Be advised, RUNWAY SURFACE IS WET ;19L

[enijose1]

I really don't understand what these controllers mean when they say "be advised, runway surface is wet". its either they are giving the press and other non-pilot aviation minister and management wrong info, that it means you should not land. I learnt the press is claiming Assocciated A irline was advised not to land, but did other wise, made a bad landing then cracked his nose wheel, but as we know, the nose wheel had a problem after landing. They ve said the same thing when Chanchangi overran the runway. Pls does anyone else have a different meaning to the term " cleared to land, exercise caution,(be advise, )runway surface is wet". I am really losing my patience with them, especially all this their merry go-round vectors in the name of inbound international flights.
Did anyone realise that ATC Radar does not work on weekends? is the true the controller claimed he lost Radar contact with Bellview 3 minutes after take off?

I read something today about an F50 captain flying into Amsterdam and was coplaining about the vector Radar gave him.
Capt F50: wow, where am i going, i ve never seen this part of Holland before.
ATC Radar: well if you don\'t shut up, you will be seeing part of Germany!
(for real). I have actually seen Ibadan on my way to Lagos from PortHarcourt and believe me, it was not due to weather. (Ray Darr!)

[Engine Noise]

What is difficult to understand is why they keep on blaming pilots for landing without atc clearance!! For example, after the associated airline incidence, the avaition ministry immediately blamed the pilot for landing without permission.

I want to understand how it is like for pilots to be landing without permission as being claimed by the avaition authorities?Is it possible??i dont think so.And at such instances, why do the Nigerian Pilots always keep quiet and allow the press and the avaition officilas give them bad names.It is quite sad that as soon as an incidence occurs, the avition minister and regulatory authorities quickly blame the pilot and airline without conducting any thorough investigation.Is silence the best answer to.. at these particular instances? Definitely not!

Look at the case of bellview 's ELT. NEMA has been publishing statements that the airlines in nigeria are using the 12...MHZ which is now out of use and that they have since asked airlines to upgrade thieir own to which they have refused to comply with.But from my own knowledge, the transmitters are still usable till sometime between 2008-2009. I m not sure of the year that FAR AIM 2006 stated but it is between now and 2008 or 2009. So why is NEMA making so much noise when even the USA have not phased out the 121.MHZ ELT. I think they are trying to save face! And sadly, no pilot or airline has come out to give a strong refuttal and put the facts straight.

However, does the message "be advised runway surface is wet" means that u should not land?

Things are really funny and saddening in our dear country.I have been training at a small town called sebastian, in florida and i am always amazed that the the airport,has four active runways.But back home, our major international airport has only one or two active runways that are always wet!!Of course i am not trying to make comparisons with US and Nigeria in generic terms, but i believe when it comes to aviation, the standards should match.

[Rani]

Wet runways

I am not a pilot, but I know this much. There is no way that "Be advised the runway is wet" instruction by ATC can be interpreted as "Don't land". I've witnessed a few wet landings in the cockpit before and usually that statement means "Take precautionary measures + expect less friction" which simply means in plain english "Be careful". Expecting ATC in Lagos to bring air traffic to a standstill due to a wet runway is just hilarious.

Since the tropical weather is a given at LOS, FAAN should admit its own shortcomings in terms of providing a SAFE wet runway environment - that is a wet runway with correct draining and pot-hole free.

Having said the above, I cannot but feel sympathy for the pilots + operators who are constantly identified as the culprits in all of this, when it is the agencies which should be made accountable.

Why did the nose gear collapse anyways?

[SortieIII]

Runway 18R

In December 2004 runway 18R was notamed as being closed for 3 months due to resurfacing. It is almost December 2005, and to the best of my knowledge, 18R remains closed.

Can anyone with local knowledge explain why?

OK, post edited to reflect correct runway designation....I would still like to know why this runway remains closed. 18L is in a terrible state of repair (like the rest of the airport ), and is fairly short for a heavy jet under adverse conditions. Couple this with abysmal and disinterested ATC, and it does not surprise me that accidents continue to happen at this field. Even more surprising is the acceptance thereof, especially by local operators who one assumes have some influence?

[chuks]

It is 18R now, since the magnetic bearing is 183°. Last I heard was they were putting the lighting in. Why it would take so long, according to my local knowledge, would be that the contractor hasn't been paid! That is just an educated guess, of course.

I think you'll find, in a lot of cases, it is very much that 'one should never argue with a fool' when some stupid article is printed.

Remember the ADC crash, when some local preacher was quoted as having seen the ill-fated 727 'hovering' around Murtala Muhammed Airport for a while? Who knows where they get the stuff they print.

The local Nigerian press is often a bit of a joke anyway, when you can read stuff such as, 'The victim is recovering from his mortal wounds in hospital.' And, as here, there was just a big, smoking hole to be seen, with survivors reported. By whom?

Jerry Agbeyegbe was the last guy to make trenchant and often well-informed criticisms of what was going on in Nigerian commercial aviation and look what happened to him!

When you have all these ratty little two-airplane 'airlines' without even proper maintenance facilities, kept up with invisible strings, hold up your hands everyone who thinks the regulators are serious. Anyone?

Even Virgin Nigeria, after much big-big grammar, is offering joke wages to local pilots. $2 500 US equivalent per month is what several guys have told me. So what is that about? Perhaps some little scam to keep on sub-contracting ex-pats for handsome fees? They sure aren't going to attract many quality guys on those terms, are they?

The sad thing is what all of this does to the image of Nigeria, when everyone is tarred with the same brush. Come to that, I heard from a friend who passed along my details that the guy just laughed when he heard I was looking for another job after more than 20 years in Lagos. Jeez! And I was expecting an offer by return of post!

[enijose1]

i understand pilots need to make a statement, but how, is our word against theirs, except of course you expose your CVR and all other conversations(uhn!) in the cockpit. well thats by the way.
maybe VN is paying peanuts, but some pilots are not even earning groundnuts, so they would not mind, most people are also hoping VN would be stable , its good for retirement, and pls bro, which airline gives you six free ticket- holiday trips yearly for you and your family to the UK and maybe other destinations for a chicken change, and with time, things should get better. Does that fee include Allowances by the way?
I don't know why their nose wheel collasped, but you know, one of those technical problems.
Wow, so 18R has been closed for that long?

Question: Pls does it happen in other countries where the runway is closed 15 minutes before and after VIP movement,? just curious.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Purple Airspace

enijose,

To answer your question as best I can, yes it does happen that airports (and airspace) close before and after VIP movements in other countries.

The difference is that these movements are NOTAMed so all operators are aware beforehand and plan accordingly.

When you are halfway back from offshore and call to enter a CTZ only to be told the airspace is closed due VIP movement it can cause some real fuel planning problems, especially given the lack of ATK in many diversion airports (which are used as last resort emergency/weather shelters).

About three years ago I submitted a NAMA service discrepancy report when this happened to me, causing me to divert to a field where (luckily) they had fuel but on a cash only basis. The reply I eventually got was that VIP movements are not disclosed for security reasons. Given the events in the Middle East and elsewhere of late, this seems a bit bit ridiculous. IMHO someone like Tony Blair would present a much more attractive target than, say Atiku Abubakar. But Tony's movements, along with the Queen etc, are NOTAMed.

Maybe there is a bit of "face" involved, to make these VIPs feel just that bit more important ?

Cheers,

NEO

[enijose1]

NEO,
Thanks. I was just curious. there was an incident last week when the RW 18L had to be closed for maintenance. All Airports was advised not to allow departures out of their station until when cleared to do so, it was nice waiting on ground PHC compared to flying all the way to LAG, holding upto your point of 'pls go elsewhere', then diverting to Ibadan and they telling you that you can only pay cash for fuel. my company does not give cash-in-hand and i definitely don't carry around that kind of money. I feel sorry for the helicopters and these international flights when this happens, i mean closure of airfields without notice, it can mess up one's day. some people end up flying on reserves. I remember Chanchangi declaring an emergency in Abuja last year because their was power cut out , so we had to hold for them to put on their generator to light up the runway, we diverted after holding for 45minutes.

Another Question: Anyone has a good suggestion for a school where you can do a degree program, related to aviation?This has to be distant learning though. This degree thing , is it of any use anyway.A friend of mine, who is female ,is really unto this degree thing and i am just feeling ashamed of myself that if a female wants to get a degree, why can't I. I am not too old to read, i guess, but thats only if its useful.

[chuks]

So, how are you coping with puberty?

Check out London Metropolitan University, Centre for Civil Aviation, 100 Minories, London EC3N 1JY for distance learning leading to a JAR ATPL. Or The Open University, Milton Keynes, if you want to study Underwater Basket-weaving, say. I did the A102 Arts Foundation Course with them and enjoyed it very much.

I signed up for the LMU ATPL residential course, starting in less than ten days. This should be a real shock to the system, sat there with a group of children, basically, and trying to keep up with learning stuff that I have either long forgotten or never bothered to learn in the first place.

The distance-learning ATPL costs about 2 000 pounds, plus the costs of travelling to and from London for the crammers and tests. The residential course costs about 2 500 quid plus the cost of cheap digs in London (about 410 pounds/month times about seven months), food and drink and local transport. These are very competitive prices, I think.

You need a medical from the CAA at Gatwick that will cost about 275 quid, including an extra eye exam first from a civilian optometrist. You have to pay 250 quid when booking this, and it can only be done at the CAA premises at Aviation House, next to the 'Beehive.'

Lots of guys I know from Lagos have got JAR licenses and jobs with various UK-based airlines, so that this is worth thinking about if the local scene is not offering much. And there are other jobs on offer world-wide with a JAR license, of course.

[oneeyed]

But Tony's movements, along with the Queen etc, are NOTAMed.

Is that perhaps because they fly BA and not Presidential Fleet ??

[enijose1]

not too well, thanks for asking. Is there something i should know

wow! it sounds like a whole lot, but since its worth a job outside town, i'll check it out. Thank you.

I think OBJ prefers the surprise visits for now.

[The Claw]

Is that perhaps because they fly BA and not Presidential Fleet ??

They don't always use BA?? Whatever aircraft they use, Queens flight etc. it is NOTAMed.