The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Testing of new air traffic control technology begins

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Thursday, May 26, 2011
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Testing of new air traffic control technology begins

P. Oppili

It will integrate various radars, improve passenger safety

Complete coverage of radars can be achieved
Tracking aircraft in integrated radar region will be easier

CHENNAI: Testing of a new air traffic control technology, AUTOTRAC-III Plus, supplied and installed by Raytheon, a U.S.-based firm, began at the Chennai Air Traffic Control tower on Wednesday.

According to Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials, the testing began around 10 a.m. and would be conducted in three phases. In the first phase, it would be tested for over 10 hours. In the second and third phases, it would go on for 60 hours each without break.

Integration of various radars would be an important feature of the advanced technology.

The Chennai Westing House radar, the new Monopulse Secondary Surveillance radar at Porur, radars at Bangalore, Mangalore, Bangalore HAL, Bellary, Shamsabad and Thiruvananthapuram would be integrated. Soon, radars in Kochi and Visakhapatnam would also be integrated with the Chennai Air Traffic Control tower.

The new system would ensure complete coverage of radars.

There would be overlapping of interfaces, owing to which tracking any aircraft flying in the integrated radar region would be easier.

Talking about the advantages of automation and the integration of radars, a senior AAI official said that this would enhance passenger safety. Aircraft would be in continuous contact with air traffic controllers while transiting to upper air space. Their movement would be monitored continuously.

The new system would help aircraft reach economic flight level, thereby reducing fuel consumption.

The automation would help pilots know about air pockets and operate the flight accordingly. They would be able to move the aircraft smoothly through turbulence.

The new system would give pilots more confidence as they would always be within radar coverage.

It would reduce their workload as the navigation of aircraft is done from a single centre.

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