AAI upgrading for safer Indian skies

To provide safe and efficient air traffic services to the airlines over the Indian airspace and oceanic region, Airports Authority of India (AAI) is upgrading its communication, navigation, surveillance air traffic management (CNS/ATM) facilities across the country.

Addressing an international seminar on 'Next Generation Air Traffic Engineering Systems' (NGATES) organised by CNS Officers Guild, Chairman of Airport Economic Regulatory Authority, Yashwant Bhawe said, "AAI is allocating sufficient budget for upgrading their CNS/ATM systems by installing radars, additional navigational facilities and ATC tower automation systems."

Also, AAI is moving from ground based navigation to satellite based navigation. This provide safe and efficient air traffic services, Bhawe added.

Aviation sector is witnessing manifold growth in air traffic which may be a boon for the Indian economy but India was not ready to handle such high growth and new air traffic engineering systems were needed, he said.

During the seminar, the speakers stressed on the need for a shift from ground-based navigation aid to satellite-based augmentation system.

They said that satellite-based system would not only increase the number of aircraft within a specific airspace but also would allow the air traffic controllers to manage them in more efficient way in order to save precious aviation turbine fuel, which in turn would reduce emissions.

The working of GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN), a joint venture of Indian Space Research Organisation and AAI, was also discussed.