By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Air Force Institute of Safety (NAFIS) NAF Base Ipetu Ijesa Osun State on Friday 1 December 2023 graduated 14 Officers in the just concluded Pilot Basic Safety Course (PBSC) 2/2023.
This is the second set of officers to be trained in Pilot Basic Safety Course in the year 2023.
The ceremony, which took place at the Institute’s Auditorium at NAF Base, Ipetu Ijesa in Osun State, witnessed the graduation of 14 Officers.
The Special Guest of Honour at the occasion was The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar CFR who was ably represented by Air Cdre AO Bamidele, the commander 301 Heavy Airlift Group, Ikeja. The occasion was also graced by the Chairman Oriade Local Government, Provost, College of Education Osun State University and other invited guests.
The NAF has recently renewed emphasis on safety training because the CAS has placed special attention on safety to improve operational efficiency and to prevent accident.
The Guest of honour charged the graduands to remain confident, undaunted and assertive while demonstrating tacts in the discharge of their new roles as safety officers. He also urged them to share their new knowledge of safety with other personnel in their various units. He charged them to be ready at all times to add value to their units, the Service and the society to make the world free from accidents and incidents. .
The Commandant of the institute, Air Commodore Friday Bassey in his welcome address, stated that the course was intended to train officers with analytical minds to function as safety officers and be vanguards in the development of safety culture in their operational areas . According to him, the graduands must be safety consciousness in everyday endeavours. Safety Officer must be critical about our personnel, equipment, and environment.
During the three week-course, the graduands were exposed to seven modules comprising Fundamentals of Flight Safety, Hazardous Aerodynamic Factors, Aviation Psychology, Aviation Physiology, Safety Management Systems, Crew Resource Management and Human Factors. With the quality of knowledge imparted on the graduands, the Commandant said the Officers would be outstanding safety practitioners in the field.
The highlights of the event was the presentation of awards of excellence to participants who distinguished themselves during the Course. Flight Lieutenant JT Omobowale clinched the CAS Award for the overall best while Flight Lieutenant AH Abidoye took second position and Flying Officer OE Awoyemi won the 3rd position of the AOC and Commandant Awards respectively.
The vote of thanks was done by the course Senior Squadron Leader AM Murtala. He expressed gratitude to the CAS on behalf of the entire participants of Pilot Basic Safety Course 2/2023 for the opportunity granted them to be trained as pilot safety officers. He also appreciated the institute, resource persons and instructors for allowing them to tap from their wealth of knowledge. He promised that the knowledge gained during the course will be put to good use in the NAF and society.
