Ahead of the resumption of international flights by August 29, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said it has created nine new Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), Area Navigation 10 (RNAV10) regional routes across the nation’s airspace.
Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) as defined by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) specifies that aircraft required navigation performance (RNP) and area navigation (RNAV) systems in terms of accuracy, integrity, availability, continuity, and functionality to ensure more efficient use of airspace routes.
This helps pilots to plan their flights with much efficiency while saving costs as the solution ensures optimum utilisation of fuel.
Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu listed the newly created PBN routes to include UQ300- connecting Lagos to the Central African Republic; UY604-linking Abuja, Port Harcourt to Southern Africa; UQ181- connecting East and Central Africa to Europe through Nigerian airspace and UQ400-connecting southern Africa to North Africa through Nigeria to Europe.
Others as contained in the NAMA’s weekly bulletin are UQ324-from Addis Ababa to Niamey through Nigeria; UY333-from Tunisia/Algeria to Lagos; UY87-from East and Central Africa through Nigeria to Accra and Abidjan; UY57-from East and Central Africa through Nigeria coastal airspace to Cotonou, Lome, and Abidjan as well as UQ200-connecting Yaoundé to Lagos.
Daily Trust reports that the move by NAMA would assist in seamless flights operations for airlines as they resume operations next Saturday.