time they do this, it may not even be up to a 6 months if the contractor is experienced and knows what they are doing. Technology exists today that you don’t even need to close a runway completely to patch, derobberise or resurface. The contractors should know this and what to do. This is a 2.7km length only. Even if it takes two years, we have waited 10 years doing daylight operation without hope of when? Now we can continue and we know when. Good progress!!!
But if the Government chooses that closing completely will be what they will do, they should expect and prepare for crisis and the airlines as well should expect crisis of schedule delays and diversions. Flight planning provisions allow for only 20mins holding, this will be overwhelmed almost all the time in Lagos and aircraft diversions will be very rampant and operators will pay heavily while customers will curse, because I can see many flights retuning to starting point for fear of unknown delay. Pilots can predict storms not delays caused by such action.
Let them also prepare for tension at work for controllers and pilots. We also all know what that does to safety. We have pilots in the FAAN system luckily who understand my language here, it not new on them what I have said here. It’s not a good idea at all to shut the runway completely.
I pray they think through this again.
Above all, finally it’s good news that the lights will now be installed and make Lagos fully functional once again.
