LAST WEEK saw the start of a complex project by IATA (International Air Transport Association) to implement the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) procedures in 14 states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
This is the 2nd phase of a project which was successfully launched last August in Namibia with a demonstration flight.
When completed later this year, this project will provide 26 international airports with the highly accurate GNSS approach, landing and departure procedures, all of which meet International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirements.
The implementation of these procedures at all 26 airports will cost no more than the price of one traditional instrument landing system at one airport, according to IATA director general, Pierre J. Jeanniot.
IATA, he said, will recover the cost of implementation from the relevant airspace users.
Starting with geodetic (WGS-84) surveys, the first survey teams started their work in Namibia last week, and will continue in the other SADC states over the next two months.
A number of other non-SADC countries have already shown interest in the project, said Jeanniot, and have requested IATA's assistance.
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