Air traffic surveillance and monitoring capability to be boosted

 

[www.inewsguyana.com] – The local aviation sector is now in a better position to manage its airspace and the safety of air traffic as Minister, with the responsibility for the transport sector, Robeson Benn along with officials from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) yesterday launched the Automatic Dependence Surveillance Broadcast Project.

The project is part of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) global plan for the seamless transition of flights through the world’s airspace.

Minister Robeson Benn said the project is indeed a significant achievement for the transport sector more so the aviation sector as the demands have been growing over the years.    

“It may have not been particularly noted that our choice for this project over radar represents a saving of US $20 million. This project afforded us and that window of opportunity as it went along with the ICAO standards in relation to flight monitoring and surveillance.”

The Minister pointed out that this project now provides a more advanced means of air surveillance and air safety.

Currently the aviation sector manages the air space while depending mainly on procedural activities, and heavily on the engagement training of air traffic controllers on radio sets.

Against this backdrop, Minister Benn said this new monitoring system represents a great leap forward to a new level on how the aviation sector manages its air space and traffic.

Meanwhile, GCAA’s Chairman Zulfikar Mohamed, who gave an overview of the system and its operation, noted that the project was in the making since 2008 as the sector was working towards further enhancing its capabilities.

“Since we were formed it was always our intention to modernise the air navigation services and it would be in requirements of having up-to-date, state -of -the -art equipment to replace those that we have that are pretty much dated, and then again to keep abreast of technology and further to develop our capacity and capability in providing air traffic and air navigation service to the local and international operation.”

Mohamed noted that the demand for improved capability grew as over the years, and more so over the last decade, air traffic in Guyana has more than doubled.

While all the components for the maximum utilisation of this project are not in place, already several critical pieces of equipment have been sourced.

“In 2008 we replaced several equipment that we had, we later acquired navigation equipment, landing equipment, to continue it, we are introducing the surveillance equipment.”

Mohamed also pointed out that with the introduction of this system Guyana is now on par with Australia, United States, Europe, Brazil, Suriname, Trinidad and Peru.

The system will be fully operational within another three years, as emphasis will be placed on training of persons in the interim.

[Extracted and modified from GINA]