CAAS ties up with Aireon to enhance tracking capability (Amended)

THE Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has tied up with air navigation solution provider Aireon in hope of better tracking aircrafts and improving surveillance across airspace monitored by the country's air traffic controllers.

This involves deploying the space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) service, which would allow the real positions of aircraft equipped with such a software to be tracked when they fly within the Singapore Flight Information Region (FIR).

There are parts under the Singapore FIR that are not under surveillance coverage currently, such as remote regions and areas over the oceans. In such instances, air traffic controllers would provide for greater distances between aircraft.

With the new service, the separation between aircraft can be reduced, resulting in an increase in airspace capacity.

CAAS' director-general Yap Ong Heng and Aireon's president and CEO Don Thomas signed a memorandum of agreement on the sidelines of the High Level Safety Conference in Canada on Wednesday. Both will work together to assess Singapore FIR requirements, develop the policies, standards and procedures in using the service, and to determine how to implement the service to improve air management services in the Singapore FIR and in the region.

Said Yap Ong Heng, director-general, CAAS: "We are constantly looking for new and innovative solutions to enable us to provide better air traffic services in the Singapore FIR. This new space-based ADS-B capability represents the next level of surveillance capability and will complement our existing ground-based air traffic surveillance systems. This technology together with the right operational procedures can potentially enhance flight efficiencies and help reduce fuel costs for airlines."

The story above is the correct version.

An earlier version of this article stated incorrectly that the agreement is to enhance the capability of tracking aircraft in Singapore. It has been revised to reflect that the area of coverage is for the Singapore Flight Information Region.