Presidential Movement Delay (3Hrs)

[5N-OSA]

Presidential movement keeps airline in the air for 3hours Written by Kenneth Ehigiator Saturday, 17 January 2009

Panic, anxiety trailed the aviation sector yesterday as Bellview’s Abuja-bound plane which took off at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, did not get to its destination until after almost three hours as a result of presidential movement. The confusion was heightened by the fact that three years ago, on October 22, 2005, an airliner of the same airline did not get to its Abuja destination at the estimated time of arrival, and was later found to have crashed at Lisa in Ogun State.
Saturday Vanguard gathered that the plane took off in Lagos at about noon and was expected to arrive Abuja latest 1:00pm, but couldn’t land until close to 3:00pm.
Presidential movement was said to have kept the plane in the air for upward of three hours, prompting panic and frustration among passengers.
The pilot, it was learnt, was forced to bring the aircraft down to avoid running out of fuel which had almost been exhausted.

It was learnt that because of the number of the length of time the aircraft spent in the air, some passengers aboard fainted and were later revived after the plane had touched down.
Families of some of the passengers on board the plane reportedly stormed the Lagos airport to ascertain the true state of affairs, having waited to hear from their loved ones on arrival in Abuja with no success.
A source told Saturday Vanguard some top officials in the sector ran confusingly to ascertain what had gone wrong with the airplane until they heard from air traffic controllers that it had been held up in the skies by VIP movement.
A similar situation had about three years ago forced the pilot of a Cessna Citation trainer plane to land on the expressway at Ewekoro, Ogun State, having been prevented from landing at the Lagos airport due to presidential movement.

The pilot was actually running out of fuel and reasoned that fuel he had left could not take the aircraft to Ibadan to land.

This present incident has again brought to the fore issues relating to VIP movement, especially as it violates known aviation laws which forbid such movements from impeding smooth aircraft movement in the airspace for safety reasons.

Besides national laws, regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) also forbid VIP movements from interfering with safe commercial airline operations.
It will be recalled how a Cessna citation trainer aircraft was forced to land in Ewekoro area of Ogun State over a year ago due to unnecessary delay based on presidential movement.
Although the spokesman of the airline, Mr. Habib Mohammed, could not be reached for confirmation, as calls pulled through his phone were unanswered, a source close to the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) confirmed the incident.


Vanguard Online Edition - Panic: Presidential movement keeps airline in the air for 3 hours (http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/26486/43/)

Who's Fault: Pilot,ATC,President:=

[surely not]

Hmmmm, was the closure for the Presidential movement NOTAM'd? On the off chance that it was then why did the flight leave Lagos if ABV was going to be closed when it arrived.

If the aircraft was carrying enough fuel to stay in the air for an additional 2 hours was this because the airline and crew already knew they would have to wait for ABV to re-open before they left LOS? Or does Bellview tanker large fuel loads around its routes?

Why didn't the flight deck announce to the passengers that they were going to be delayed ariving in ABV due to their beloved President taking precedence over his subjects? Very unproffessional if the crew didn't try to keep their passengers informed.

Why didn't the crew contact their Ops in LOS by Radio and advise them of the delay in arrival, so that the Belview ops could be aware of what was happening and also pass this information to any relatives waiting for news?

Why didn't the Bellview ground staff in ABV pre-advise their Ops in LOS of the planned closure? Did the flight operate to prevent passengers switching to other flights with rival airlines to Kaduna?

If the communication between ABV and LOS and Aircraft did happen why were people not being told that there was nothing to worry about etc etc

I hope none of the passengers who fainted because of the number of the length of time the aircraft spent in the air, some passengers aboard fainted and were later revived after the plane had touched down. travel to London or Paris as this would surely see them die!! Not good reporting.......................one hopes

[5N-OSA]

Very well asked Surely Not,
Was the Pilot Advised of the time delay?or was he promised landing every 15-30 mins that lasted for 3 hours?

Lots of questions to be asked and answered here..

I heard something like this happened during the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Abuja some years back.

[5N Pilot]

Nigerian press can blow stories out of proportion especially as they relate to aviation..
Perhaps someone flying at that time can help with more info but let's look at holding at 18l for about 15mins b4 departure plus flighttime to abv @50mins and and then hold due to vip movement (I am sure 002) for an hour or less.
But the way airfields are being closed due to departure or arrival of especially 002 is really irritating.I wonder why the jeeps that escort the a/c to runway do not get airborne.:confused:

[Carrier]

Naive questions from Surely Not! Obviously not familiar with reality in most of Africa. In most countries ANY statement that in any way might be seen as negative towards the president or his toadies could bring retribution. Expats might find their employment permits withdrawn or not renewed and locals will become unemployable or might even disappear. The captain was very wise not to mention the cause of the delay.

[surely not]

Dear Carrier I am in awe of your wordliness and words of acceptance :}

I think most Captains would/should have been able to come up with something over the PA to soothe the worries of their passengers, even if it was suitably wooly so as not to identify the real cause.

In another area of the world which I have also worked in, it was not unusual for two or three stands to be taken out for a VVIP movement, which was a tad bothersome as there weren't enough stands at peak hours in the first place!

[sleeper]

Standard African practice, I'm afraid.
Years ago we had a scheduled flight from europe to Abuja. Notam stated presidential movement around our arrival time, until further notice. We left with an additional two hrs of fuel and spended one and a half hrs holding on final 10 miles out. No movement at the airport whatsoever. And yes promisses that it would take another 30 minutes. Luckily for us the presidential party departed within our fuel window. Otherwise we would have diverted to Lagos.

ps,
None of our passengers fainted, they seemed to understand.

[flux]

This is not new. and is standard practice in Africa. You will be told 30 min whenever you ask. It has and always will be that way! Politicians are way above the little people (who occasiolally elect them) - If they have that luxuary. SA seems to be going the same way watching the caval cades!

[bond7]

"...some passengers aboard fainted and were later revived after the plane had touched down."

What was this? A voyage from mars or something?!?

Give me a break... I find it hard to belief, unless it was a medical reason, then I would understand. Or was it from exhaustion, fatigue or something in that nature? Please clarify?

[18left]

why did they not divert?

why would you want to hold endlessly?

[mattman]

:}BEEEEcouse they say the delay is 30min then it becomes 45min then becomes 1hour ect ect ect ect ect............

These things are sorta planned but then the cavalcade stops for some lunch then some shopping then to pick up the second cuzz nephew ect ect ect ect....

Theeese is Efrica!!!!!!!

[NIJASEA]

As a former Blue-tail jockey i find it difficult to believe they had enough fuel to hold for 3hours. If they did what were the crew thinking of when they must have realised they had held for over 1hour? Did they land with the required minimum fuel required by law or did they (as the papers say) run too low on fuel to divert. Was it only Bellview in the air to Abj at that time or did others divert?

[skygod]

Hi,
I have nothing to say to the crew, but i guess they were not aware of the term minimum reserve:ugh: There are reasons why these laws are put to place in aviation. When u disregard them, and use Captains Descretion, as in this case, u get into trouble.
Once u hit ur reserve fuel, its time to divert. Very simple, its not rocket science. Its all part of ur breifing into abuja.B3 crew have previously been put under sss investigation for landing in abuja, after they were told to go around on approach 22, during VIP movement, so it not a joke...Fly safe guys, and plan ur flight...

cheers
skygod:=

[RyanCpt]

Hi all. Just to shed some light on the situation.

This movement was know as it was the Presidents daughters wedding in Katsina, his home town. As im sure many of you know and have experienced, flying in Africa is unlike flying anywhere else in the world. They operate completely in their own way. This is standard practice in Africa. I was one of the many aircraft that were all holding trying to get into Katsina. The ATC had split us all into 3 different holds between 20 and 60 miles away from the VOR and as high as FL250.

It was clearly obvious that there was going to be a hectic delay from more than 200 miles out you could even get a word in edgeways with Kano control and then finally get hold of Katsina and get put in a hold at FL190.
The crew knew their fuel situation and thus most probably tried their best to get in and land.
Now, the reason for us all holding was not because they decided to close the airport due to presidential movement but because there was no more space on the ramp. It was completely full from airliners to corporate jets. Aircraft were diverting all the time including a B747 who was told in no uncertain terms that there was most defiantly no space for them.

Now, regarding knowing or estimating how much longer we would all have to sit in the hold….. your guess would have been as good as mine. Even when you thought you were no 6 to land and planned accordingly, they would sneak another aircraft in ahead of us all. The reason I don’t know because we all had VIP’s on board. Governors/Ministers etc.
After 2.5 hours of us holding and trying to get our VIP’s to the wedding, were finally no 1 to land. Yet we were still forced to divert to Abuja due to our minimum fuel requirements. The next problem was that they had run out of fuel at Katsina so we all had to budget in a timely departure out of there too into our FOB for the next leg.

With regard to BV not informing the pax- I fully agree with ‘Surely not’.
I don’t see any reason it would have been a problem. The wedding was public knowledge – its in all the newspapers. What’s there to hide?
Pax don’t need to hear much to feel relaxed, they just like to be kept in the picture. And fainting passengers??? From what? Really ?Where was this “Learnt”? Fact or Fiction?

And one more thing –

“A similar situation had about three years ago forced the pilot of a Cessna Citation trainer plane to land on the expressway at Ewekoro, OgunState, having been prevented from landing at the Lagos airport due to presidential movement.

The pilot was actually running out of fuel and reasoned that fuel he had left could not take the aircraft to Ibadan to land.”

- Ibadan is 52 miles away from LAG hold? (12 mins at 250 kts). What happened to minimum fuel reserves, early decision making or declaring an emergency?


I hope this answers a few of your question and adds a few pieces to the puzzle of mahem for that day. Until the next VIP movement. Fly safe.

[Pitch&Fan]

RyanCpt... Good, informative posting...

BUT,

This simply shouldn't happen, regardless of a VIP movement.

Minimum reserves = Divert
Below that = Mayday (Get told 30 minutes hold, and end up using some of the original Alternate reserves in a commitment to stay situation maybe... Remembering, of course, to advise ATC of this FPL change).

Bugger the VIPs, no matter where one is flying. Can't imagine that the subsequent dramatics on the ground after landing will be much fun though! But, that's really not the point.

Oh, and did I mention "Bugger the VIPs"... I think I'll go off and enjoy a VIP movement right away!

P&F

[Doodlebug2]

I think the presidential caterers should be taken to task for causing such constipation, ..uh, I mean consternation, among such a lofty dignitary's entourage. Such goings on could cause quite a stink!!:E

[whitedove2]

RyanCpt,
your write up was quite interesting, however you wrote that a B747 bound for Katsina had to divert. Wow ! I never knew that Katsina airport could accomodate a B747, even on a normal day, what with Nav aids, fire cover category. runway/taxiway capabilities etc. etc.
Well i suppose one learns new things everyday. :rolleyes:

[BALEWA]

NIJASEA, I agree and SKYGOD as a former blutail jockey, u know from experience them fellas could never have done any of that.

Lets move on to other things o jare!

hhmmmm now where,s that 777manual :E