Ministry of Aviation has warned that it will sanction any pilot who does not obtain weather briefing, prior to the take-off of a flight.
In a circular forwarded to airlines at the weekend, the ministry noted that “it is mandatory for pilots to physically get weather briefing before operating any flight.”
The circular, signed by special assistant on media to the minister of aviation, Mr. Joe Obi, further stated that any violation of the mandatory regulation would be met with sanction, because it had been observed, over time, that only flight dispatchers go to the aeronautical information service (AIS) to obtain meteorological folders without the pilots themselves actually receiving the weather briefing.
“This unhealthy development accounts for why aircraft take off and get to their destinations but are unable to land due to bad weather and failure to get weather briefing prior to initiating their flight from the point of take-off,” a part of the statement read.
“Henceforth, all airline operators and pilots are required to obtain and confirm their destination weather reports from the AIS before start-up and take-off according to international standards and best practices in order to prevent incidents of avoidable air returns due to unfavourable weather condition.”
It added that the weather 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 in making informed decisions on whether or not to take off from one airport to another.
“There is absolutely no reason for a pilot 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,” it further stated.
In a circular forwarded to airlines at the weekend, the ministry noted that “it is mandatory for pilots to physically get weather briefing before operating any flight.”
The circular, signed by special assistant on media to the minister of aviation, Mr. Joe Obi, further stated that any violation of the mandatory regulation would be met with sanction, because it had been observed, over time, that only flight dispatchers go to the aeronautical information service (AIS) to obtain meteorological folders without the pilots themselves actually receiving the weather briefing.
“This unhealthy development accounts for why aircraft take off and get to their destinations but are unable to land due to bad weather and failure to get weather briefing prior to initiating their flight from the point of take-off,” a part of the statement read.
“Henceforth, all airline operators and pilots are required to obtain and confirm their destination weather reports from the AIS before start-up and take-off according to international standards and best practices in order to prevent incidents of avoidable air returns due to unfavourable weather condition.”
It added that the weather 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 in making informed decisions on whether or not to take off from one airport to another.
“There is absolutely no reason for a pilot 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,” it further stated.
The Will (culled from)
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