By B.S. Ahmed

Very few technical developments could be more pleasant to a professional than having new equipment or acquiring new skills and procedures all tailored towards enhancing his professional competence and discharging his duties with relative ease. It is particularly so for all air traffic controllers in and out of headsets. The "re-birth" of radar control services in Lagos airspace that was "terminated" about five years back and the expected "birth" of area control services in the Lagos sub FIR of the Kano FIR could hardly be more instructive to the above claims.

That the "squawk ident", "turn right heading of 270" or "this vector will take you across the extended centerline of the runway 19R" of the radar control services had eased operations is stating the obvious, and by the time area control services is "born" a controller might have time to sip a cup of coffee that is now available for him makes eagerness a misnomer for the feelings of an average controller who had never seen how an Area Control Center (ACC) operates. When it becomes fully operational, a controller sitting atop the Lagos ACC has more power than the governors of Lagos, Ogun and Rivers States combined because his influence in the air extends from about twelve nautical miles short of Cotonou to the west to farther than the Bakassi in the east and New Bussa in the North. Assisted by good communication network in the discharge of his tasks, the controller could hardly be happier and more comfortable.

The resuscitation and resumption of the Lagos radar control service might as well be the eighth wonder of the world as nobody except the visionary team of management staff of the NAMA ATS Directorate gave the project any chance. The cynics were justified as the project had defied, in the past, all dosage of technical pills prescribed and administered. The present success story is a result of vision that precedes planning; planning that is matched by determination; and determination that resides in dedication.

The area control service project may have sailed through by the same factors; it seems to have been kick-started by the twin considerations of national pride and operational expediency. The "giant of Africa" found itself in a slumber while "minions" were routing air traffic along airways, control areas or portion(s) thereof established in the form of a corridor. It was the opinion in some quarters that radar control service is a luxury while area control is a necessity. That opinion seems to fuel the operational expediency of Area Control Service not only in the Lagos sub FIR, but also in the Kano FIR as a whole.

Against the backdrop of that informed opinion, what obtains now is a statement that Nigeria airspace can afford the luxury of radar control service and is about to provide the operationally necessary area control service in the Kano FIR south of BDA. The service is already patented north of that point. Viewed globally, one may not need to dig deep or dig at all to see that the two developments in the air traffic control environment i.e. re-introduction of radar services and introduction of area control services, throw a lot of challenges and prospects to the fore. These however, cannot be appreciated without an exposition on the operations of both.

OPERATIONS

By this subheading is intended a panoramic views of the operations of Radar Control Services in Lagos as it is presently and preparations - human, materials and technical - made for the take-off of the Lagos ACC. It would by no means be exhaustive, but it hopefully would not be anaemic or slender.

1. RADAR CONTROL SERVICES

The provision of this service is hinged on the five radarscopes in Lagos even if for now positive control is being provided from two, a third scope serves as supervisor's scope and the fourth and fifth serve technical monitoring purposes. Radar is 'a radio detection device which provides information on range, azimuth and/or elevation of objects' while radar control is the 'term used to indicate that radar-derived information is employed directly in the provision of air traffic control services'. This service is being provided now by experienced, well-trained senior controllers the junior most being the rank of a Chief Air Traffic Controller (CATCO), there are Assistant General Managers (AGMs) on the team.

This only shows the seriousness of the project and controllers are taking it seriously.

Even if the service is still terminal approach in posture, all the technical and operational details necessary to facilitate the provision of radar services with particular regards to radar maps were laid and defined well beyond the point that they may be needed. To that end the Lagos radarscopes display control zones, terminal control area, upper terminal control area, reporting points farther than TENTU in the north and well into LM in the west aside of displaying farther into the Atlantic than LIREX and ERAVA. Danger, restricted and prohibited areas were demarcated and efforts constantly made to vector aircraft off them. From cursory observations, departing aircraft are quickly "denied" the luxury of radar services. This occur when the controller had separated such aircraft from other departing or arriving aircraft and formally signing off such aircraft by 'radar services terminated' in strict compliance with operational necessity of having to transfer such aircraft to Lagos Terminal Control Service Unit. Not so for the "low fliers", they enjoy the services up to at least 65NM. However, operational and safety requirements provides that Lagos Terminal Control hands-over control of arriving aircraft to Lagos radar not later than 65NM. All aircraft within controlled airspace enjoy radar control services and radar flight information service.

For safety and bearing all other contingencies, the horizontal radar separation minima has been 10NM for Lagos, but lower minima of 8NM have been known to be applied when operational considerations permit and minima up to 15NM have been applied for safety. This separation had not only been applied between identified aircraft when reasonable assurance exists that such identification will be maintained, the peculiar Nigerian situation burdens the radar service with the application of the minima to known but unidentifiable aircraft.

A thorny issue in the provision of radar services in the Lagos airspace recently became academic and it was resolved academically for practical purposes. It has always been the feelings among some airmen that rather than expedite traffic movement, particularly departures, radar control only serves to slow it down. None however, contested its safety advantages. The culprit fingered for this supposed "delays" is the procedure that a preceding departing aircraft must be identified before a succeeding departing aircraft would be released by radar for departure. That sounds reasonable and safe, what makes an issue of the procedure is the idea of sticking to a single mode of identification, which instructs the aircraft to ’squawk ident’. More than five methods of identification were provided and varying their applications with circumstance would go a long way to alleviating the perceived present spates of delay. The method of observing and correlating the radar blip of a departing aircraft to a known airborne time, the identification done within 1 mile of the end of the runway may be more appropriate for Lagos if skillfully employed.

One aspect of radar operations that would not stop fascinating younger controllers is position information and the magisterial manners in which the controllers passed them. It makes the radar controller sounds like a demigod to a procedural controller. What the latter asks to effect-separation, the former tells to assure that separation is effected. Aircraft are informed of their positions:

1.   On first identification

2.   On pilots' request, which seldom occur in Lagos.

3.   When the aircraft is flying off correct track. Such is the case when aircraft are informed "this heading would take you across the extended centerline of the runway".

4.   When significant difference exists between an aircraft estimate and radar controller's estimate based on radar observation. This often occurs as a result of erroneously computed estimates or one fraudulently computed to gain undue traffic advantage with the procedural approach controller.

5.   When pilot is instructed to resume normal navigation after radar vectoring e.g. "RNN position is two five miles NW of the field radar services terminated squawk alpha 2000 continue with Lagos terminal".

All forms of passing such position information have been observed to be used by Lagos radar controllers except the use of absolute global positioning i.e. longitude and latitude. This may be for reason of not being detailed in the LATCI or the controllers are not assisted to employ that method of position information on radar control service. Well known geographical position like the field is often used. A combination of bearing and distance from such known position is equally often employed e.g. "position is ten miles NNE of the field". Magnetic track and distance to a navigational aid or an approach aid is another method often used to convey aircraft position e.g. "position is two seven miles NNW of LAG". The most interesting is conveying position to touchdown especially when aircraft is on final approach as landing is the ultimate e.g. "position is ten track miles to touchdown".

In vectoring aircraft, radar controllers ensure strict compliance with all procedures applicable to any particular situation including those associated with terminating vectoring aircraft to resuming its own navigation. The two parallel instrument runways in Lagos are not sufficiently separated and radar procedures do not permit dependent or even independent parallel approaches and departures i.e. simultaneous approaches to, or departures from parallel or near parallel instrument runways where radar separation minima between aircraft on adjacent extended centerlines are prescribed or not prescribed as the case may be.

Laid down procedures to be followed in the event of adverse weather conditions, or clutter on the radar display necessitating termination of radar control services or outright failure of radar equipment, are being followed strictly for safety. An approach controller is I always on standby to serve as backup to radar j controllers. It may look like a waste of human resources to a casual observer or an untrained eye visiting the Lagos radar room, but as far as air traffic control is concerned you can only be very careful, you never can be too careful.

i) AREA CONTROL SERVICE

The Kano/Lagos area control service project is mammoth in scale and detailed in coverage. One cannot discuss them in isolation as both are interrelated, as they are co-located. But for this purpose, one would want to analyze Lagos and later seek a synthesis with Kano if space permits. Like in the radar project, no amount has been spared so far in the preparation of human resources for the Lagos area control services. This is perhaps a realization that no such fantastic service comes cheap.

A refresher course facilitated by ATS Directorate for foreign-trained Area Controllers took place in Zaria, May/ June 2001. This was to be the launch pad of the Kano ACC and subsequently, the Lagos ACC. It was the forum at which the first sets of Area-rated Air Traffic Controllers were re-prepared for rating. The honourable Minister of Aviation "rated" the first Area Controller by statute who subsequently conducted written, oral and practical tests to rate others. As at now, not less than three sets of trainees have concluded courses in Area Control in NCAT, Zaria. Planning for more training is on and more Controllers would be trained.

Material preparations for the take-off of the Lagos ACC project are on ground and being tested. 'The ATC system at the ATCC is basically procedural; the working equipment being flight progress boards and strips" aside of good VHP radio. The work of an ATCC may be divided into sectors of responsibility which work in close liaison". A serviceable flight progress board is installed in Lagos for this purpose on which a basic sectorisation of the controlled airspace into west and east had been done and on which vertical sectorisation of the controlled airspace is practiced. The specially evolved flight progress strips for the purpose are being provided and their use taught even to non-Area controllers to assist the Area Controllers when the center becomes fully operational. A long-ranged VHP radio had since been installed and tested and readability above three had been reported beyond 280NM in all directions except perhaps the west. All these are preparatory, among others, to relevant flight plan and control information being exchanged between control positions within the same ATC unit with regards to:

1. All aircraft for which responsibility for control will be transferred from one control position to another.

2.   Aircraft operating in such close proximity to the boundary between control sectors that control of traffic within an adjacent sector may be affected.

3.  All aircraft for which responsibility for control has been delegated by a procedural controller to a radar controller as well as other aircraft affected. In furtherance of the facilitation of easy exchange of such information, modality for provision of functional and modern Intercom is being worked out at the NAMA HQ.

Technical preparations made for the take-off of the Lagos ACC are multidimensional. Arguably the least visible yet most important for the purpose is the establishment of air routes and area airways. Others include installation of serviceable VOR along the airways for navigation and approaches. Allocation of radio frequencies to appropriate ATC units and provision of corresponding radio equipment also feature prominently.

SIZE OF THE LAGOS ACC

The hub of the boundary of the Kano ACC and Lagos ACC is the BDA VOR (0903N, 0606E). The boundary seeks a NW extension from that reference point up to a point DINSA (104112N, 040654E) and slightly beyond it to breast the Nigerian-Beninoise border. It also extends southeastwards to Makurdi from BDA and thereafter cuts southwards to IKROP (054642N, 085230E). From the lines drawn to join these points, all body of airspace north of it had been the responsibility of Kano ACC while south of it Lagos would hold sway.

ROUTES AND ROUTING

To facilitate free flow of air traffic and smooth provision of Area control service, airways along designated routes have been demarcated and reporting points property marked and named. In the Lagos sub FIR of the Kano FIR, the longest route along which airway had been established is UR/R984 running east-west of the LAG and spanning about 377NM. Another route of identical attributes is the A/UA609 running some 373NM. However west of both routes Regional Air Navigation Agreement would not permit Lagos to clear aircraft above the upper limits of R984 and A609, in fact the agreed level is FL200. The shortest route along which airways had been established within the Lagos airspace is the UR/R981 running a distance of 143NM. Southern African bound traffic from and across Lagos has the choice of UG/G856 (295NM) or UA/A603 (154NM), the former terminating at ERAVA (031030N, 0647E) and the latter, LIREX (042612N, 043300E). The busiest north - south route from Lagos, UR/R778 is about 216NM from Lagos to BDA while another north - south route, UB/B731 is 247NM along which Lagos would handover control of traffic to Kano at DINSA. Western Europe bound traffic can choose between that route and UR/R981 which terminates in the Lagos sub FIR at TENTU (0904N, 0256E). A route established for Abuja-bound traffic from Port Harcourt and Enugu is UV/V15 (254NM) terminating at DELEK (082706N, 071336E).

When Area control service becomes fully operational in Lagos, DINSA and DELEK are likely to play important roles as BDA has been playing in effecting separation. They are points at which estimates of crossing traffic could be checked to ensure separation. Other points on which Kano and Lagos need to constantly exchange information are IKROP and OBUDU on the one hand and IKROP and RALIN on the other hand. This is due mainly to conflicts that may arise if the two centers fail to exchange information.

CHALLENGES

The most formidable challenge that the twin developments of radar and area control services in the Lagos airspace pose to management, staff and end-users alike is that of discipline. Discipline is one of the ingredients that power human endeavour on the path of peace and order. Air Traffic Control combines economic prosperity with orderliness therefore has no accommodation for indiscipline. Instilling discipline is distinct from intimidation and it is not equal to witch-hunting. Discipline begets respect while intimidation only breeds fear. Some of the best thought-out plans have been known to fail not due to flaws inherent in them, but due to indiscipline. There are certainly some of the best plans on ground for the continued provision of radar control services in Lagos and for the take-off of the Lagos ACC. Indiscipline is an unaffordable ingredient in the plan. There are rules and procedures on ground that all stakeholders are to observe strictly, because it is in their strict adherence that the continued corporate existence of our organisation and our profession can be assured.

Constant training and re-training is another big challenge the radar and area control projects in Lagos posed especially to management. Training is one sure way man ensures continuity in his endeavour. Otherwise an idea or practice dies with its originator. Training makes the difference between some novice and Air Traffic Controllers. Training meant knowing where to look and what to do when you see some thing there. Training ultimately meant pride, because with training comes confidence, the sure knowledge that one is among the best and needs not fear any eventuality. In fact, it was reliance on training that prompted some of us to beat our chest to assert that some of the best- informed professionals of tomorrow are those who are today practicing Air Traffic Control. Training is not a once-in-awhile thing, it is continuous and does not occur, it is planned. Indeed it has always occupied a front seat position in all organizations that it is now the contention in some circles that the quality of any professional organisation cannot be better than that of its training planners. The two services radar and area control in question are not projected to be seasonal, but constant and continuous. However, the age of personnel being used presently demands that urgent training needs are to be met. The quality of training provided is part of the challenge. We cannot afford to embrace mediocrity or outright inactivity because training or education is expensive. Lack of training is far more expensive.

Maintenance of available equipment and general inculcation of maintenance culture is another challenge of the new dispensation that seems to offer no option but to imbibe. The radar equipment can no longer be allowed to become unserviceable after it has provided the flight crew the luxury of near precision approaches. Routine maintenance checks on it and other radio equipment can no more be brushed aside for whatever reason. No reason is now bigger than that equipment and the challenge of their maintenance must constantly be met. We must make wise use of existing resources and evolve long-term initiative to put new systems and facilities in place. Calibration of that and other appropriate equipment is part of their overall maintenance and should as matter of standards be carried out as at when due. A calibration notice board may be mounted in all ATC formations nation-wide to indicate the last and next date of calibration of navigation equipment in that station as a mark of transparency and commitment to it.

Air transport has served as an engine for economic growth, a link between political zones, businesses and the people of Nigeria and indeed the world. It has enabled and continues to enable Nigerians to move farther and go faster and continue to make progress than it would otherwise have been without air transport. More businesses have sprung on the heel of the industry and today there might be more airlines in Nigeria than the whole of sub Saharan Africa put together. This had brought fierce competition to economic survival in an environment that could be chaotic. The Controller who incidentally is the umpire in this environment having revived an old way and devised a new way of policing the chaotic environment, cannot afford to be found wanting subsequently. Air Traffic Control is not about fairness, but safety. However, economic consideration has vectored fairness into the equation and the challenge posed by the consideration of all these factors in the discharge of air traffic control has to be tackled. Controllers' noses have to be above water level at all times. Air Traffic Control should be seen to help growth of airlines and remain unbiased partners in progress of the industry.

Nigeria's political economy is more complex today than it used to be, its involvement in international politics is more downright and its government's profile in the international community is soaring that it may attract external aggression. The September 11 attack on the US had shown that nothing is impossible. The need for total radar coverage of the Nigerian airspace to complement area control service would not only serve economic purpose if security implications are equally enormous and relevant.

PROSPECTS

One indisputable benefit of the resumed radar control and introduction of Area Control Service in Lagos and Kano FIR as a whole is increased revenue generation. With the present commercialization drive, nothing could be more pleasing than enhanced revenue to an organization. Most airmen defy distance in search of safety and its accompanying certainty. With "safety" provided over Kano FIR, it becomes a shortcut to European mega-carriers to central, eastern and southern Africa. This translates to less fuel consumption to airlines, more money to airlines and NAMA, job security to Nigerians and employment opportunities to both airlines and Nigerians.

The challenges this system face in the coming years like increased competition, federal budgetary constraints, growing demand for mobility, aging workforce and constant shifts in centers of commerce and politics, makes the prospect of establishment of a bona fide research unit concerned purely with ATC matters very bright. The unit may be saddled with the tasks of researching into the technical as well as economic aspects of ATC with a view to understanding current trends in the world order and fashioning policies here to meet or surpass such trends. Research breeds awareness and knowledge, while lack of it entrenches ignorance, whereas ignorance is no more an excuse for failure or backwardness. Research would assist in gaining insight into deployment of staff and recognition of current aptitude to test for in recruiting new hands for the job. The recurring incidents of delay and the "whys" of it could be subjected to research. Airspace design and re-design could also be a result of research findings rather than whims. In fact, research could assist us to evolve a paperless recording of ATC logs and particularly ADR16 and other forms that serve economic purposes and they could be made more modern and relevant for current use. The uses of a research and development unit could only be limited by our own imagination.

Properly worked, the present development on radar control and even area control could spur government to expedite the procurement of new radar facilities not only for Lagos but for the whole of Nigeria's airports with a view to sustaining the gains of the current dispensation. Economic growth and increasing travel requirements create needs that dwarf our present preparations. Therefore with successful conduct of the present projects, government may be encouraged to look for alternative sources of funding the project so that our services can remain competitive. The consequences of not staying competitive will be to lose business to foreign rivals i.e. adjacent FIR and reduce the standard of living in Nigeria.

So that the sun of the gains of these projects would not set, the prospect of training for controllers and ancillary personnel is quite high. With the aging population of radar Controllers, there might be the need to train more. Realizations that those trained have become rusty due to absence of equipment to practice with, throw up the need for more refresher courses. The same is applicable to Area Control, as more hands are needed on the deck for the success of the project.           

CONCLUSION

Without doubt the two most important aspects of air traffic control are training and equipment. The former enables it find its way while the latter helps have its
way. Both are inseparable as their roles are complementary. The best Air Traffic Controllers without equipment would be like peacock, beautiful on ground; but cannot fly and best equipment is ordinary junk without well-trained controllers to use it. However, for
both of them to stand the test of time, they need not; only be recent, they have to be current.

In order that their recency and currency be assured and maintained, ATS Directorate has to be the train driver and the management of the various units be the teacher. Very little difference actually exists between them in relation to the sustenance of the lofty ideas behind the radar resuscitation and introduction of area control service project in Lagos - the former minds the train while the latter trains the mind.