Rwanda Meteorology Agency (RMA) has acquired a new radar system that will help detect weather hazards to help boost the safety of the aviation industry.

John Ntaganda Semafara, the acting director general of RMA, said the radar will be stationed at Maranyundo Hill in Bugesera District and will serve the Kigali international Airport and the envisioned Bugesera International Airport.

"It has the capacity to detect movement of dangerous clouds and other wind shears that can potentially cause accidents to aircraft,” he said.

The wind shear normally affects the movement of aircraft, especially during the take-off and landing.

The radar was purchased at a cost of Rwf1.3bn from Advanced Radar Corporation in USA and installation will be complete by the end of the year. He added that currently, they depend on satellite information which sometimes inaccurate.

Early warning

The new infrastructure is also expected to boost the new early warning system that is being implemented to prevent effects of climate change.

The early warning system is being developed by Rwanda Environment

Management Authority, in partnership with the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugee Affairs.  

It will help predict precipitation and climate-related disasters, like flooding, landslides and droughts, before they happen to allow ample preparation.

Kizito Bongayi, the head of air traffic management at Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority, said the new system will be able to detect the hazardous clouds from far away.

"It has capacity to penetrate clouds as far as Kinshasa,” he said.

He added that at Maranyundo Hill, the radar will be able to capture weather conditions effectively since it will be stationed in a proper line of sight. The planned Bugesera international Airport is expected to significantly increase in air traffic.

The $700 million international Airport will be constructed on a 25.6-square kilometre land and will have the capacity to handle three million passengers annually.

Kigali International Airport has recorded steady growth in international and domestic passenger numbers, from 263,264 in 2008, to current 600,000 annually.