Avionics and ATC » ATC

News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

European Airspace Issues Top Agenda at EBACE Opener
May 21, 2013 - 2:04pm

Few punches were pulled as speakers took on the challenges facing business aviation in Europe at today’s EBACE opening session, with government policies and outdated infrastructure the primary targets.

EBAA CEO Fabio Gamba criticized the European airspace system. “We have reached the limits of the air transport system, conceived 70 years ago, when they couldn’t see the diversity and volume of traffic,” he said. “We’re seeing cracks in the system.”
SITA Expands Datalink Service in Indonesian Airspace
May 13, 2013 - 11:15am

Sita is supporting the launch of datalink ATC service in Indonesian airspace. The Geneva-based company has an agreement with Indonesia’s air navigation service provider to provide an air-to-ground datalink infrastructure that will enable pilots and controllers to communicate in the Jakarta flight information region.
Raytheon Wins Mobile ATC Contract from U.S. Air Force
May 10, 2013 - 10:25am

The U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon a $50.6 million engineering and manufacturing development contract to build mobile ATC systems capable of providing approach control guidance to military and other aircraft operating within a terminal airspace area. Raytheon will supply 19 mobile systems under the service’s deployable radar approach control (D-Rapcon) program; the overall contract value is approximately $400 million.
LightSquared Reorganization Planned by July
May 2, 2013 - 5:10am

LightSquared is slated to exit bankruptcy on May 31, and is required to have its future reorganization plan complete by July15.
Congress Blocks Controller Furloughs Through FY2013
April 30, 2013 - 4:03pm

In a last-ditch effort to stop the FAA’s furloughing of air traffic controllers to meet government-wide budget reductions, the House and Senate passed legislation late last week to transfer money from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to pay controllers’ salaries and prevent the closure of some privately operated control towers. Congress quickly moved to relieve the FAA of its need to furlough controllers after just five days of prolonged flight delays at major airports last week.
FAA Controller Furloughs Begin; Delays, Lawsuits Fly
April 23, 2013 - 4:00pm

On Sunday the FAA began air controller furloughs that the agency said are required to comply with budgets cuts mandated under sequestration. The move has resulted in not only cascading air traffic delays but also scorn and lawsuits from aviation industry groups.
Senators Tout Support for Tower Preservation Bill
April 18, 2013 - 2:00pm

A bipartisan U.S. Senate effort to protect 149 control towers from closure under budget sequestration has garnered additional support since its introduction last week. Sens.
Bahamas Reaches Out to Sun 'n Fun Aviation Crowd
April 11, 2013 - 7:55am

Flying to the Bahamas from the U.S. should not be daunting, if you ask Dennis Dames, assistant superintendent of police for the Royal Bahamas Police Force and officer-in-charge of air support service for the force. Dames was on hand to answer attendee questions at the Bahamas Booth in the Federal Pavilion, located in the Florida Air Museum at Sun ’n Fun 2013.

Senators Seek To Block Tower Closures
April 9, 2013 - 2:47pm

Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) plan to introduce a bill Wednesday morning intended to prohibit the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from closing 149 federal contract tower facilities under budget sequestration, an industry source confirmed to AIN. A companion measure is also expected to be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
FAA Changes Alternate Airport GPS Policy
April 9, 2013 - 2:33pm

A change in FAA policy that allows the use of GPS approaches at alternate airports should be welcome news for pilots. “Operators are now permitted to file a flight plan for a GPS approach at either the destination or an alternate, but not both,” according to NBAA. The new policy took effect on April 4. Previously pilots could fly GPS approaches only at the destination airport.

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