AAI to provide navigational info through satellites by 2010

Mumbai: With air traffic over Indian skies on a rise and congestion on air routes increasing, airport authorities are looking forward to provide navigational information through space satellites by 2010, which will greatly augment their area of coverage.
The GPS-aided Geo Augmented Navigation or “Gagan” is expected to be ready in 2010 at a cost of approximately Rs 644 crore and will greatly increase the area of coverage that air traffic controllers can aid in navigation of aircraft, Mr S K Kakkar, executive director (communication navigation service) at Airports Authority of India said.
Gagan is being developed by the AAI in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which will be providing them with the necessary satellite for routing the communication signals.
“The first stage of the product is completed and the technical presentation has been done. It is now with ISRO which will be testing the transmission of the signal in space,” Mr Kakkar told PTI.
“The system which will aid aircraft in navigation could result in the existing ground facilities being withdrawn as the area covered through satellites would be much larger than that by the existing system,” Mr Kakkar said.
The Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)-based system is to be implemented across the AAI’s 110 airports in the country.
14/10/07 PTI/Navhind Times

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Categories: Airports Oct 2007, New Oct 2007, Safety Oct 2007