Metro Manila — The Philippine and Singapore governments are set to inaugurate a state-of-the-art surveillance technology in Palawan that would make flights safer and air traffic management more efficient.
Officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) will lead the inauguration of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B), in the municipality of Bataraza in southernmost tip of Palawan tomorrow, 02 December 2017.
The ADS-B is a surveillance technology that allows an aircraft to determine its position via satellite navigation and periodically broadcasts it, enabling it to be tracked. An aircraft equipped with ADS-B can broadcast useful information such as their identities, positions, altitudes, and velocities twice every second.
Ground equipment known as ADS-B receivers will pick up and process these pieces of information to air traffic controllers who will then use the information to control and monitor the aircraft.
In October 2015, the CAAP and CAAS signed the ADS-B collaboration agreement, which allows CAAS to subscribe for ADS-B data, and other related services. The ADS-B data is also relayed to the CAAP air traffic control center in Manila.
Aside from enhancing the safety and efficiency of air traffic services, ADS-B also improves the ability to perform life-saving search and rescue missions. It can provide more accurate information about last reported positions, minimizing the search period, in such operations.
The use of ADS-B will also contribute to the global effort in reducing carbon footprint since the aircraft will be given optimal flying height, which translates to fuel savings as well as lower aviation carbon emissions.
The joint PH-Singapore project has also benefited residents of Barangay Buliluyan with the paving of the access road from the main road leading to the facilities. A local school, the Dudungguan Elementary School, was also upgraded with construction of a new child development center, a comfort room, and a new stage. Computers have also been provided for the students. The school has access to electricity from newly installed solar panels.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has recognized the benefits of ADS-B, recommending for the progressive implementation of ADS-B in the Asia-Pacific region. The ADS-B joint project is aligned with ICAO’s emphasis for countries to share their ADS-B data with each other, in order to improve the safety and efficiency of air traffic services, thus enabling the provision of seamless air traffic services. | DOTr-PR
