Airports Authority of India (AAI) has commissioned the automated air traffic management system – Aircon 2100 – at Mangalore International Airport.
A press statement by J.T. Radhakrishna, Airport Director, Mangalore, said here on Thursday that AAI had received approval from DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) for commissioning Aircon 2010.
The system procured from the Spain-based company Indra had to undergo vigorous safety assessment and extensive trail operation before its commissioning, he said.
The system enhances the safety of flights by providing the air traffic controllers with information of air movements from radar, flight plans, direction finders, and air-ground data link messages, he said.
The system is capable of processing data from other radar feeds such as Bangalore, Chennai, and Thiruvananthapuram to increase the area of radar coverage.
He said the control tools provided by the system assists the controllers in safe handling of traffic and reduce their workload. With this system, the air traffic controllers get warning whenever the safety of aircraft is going to be infringed (due to collision with another aircraft, terrain proximity, heading towards danger/prohibited area, deviation from cleared level/route, etc).
The Control tower can monitor aircraft profile during the approach and landing, and advise the pilot if he/she is dangerously positioned while approaching the runway. The system will enhance the overall safety of air traffic at Mangalore airport, Radhakrishna added.