The Hindu : National : Mobile ATC tower for Banda Aceh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 09, 2005

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National

Mobile ATC tower for Banda Aceh

By T.S. Shankar

CHENNAI, JAN. 8. Singapore has sent a Mobile Air Traffic Control (MATC) tower to Banda Aceh airport in Indonesia to help in strengthening the air traffic control capability and allowing more flights carrying humanitarian supplies.

The Banda Aceh airport is the main airport for the airplanes carrying humanitarian supplies into Aceh. A spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said the MATC tower, jointly owned by the Singapore Armed Forces and the CAAS, was sent to Banda Aceh today through a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 transport aircraft. The control tower at Banda Aceh airport was damaged in the earthquake and subsequent tsunami on December 26, reducing the arrival of aircraft carrying relief.

The RSAF and CAAS personnel will work closely with the Indonesian air traffic controllers to set up the MATC tower, which is capable of operating independently in isolated areas for extended periods of time. It will elevate the controller's cabin up to about five metres from the ground and allow air traffic controllers to have a good visibility of the runway and the manoeuvring areas.

The MATC tower comprises an Air Traffic Control (ATC) cabin, a hydraulic lifting system, generator and trailers. The control cabin, that can accommodate six persons, has four operating consoles for ATC controllers to control aircraft in the air and on the ground. It is also equipped with ground and air communication systems, meteorological sensors for winds as well as pressure and temperature readouts. It is powered by an organic generator but is capable of being connected to the main power supply.

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