Met services seeks standards certification

achieve ISO 9001: 2008 certification.
The certification has to be achieved before the November 15, 2012 deadline set by the World Meteorological Organisation.
Secretary for Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Development Mr Partson Mbiriri said that this requirement was in the interest of aviation safety that is now mandatory.
He added that with respect to human resources development, MSD has partnered with the University of Zimbabwe offering a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Meteorology.
This should go a long way in increasing the pool of degreed personnel in meteorology and reduce the cost of training outside Zimbabwe, said Mr Mbiriri.
“Met Services Department has already introduced cost recovery in respect of its products to the aviation industry,” he said.
To this end, a Met Services Fund has been established on the basis of 100 percent retention of proceeds therein of which the fund is already operational.
Mr Mbiriri said that a challenge remains in respect of users honouring their financial obligations promptly and the fund being managed prudently.
The Met Department noted that wind speed, wind direction, temperature, pressure, humidity and rainfall as well as the precise location of storms, heavy clouds, strong winds or draughts, cyclones or typhoons were critical to aviation safety.
Mr Mbiriri said that it was instructive to note that about 8 percent of aviation accidents occur during take-off or landing and these were evidently the most critical periods in any flights.
“It stands to reason that weather information availed to pilots and air traffic controllers during these critical manoeuvres should be absolutely accurate and reliable and this is a must,” he said.