VASCO
Continuing with its constant endeavour to ensure highest level of safety, operational efficiency and airport capacity, Airports Authority of India has decided to augment the existing Air Traffic Control facilities of Indian Navy at Dabolim Airport.
The solution includes provision of real time data of air traffic operating in the airspace adjoining Goa airspace. The real time processed data of multiple ATC radar feeds from Mumbai ATC automation system will be transported to Navy ATC through dedicated high speed data link and it will be displayed for Navy ATC officers at Goa.
This Air Traffic Situational Data Display in the Navy ATC tower will provide complete details of inbound, outbound flights operating to Goa as well as en-route flights under control of Indian Navy ATC.
On his maiden visit to Goa International Airport on Friday, A K Dutta, Member of Air Navigation Services and team of senior officers from corporate headquarters of AAI, New Delhi, discussed various operational issues with Indian Navy to enhance safety, operational efficiency and airport capacity at Goa Airport.
In addition to multiple radar data feed from Mumbai, AAI is also in the process of installing a Next Generation Surveillance System, ADS-B (Automated Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) at Goa airport. The ADS-B data will also be processed by the Mumbai ATC system and in case of failure of radars, the ADS-B data will still be available to Navy ATC.
With the augmentation of ATC surveillance facilities at Goa airport, in addition to improved safety and operational efficiency, AAI will be contributing significantly in carbon dioxide emission reduction as ATC will be able to allocate optimum flight levels during en-route, climb and descent phases of the flight.
Also, a significant improvement in the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Goa airport is in pipeline to be executed by AAI by replacing the old ILS of the Indian Navy with a state-of-the art system. This would greatly enable to improve the safety of flight operations at Goa airport.
A team led by member (ANS) along with senior officials from AAI HQ comprising A K Banerjee, ED (CNS-O&M) and Mansoor Ahmed, ED (CNS-Planning) and BCH Negi, Airport Director, Goa International Airport visited the site to finalise the site requirement for implementing the New landing system.
Further, GAGAN “ the prestigious satellite based navigation system project of AAI which is developed in collaboration with ISRO for augmenting accuracy of the GPS signals, the existing GAGAN Reference Earth Station at Goa airport which was located on the Old Terminal Building, was recently shifted to a new site to pave the way for ongoing infrastructure development and airport expansion activities.
During his Visit, A K Dutta, Member (ANS), inaugurated the new GAGAN Reference Earth Station. Continuing with its efforts in improving customer experience, AAI Goa airport launched the customer assistance numbers. These numbers, +917028001001/2001/3001, will be available 24x7 for addressing the passenger queries relating to airlines and airport facilities at the airport.
