The Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is adding Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) technology to its air traffic control system. The facility, touted to be a next generation air transportation system, is intended to replace the conventional radar surveillance system.
‘’The new facility which will ensure more safety in surveillance operations will be launched on Saturday,’’ an AAI official said.
When compared to the radar surveillance system, ADS-B offers a lot more safety-related information to air traffic controllers. While a radar gives only basic information like aircraft position, the ADS-B gives additional information like rate of climb, air temperature, flight routing and more.
The ADS-B will complement Indra, the advanced air traffic control system in place in the airport. Once the new system is in place, Indra will provide the air traffic controllers an integrated feed of radar and ADS-B information. The GPS-based ADS-B is also more advantageous than the radar data, which could be obstructed by physical barriers. The low installation cost of ADS-B is another factor which makes it more popular in the aviation industry.
Airport Adjudged Best in Country
The Airports Council International has adjudged the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport as the best maintained international airport in the country.
The airport won 4.48 in a maximum of five scores in the Airport Service Quality Survey conducted by the council. Calicut International Airport came second with a score of 4.19.