The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has officially opened up the Entebbe International Airport Safety Week under the theme “Safe Airports, Stronger Together,” to impart knowledge and share valuable safety experiences with stakeholders and the community.
A series of activities, including safety talks, presentations, themed messages, and safety drills, all aimed at promoting a culture of safety, have been lined up throughout the week, running from Monday, November 11, to Friday, November 15, 2024.
While at the opening ceremony, Fred K. Bamwesigye, the CAA’s director general, urged all stakeholders to actively participate in the activities, constructively challenge each other, and share best practices while cognizant of the fact that safety is a shared responsibility between the airport operators, airlines, and all service providers.
In addition, he highlighted that by the end of the week, aviation experts and stakeholders will renew their collective commitment to upholding the highest standards of safety in our industry.
“I am glad to note that Entebbe International Airport has enjoyed a good safety record over the years. The most recent International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit conducted on Uganda in September 2023 is a testament to that record, as the country scored an impressive 72.2%. Several such international safety audits have been conducted over the years, and Uganda has never registered as Significant Safety Concern (SSC),” the director general noted.
Bamwesigye also emphasized that safety at airports is always a top priority, impacting everyone – whether a passenger or an airport employee and over the years, UCAA has included safety made significant investments in infrastructure and equipment to ensure the safety of all workers and passengers.
“Entebbe International Airport Safety Week offers an excellent opportunity to reinforce the safety culture among airport employees, and I thank each of you for your invaluable contributions to safety,” he said.
The UCAA’s director general further remarked that the industry has made major strides in the adoption of innovative safety practices through the use of technology and streamlining of procedures. For instance, in the area of air navigation services, in addition to voice communication, they now use data communication, which is the exchange of digital information between aircraft and air traffic control or other aircraft which is deemed more reliable when communicating to aircraft in continental or oceanic areas, whereby the voice or radio communication is less reliable in such areas due to limited coverage and interference, among others.
The Authority has also transitioned from only using terrestrial navigation facilities to using satellite-based navigation in the Approach, Departure, and Route phases of flights. Traditional terrestrial technology is fully reliant on navigation facilities, like the Distant Measuring Equipment, among others, which is physically placed at various locations and airports. While the terrestrial facilities are also still available, with the new technology, emphasis is on the procedures being designed based on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). and most modern aircraft are compliant with this technology, which is already in use at Entebbe International Airport.
“The new air traffic control systems and procedures have also come With efficiency in landing and take-off. Aircraft can now fly smoothly to the preferred altitude without disruption by the Air Traffic Controller in a bid to separate them from other traffic, and the same applies when an aircraft is descending. This is not only efficient but has reduced the workload for the pilot and Air Traffic Controller as well as reduced noise, and carbon emissions and makes the flight more comfortable for the passenger,” Bamwesigye highlighted.
In addition, as a result of automation, the director general said that there is a centralized monitoring system at Entebbe International Airport that facilitates maintenance, whereby if one of the connected systems at any of the aerodromes, such as Soroti, Gulu, or Arua fails, the maintenance team can see it in Entebbe using the centralized monitoring system, hence enhanced coordination with all the teams.
He also explained that information communicated by an in-coming aircraft to air traffic control can be easily disseminated through the Terminal Operations Control Centre (TOCC) in an instant to all concerned stakeholders, including Immigration, Airport Operations, Briefing, Security, and all that need to know once the controller enters the information in the system which are all aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency.
Fabrice Rulinda, the Mayor Entebbe municipal council committed to supporting initiatives that promote safety at the airport to ensure the protection of lives both in the air and on the ground, and minimizing the environmental impact on local communities, hazard identification, safety reporting, emergency response, and safe operational practices, among others all of which are essential for promoting safety.
“Entebbe municipal council is committed to partnering with, and supporting UCAA in these efforts to ensure the conducive environment that has made it possible for our experts and stakeholders like the Airport to convene in Entebbe,” he said.
The various Safety Week activities hope to identify key elements of safety culture that need to be enhanced, discuss regional case studies, and provide a platform for sharing and exchanging lessons learned in overcoming challenges to implementing, maintaining, and fostering a strong safety culture.
UCAA’s management team is confident that all participants will gain valuable insights from each other, as well as from the presentations and discussions that must help them foster a culture that prioritizes safety since one of the best practices in safety culture is proactively reporting near misses and incidents, allowing them to identify areas for improvement and prevent future occurrences.
Stakeholders were, therefore, encouraged to draw lessons from this engagement so that on return to their respective workplaces, they would be in a position to contribute to the continuous improvement of fostering a healthy Safety Culture.
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