Ekiti State government has said the state Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport is ready for commercial flights.
The technical adviser to the governor on the Airport Project, AVM Sunday Makinde (rtd) stated this following the commencement of the calibration of landing system at the airport by the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on Friday in readiness for commercial operations.
The calibration aircraft that conveyed the NAMA officials touched down on the runway of the airport on Friday afternoon.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had in December 2024 granted approval for non-scheduled flight operations at the airport for a period of six months.
Calibration in the air system industry is a process that allows safety of air navigation by conducting regular flight inspection, calibration of test equipment systems and surveillance of airspace systems.
It is also part of the final stages of ensuring that the facility meets global aviation standards for safe and efficient operations.
Briefing Journalists at the airport, AVM Makinde (rtd) who was on hand with other government officials to receive the NAMA team said, the landing of the calibrator aircraft as well as the calibration exercise by NAMA officials was a major step in the final approval for commercial operations at the airport.
The technical adviser further said that the exercise was to assess and fine-tune the navigational aids equipment installed at the airport which include instrument landing systems, communication radios and other essential equipment required for safe and efficient operations.
Expressing his delight at the progress of the airport, AVM Makinde added that the airport can accommodate any type of aircraft.
“What’s happening here today is actually a working flight operation; this plane is a calibration plane from NAMA. Basically, what they came for is just to ensure that our systems, especially our navigations, are able to pick any frequency of any aircraft coming to Ekiti and also check out communication systems. The Ekiti Agro Cargo International Airport is fully ready,” he stated.
The commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, explained that with a series of inspections by relevant regulatory aviation agencies, and certifications, the airport is ready for smooth take-off.
Olatunbosun, who described the development as a dream come true, said the airport would open new doors for investments, tourism and economic growth in the state as well as facilitate businesses, attract investors and make life easier for the people.
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