SubscribeIt gave ATNS, the Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company of South Africa, great pleasure to support the 17th IFATCA Africa Middle East Regional Meeting, held in Johannesburg from 20 to 24 November 2006.
South Africa, through its Guild of Air Traffic Controllers (GATCSA), was delighted to host this event. Participants of the meeting remained mindful of the importance of safe skies, as aviation is a critical key in unlocking wealth within the developing countries of Africa, and in the enabling of economic growth around the world. With this in mind, we were also proud to host the Minister of South African Transport, Mr Jeff Radebe, as one of the participants.
Partnerships within the aviation value chain are of prime importance in order to ensure the continued growth of the industry to the benefit of all role players. Without doubt, the aviation industry is dynamic and ever changing. Role players are increasingly faced with clients who are seeking to lower operating costs within all business areas, receive a more personalized service as well as have an expectation of Air Navigation Service Provider's (ANSP), such as ATNS, to increase capacity as required with no degradation in safety standards.
This brings about many challenges for all ANSP's. With a 13% global shortage of Air Traffic Controllers, the pressure is high to ensure optimum staffing levels in order to deliver an efficient service. So a meeting of this importance is critical, as it stimulates dynamic ideas that will contribute to more effective strategies for ANSP's to meet the demands and challenges of tomorrow.
But staffing is not the only challenge facing ANSP's. The emphasis on the impact of aviation growth and development on our environment is growing quickly, amongst many others.
ATNS feels very proud of its continued strategic development and the change in our approach to challenges, so as to meet all our clients' requirements beyond expectation. We were excited to share many of our plans and initiatives with our international colleagues at this meeting.
- The South African context
The South African market has presented many challenges.
Over the last ten years, ATNS has been able to respond effectively to a 160% increase in air traffic movements, the recent downturn in the aviation market, as well as an increased demand for efficiency and safety in the SA market. This was largely a result of corporatisation. Quite early on ATNS had come to accept that they would be measured in terms of their ability to meet and satisfy the needs of their clients.
For ATNS, the commercialisation process had a dual focus, both to improve service provision and support the capital re-investment process required for improved service efficiency, as well as to effect a "lifestyle choice" or "changing culture."
Large strides have been made in the area of infrastructure renewal and increasing capacity. In this regard, surveillance infrastructure has been upgraded and expanded, with all Air Traffic Management systems being renewed and integrated nationally.
ATNS has also completed the upgrade of its radar display and processing systems and is planning to increase its capacity for Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International airport, from 52 aircraft departures and arrivals per hour to 72.
To support a change of this nature, the airspace, route structure, as well as arrival and departure procedures have been completely restructured. ATNS now works with a fully automated Air Traffic Management system with two area control centres, three flight information areas, and three terminal control units: Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Durban, with expansion to follow to East London and Lanseria.
In addition to this, two System Support Suites (SSS) have been constructed and equipped at Johannesburg and Cape Town. Disaster recovery, simulation/training and software evaluation are the available functionalities and datalink technology has been installed.
As a result of these initiatives, fuel savings in excess of R130m per annum have been realised by our clients, with further system and service delivery enhancements in progress.
ATNS infrastructure is modern, reliable and flexible to support the demands placed on the system for both immediate and medium term service provision. As a result, we are more than confident in our ability to handle the influx of extra tourists to, and within, our country in 2010 as they visit our country to participate in the Soccer World Cup matches and celebrations.
The aircraft population and mix which ATNS serves also requires modern, new- generation and older, terrestrial- based equipment. Electronic interaction between South Africa, Mauritius and Australia is also being finalised. The formal implementation of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) procedures and trials have also proven successful.
And so we will continually work at improving the way in which we respond to challenges and develop the air transport system through our Air Traffic Management capabilities.
Currently, ATNS is revamping the coastal air route structure; the implementation of the MAESTRO sequencing tool is imminent; and the Central Airspace Management Unit (CAMU), responsible for processing traffic flows and managing the flexible use of airspace, is in phase two of implementation
- Partnering with Africa's Developing Countries
In conclusion, we also wish to make mention of our involvement and partnership with our African countries as we help enable safer skies within the region. A number of initiatives have been completed or are currently underway.
SADC formed a taskforce in 1995 to develop and implement its air traffic management plan, which conforms to ICAO's plan for the African continent. A sub-task force identified a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) network as the solution to the communication deficiencies within the southern region of Africa.
This VSAT network allows for the automatic relay of messages between air traffic service units throughout the SADC region, enhancing the reliability of communication between the states and thus maximising aviation safety.
ATNS funds, implements and manages this network. The network interconnects 13 SADC states as well as Burundi and Rwanda, has been operational since 1998 and facilitates an average of 2 million data messages annually. This network is now being upgraded to meet existing and future ATM/CNS requirements, enabling, for example, Global Navigation Satellite Systems.
ATNS continues to work hard at improving communication further North in the region too. The North East African Communication Network (NAFISAT) project will address the communication needs in the North Eastern African Indian Ocean Region, comprising Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Yemen.
We are also proud to report the achievement of seamless aeronautical communication from Cape to Cairo.
Finally, in support of ATNS' goal to take a leadership and partnership role in the development of safe and efficient air traffic management systems across Africa, with the goal of pursuing harmonisation and a seamless skies concept on the continent and surrounds, ATNS is involved in the SADC Upper Airspace Control Centre (UACC) project.
This project envisions the integration of air traffic services in the upper airspace under one area control centre, run by an autonomous SADC regional Air Traffic Services Company. This initiative is aimed at bringing about a seamless sky in SADC above 24,500ft. The SADC UACC concept is also in line with the implementation of the ICAO global plan for communication, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management (cns/ATM) by 2010.
