NAF Bans ‘Must-Go Mission’ In Military Operations

…Emplace Measures For Safe Flights

Henceforth there won’t be ‘must-go mission’ in Nigerian Air
Force military operations until the indices that will minimize
avoidable risks are met, The Nation exclusively gathered.

The new operational guideline may not be unconnected to new
measures emplaced by NAF to guarantee safety of its air operations,
after the incident of multiple plane crashes in the last five
months.

Pilots and other personnel in the chain of air operations have
also been lectured to consider if the urgency and value of the
mission is worth the risk before embarking on future
operations.

In the last five months, the NAF recorded three major Air
crashes that resulted in the death of 20 military Officers
including the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Ibrahim
Attahiru.

However, conscious of the fact that adverse weather conditions
and obsolete infrastructure contributed significantly to the recent
plane crashes involving the Nigerian Air Force aircraft, the
Service has commenced implementation of both short and long term
measures to ensure safer conduct of its air operations.

Also to boost the capacity of the pilots and other personnel,
NAF recently held a seminar to enhance the chances of conducting
safe flights under adverse weather conditions.

The seminar with the theme; ‘Managing Adverse Weather Conditions
for Safer Air Operations in the NAF’, is part of measures to avert
further air mishaps.

To further guarantee safe air Operation, the Service under Air
Marshal Amao has approved among other measures, the enlistment of
six Met officers, 10 ATCOs and five fire Safety officers annually
through RC/DSSC/BC for the next three years, reactivation of Met
Observatory at 407 ACTG Airfield and procurement of AWOS for 101
ADG and 407 ACTG airfields.

Others were, reactivation of 101 ADG and 407 ACTG control
towers, training of 20 ATS personnel as Flight Dispatchers,
direction of Operational Units to set up Standard Base Operation
offices, induction of ATCOs/ATCAs in Crew Resource Management
training and developmental of a Robust Air Defence Capability Plan
for the NAF, which includes Military TRACON.

The Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, Air Vice Marshal
Aliyu Bello, noted that the idea of the seminar was conceived after
the unfortunate fatal accident of May 21, which claimed the lives
“of our very senior colleagues and threw the entire nation into
mourning.”

According to him, “considering the potential role that adverse
weather may have played in the accident, it became necessary for
us, in Mobility Command, to create a forum, such as this, where we
can draw from the knowledge and experiences of our senior pilots,
some of whom are retired, to educate our young and upcoming pilots
on the practical means of managing prevailing adverse weather
conditions in furtherance of safe flight operations in the NAF.

“The fact that we are having this Seminar today, is indicative
of our collective resolve to embrace continuous training to promote
a robust safety culture as a veritable tool for preserving NAF’s
valued assets and the lives of our personnel. It is through such
preservation that we can also ‘Foster a Disciplined Workforce
Essential for Combat Readiness’ as one of the drivers to achieving
the Chief of the Air Staff’s Vision for the NAF”.

He added that the Mobility Command intends to constantly update
its personnel towards upholding best global practices in the safe
and professional conduct of airlift operations and other ground
duties.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao,
while declaring open the 2021 Mobility Command Safety Seminar held
in Abuja, said it is specifically focused on the enhancement of
safety in the conduct of air operations.

Represented by the Managing Director, Nigerian Air Force
Investment Limited (NAFIL) Air Vice Marshal Emmanual Wonah, Amao
noted that the timing could not have been more appropriate,
“considering recent unfortunate occurrences that have impugned the
flight safety records of the NAF”.

He added that, “I am personally enthused by the thematic focus
of the Seminar, which is: ‘Managing Adverse Weather Conditions for
Safer Air Operations in the NAF’. This is because adverse weather
is a natural phenomenon that we cannot wish away or control.

“In extreme cases, it poses very grave threats and danger to
flight operations. All we can do as aviators, is to manage these
manifestations of mother nature for the safe and effective conduct
of our flight operations. Therefore, a thorough knowledge of
weather patterns and trends, as well as the characteristic features
of prevailing weather conditions on our flight routes can
facilitate a pilot’s quick and accurate decision making for mission
accomplishment”.

He noted further that, “seminars of this nature afford us
opportunities to take stock and appraise our safety procedures for
enhanced operational efficiency. It is also gratifying to note that
the holding of this Seminar is in line with my Vision of enhancing
and sustaining critical airpower capabilities required for joint
force employment in pursuit of national security imperatives and is
particularly geared towards updating the knowledge base of
personnel towards producing thoroughly skilled and professional
airmen in fulfilment of one of the key drivers of my Vision which
focuses on the ‘pursuit of purposeful training and human capacity
development”.

The CAS implored participants, as safety managers, to imbibe the
salient points that would emanate from this Seminar to improve
safety consciousness in their respective units.

“I expect the discussions at this Seminar to be open, frank and
incisive. We must use the medium to bring all safety concerns to
the fore and professionally deliberate on them in order to proffer
realistic and lasting solutions to our flight safety issues. The
resolutions at this Seminar are therefore expected to be
articulated towards making the NAF a safer, more effective and
efficient instrument of National Power,” he stated.

…Emplace Measures For Safe Flights

Henceforth there won’t be ‘must-go mission’ in Nigerian Air
Force military operations until the indices that will minimize
avoidable risks are met, The Nation exclusively gathered.

The new operational guideline may not be unconnected to new
measures emplaced by NAF to guarantee safety of its air operations,
after the incident of multiple plane crashes in the last five
months.

Pilots and other personnel in the chain of air operations have
also been lectured to consider if the urgency and value of the
mission is worth the risk before embarking on future
operations.

In the last five months, the NAF recorded three major Air
crashes that resulted in the death of 20 military Officers
including the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Ibrahim
Attahiru.

However, conscious of the fact that adverse weather conditions
and obsolete infrastructure contributed significantly to the recent
plane crashes involving the Nigerian Air Force aircraft, the
Service has commenced implementation of both short and long term
measures to ensure safer conduct of its air operations.

Also to boost the capacity of the pilots and other personnel,
NAF recently held a seminar to enhance the chances of conducting
safe flights under adverse weather conditions.

The seminar with the theme; ‘Managing Adverse Weather Conditions
for Safer Air Operations in the NAF’, is part of measures to avert
further air mishaps.

To further guarantee safe air Operation, the Service under Air
Marshal Amao has approved among other measures, the enlistment of
six Met officers, 10 ATCOs and five fire Safety officers annually
through RC/DSSC/BC for the next three years, reactivation of Met
Observatory at 407 ACTG Airfield and procurement of AWOS for 101
ADG and 407 ACTG airfields.

Others were, reactivation of 101 ADG and 407 ACTG control
towers, training of 20 ATS personnel as Flight Dispatchers,
direction of Operational Units to set up Standard Base Operation
offices, induction of ATCOs/ATCAs in Crew Resource Management
training and developmental of a Robust Air Defence Capability Plan
for the NAF, which includes Military TRACON.

The Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, Air Vice Marshal
Aliyu Bello, noted that the idea of the seminar was conceived after
the unfortunate fatal accident of May 21, which claimed the lives
“of our very senior colleagues and threw the entire nation into
mourning.”

According to him, “considering the potential role that adverse
weather may have played in the accident, it became necessary for
us, in Mobility Command, to create a forum, such as this, where we
can draw from the knowledge and experiences of our senior pilots,
some of whom are retired, to educate our young and upcoming pilots
on the practical means of managing prevailing adverse weather
conditions in furtherance of safe flight operations in the NAF.

“The fact that we are having this Seminar today, is indicative
of our collective resolve to embrace continuous training to promote
a robust safety culture as a veritable tool for preserving NAF’s
valued assets and the lives of our personnel. It is through such
preservation that we can also ‘Foster a Disciplined Workforce
Essential for Combat Readiness’ as one of the drivers to achieving
the Chief of the Air Staff’s Vision for the NAF”.

He added that the Mobility Command intends to constantly update
its personnel towards upholding best global practices in the safe
and professional conduct of airlift operations and other ground
duties.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao,
while declaring open the 2021 Mobility Command Safety Seminar held
in Abuja, said it is specifically focused on the enhancement of
safety in the conduct of air operations.

Represented by the Managing Director, Nigerian Air Force
Investment Limited (NAFIL) Air Vice Marshal Emmanual Wonah, Amao
noted that the timing could not have been more appropriate,
“considering recent unfortunate occurrences that have impugned the
flight safety records of the NAF”.

He added that, “I am personally enthused by the thematic focus
of the Seminar, which is: ‘Managing Adverse Weather Conditions for
Safer Air Operations in the NAF’. This is because adverse weather
is a natural phenomenon that we cannot wish away or control.

“In extreme cases, it poses very grave threats and danger to
flight operations. All we can do as aviators, is to manage these
manifestations of mother nature for the safe and effective conduct
of our flight operations. Therefore, a thorough knowledge of
weather patterns and trends, as well as the characteristic features
of prevailing weather conditions on our flight routes can
facilitate a pilot’s quick and accurate decision making for mission
accomplishment”.

He noted further that, “seminars of this nature afford us
opportunities to take stock and appraise our safety procedures for
enhanced operational efficiency. It is also gratifying to note that
the holding of this Seminar is in line with my Vision of enhancing
and sustaining critical airpower capabilities required for joint
force employment in pursuit of national security imperatives and is
particularly geared towards updating the knowledge base of
personnel towards producing thoroughly skilled and professional
airmen in fulfilment of one of the key drivers of my Vision which
focuses on the ‘pursuit of purposeful training and human capacity
development”.

The CAS implored participants, as safety managers, to imbibe the
salient points that would emanate from this Seminar to improve
safety consciousness in their respective units.

“I expect the discussions at this Seminar to be open, frank and
incisive. We must use the medium to bring all safety concerns to
the fore and professionally deliberate on them in order to proffer
realistic and lasting solutions to our flight safety issues. The
resolutions at this Seminar are therefore expected to be
articulated towards making the NAF a safer, more effective and
efficient instrument of National Power,” he stated.