NAMA test-runs technology to save airlines fuel costs

• Published date: 02 February 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) yesterday carried out a test- run the Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS), which would reduce flight time for aircraft and save huge costs on fuel burn.

The agency carried out the demonstration flight to improve the accuracy, integrity, and availability of the signal through augmentation of the satellite systems with its $8.5 million Beechcraft King Air 350i aircraft.

The SBAS are used to enhance the accuracy and precision of an existing GPS system.

GPS by itself isn't sufficiently accurate to do things like help land airplanes or other applications where there is a need for high accuracy combined with high consequences for failure. Simply put, it means using satellite systems for air navigation.

The airlines are also able to save costs through fuel burns as the system has the capability of reducing flight time on some routes within Nigeria by up to seven minutes.

The Managing Director of NAMA, Mr. Lawrence Mathew Pwajok said, 'When an airline tells you their fuel consumption, you will understand and you multiply that by five minutes you will know how much it is. We also have the calculation which we can make available to you for different airline categories in fuel savings, time savings, and CO2 emission savings which is very critical. Environmental sustainability is very key in this satellite navigation.'

'That is one of the driving forces when it reduces flight time, fuel consumption, and CO2 emission. We have the calculation of the CO2 emissions and when I calculated the number of flights that fly that route and the number of reductions in flight time and fuel consumption, they act to give a quantum per annum on the savings for that implementation. Multiple over the years, maybe 300 flights through that route, you can actually see an amazing reduction for an airline.'

Speaking on the SBAS, the NAMA boss explained that Nigeria implemented the Performance Based Navigation (PBN), a satellite system for navigation, adding that the system allows aircraft to use satellites system and aircraft equipped with a global performance system to navigate or fly.

'What we have implemented at the moment that we have done in 32 airports including military airports and private and state government and federal airports is what we call performance-based navigation. It provides you with large guidance. For you to improve...