KCAA clarifies new Wilson Airport flight procedures

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has clarified that new flight procedures introduced at Wilson Airport were issued to facilitate the reopening of Runway 07/25, and were not prompted by two aircraft incidents reported earlier this year.

The regulator stated that Aeronautical Information Supplement 31/2026, issued on July 28, contains procedures designed to enhance the safety of aircraft operating to and from Wilson Airport. This followed the reopening of the runway after it had been closed for more than six months for maintenance and rehabilitation works.

Minimum flying heights contained in the supplement comply with criteria established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The authority noted that such reviews are routinely conducted when airport infrastructure, operational requirements, or runway configurations change.

KCAA issued the response following a July 29 report on the new flight guidelines. It confirmed the supplement was not published in response to a March 20 Safarilink incident, nor a May 22 crash-landing involving a Dornier 228 operated by the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS).

Technical investigations into those separate occurrences remain ongoing. No findings from those investigations formed the basis of the newly published flight procedures.

The authority also refuted claims that the supplement contained information indicating new buildings near Wilson Airport were disrupting wind patterns.

Decisions regarding the location or potential relocation of an aerodrome do not fall under the mandate of KCAA. The regulator is tasked with providing air navigation services and overseeing aviation safety across Kenya.

Part of that mandate includes publishing procedures that pilots must follow during takeoff and landing. All published flight paths must strictly comply with Kenyan aviation regulations and ICAO standards for visual and instrument flight construction.

Infrastructure maintenance at regional hubs remains critical for operational safety. Runway 07/25 serves as a core facility for general aviation flights operating out of Nairobi.

Routine reviews of airspace procedures ensure that aircraft maintain safe separation from ground obstacles and surrounding terrain during approach and departure maneuvers.

KCAA stated it will continue updating flight documentation as operational needs evolve to preserve safety standards across all public aerodromes nationwide.