The management of the Roberts International Airport has completed fully the Calibration of its approach charts and NAVAIDS equipment.
The upgrade, which began on Monday, September 26, 2023, was conducted by the West African body (ASCENA) responsible for calibrations.
Two months ago, ASCENA concluded the Calibration of the Approach Charts of Rob Station.
At the end of the exercise, the airport management was certificated for being in full compliance.
The approach Charts show clearly the paths of the airport to in and out going flights.
In keeping with the International Civil Aviation Organization requirements, an audit must be done every five years to establish whether or not there is hindrance of human and nature activities to the airline/flights.
In 2021, The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audited the airport and raised two Significant Safety Concerns (SSC): The suspension of the usage of all NAVAIDS and the suspension of all Approach Charts.
This meant that Liberia breached serious safety guidelines, in accordance with ICAO safety standards, putting Liberia in a Red Zone.
Every aircraft coming to Liberia was doing so at its own risk. When this information was broadcasted around the world by ICAO, the Government of Liberia, through the airport Authority, immediately took action by repairing and calibrating all NAVAIDS and carried out all WGS 84 surveys, upon which the Approach Chart is created.
Speaking to the media, Liberia Airport Authority Acting Deputy Manager for Technical Services, Akoi Sowogie, says with the work being done, the airport will be pronounced a safe zone for flights coming to the country.
Sowogie asserted that no airport in the world operates with a dysfunctional navigational system.
LAA’s Acting Managing Director, Martin J. Hayes, thanked the government of Liberia, headed by President George Manneh Weah, for always supporting the airport’s initiative in the midst of constraints.
He noted that his administration will not be shy to engage the presidency in ensuring that the airport remains safe for all its users.
The airport management will communicate this week with its regulator (The Liberia Civil Aviation Authority) of the gains made.
The LCAA will communicate in days with ICAO, who will then qualify and communicate the status of the airport, to its over 190 members.
