Chuks OKOH
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has commenced this training year with the revalidation of the Aircraft Marshaller ahead of the year’s airport certification and safety audit.
The programme, held every year, is designed to refresh all aircraft marshallers and revalidate their knowledge and practices for guiding aircraft ground movement at the airports.
The training, which is enshrined as a requirement in NCAA-AC-ARD049 Guidance on Airside Safety Management, 17th July 2023, draws on various guidance and reference materials from the IATA Airport Handling Manual and ICAO/ACI guidelines Annexe 2, Annexe 14, and Annexe 19.
According to the Director, International Training, FCI International Central for Technical Development, Mr Fortune Idu, the goal is to provide comprehensive training that will produce well-informed, safety-conscious, and efficient aircraft marshallers.
In declaring the ionic airside training open for the South West regional airports, the General Manager of FAAN Training School Mrs. Toyin Akinlade remarked that the present administration of Mrs Olubumi Kuku has a mandate to take manpower capacity development to an unprecedented level, which has not been seen in airport management in Nigeria before and training school is delivering this mandate by the corporation and working with FCI international who is nationally know in the filed of the technical programmes to train and continue to improve Marsahller competence.
Mr Nanatim Rindap, the general manager of Airfield operations, who is in charge of implementing FAAN airfield programmes and responsible for Marshaller welfare, was full of praise for the Management of FAAN for this continuous development and redevelopment of the critical staff.
He highlighted that Marshaller duty in a very dynamic airfield operations cannot be overemphasised, understanding and practicing the right signals, appreciating the airside environment, and adapting to changing Hazard and Risk situations require training to maintain an acceptable level of operational competence.
FAAN is determined to have all technical staff trained, and the new staff being absorbed into the Marshalling unit will receive station-based induction and basic Marshaller training.
The uniqueness of the specialized training is that it addresses aircraft signals and the full work practice for safe marshalling operations.
