By Ma. Cristina Arayata
MANILA – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Tuesday signed an agreement with American firm Aireon for the acquisition of a space-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) system.
The system is said to enhance the country’s aviation safety and efficiency as this will improve CAAP’s ability to monitor and manage air traffic in the Manila Flight Information Region (FIR) which spans approximately 3 million square kilometers.
CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the Philippines has been using the CNS-ATM (communication, navigation and surveillance for air traffic management to ensure that air traffic is safe and efficient.
Apolonio said the ADS-B “is an advanced surveillance technology that combines an aircraft’s positioning source, aircraft avionics, and a ground infrastructure to create an accurate surveillance interface between aircraft and Air Traffic Control”.
“Aireon’s space-based ADS-B data holds immense promise for improving efficiency, boosting safety, and supporting environmental sustainability. We are thrilled to partner with CAAP in achieving their ambitious safety goals,” Aireon executive vice president for Customer Affairs Peter Cabooter was quoted as saying.
CAAP’s partnership with Aireon will enable real-time, global surveillance capabilities, addressing long-standing challenges in tracking aircraft over remote and oceanic areas, the CAAP said in a news release.
“The deployment of this technology is especially critical given the sharp rise in air traffic within the Manila FIR in recent years,” CAAP added. (PNA)
