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Regional highlights: Africa

Tunisia's TAV selects SITA for DCL/D-ATIS

TAV (Tepe Akfen Yatirim Insaat Ve Isletme A.S.) Tunisia has selected SITA to deliver D-ATIS and DCL solutions for both Enfidha Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Monastir international airports.

TAV was granted a Build-Operate-Transfer contract for the operation of Monastir airport and the construction and operation of Enfidha airport by l'Office Public de l'Aviation Civile et des Aéroports (OACA) in 2007.

SITA's AIRCOM EVATIS solution is a simple, easy-to-use, turnkey D-ATIS ground system. Based on a redundant PC platform, AIRCOM EVATIS provides secure and highly
available D-ATIS, enabling the transmission of ATIS information via both VHF voice and data-link channels.

The implementation of the D-ATIS solution will significantly improve ATS efficiency by reducing controller workload: meteorological data is automatically retrieved and updated on the user interface, while a synthesized voice automatically generates ATIS messages at the controller's request, or fully automatically.

ATIS information is made available to the pilot in text format, removing the need to transcribe broadcast information from the ATIS frequency and improving safety by eliminating the risk of misunderstandings due to poor VHF voice quality.

Hosted on the same platform as AIRCOM EVATIS, the AIRCOM Clever solution enables simple, straightforward transmission of Departure Clearance information to departing aircraft via data link.

The implementation of Data link Departure Clearance (DCL) eliminates potential confusion due to VHF voice clarity, allowing airport ATC to provide a safer and more
efficient service to their users. Data link Departure Clearance also helps reduce controller workload by allowing clearance requests to be handled in sequence and processed by a single keystroke.

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ASECNA extends FANS implementation across Africa

As the ANSP responsible for controlling the FIR spanning 17 western and central African states, ASECNA faced a major challenge in deploying CNS infrastructure because of the large areas of desert contained within the region. SITA has been assisting ASECNA to overcome this challenge by delivering FANS data link services at Dakar, Niamey, Ndjamena, Abidjan and Madagascar.

SITA also recently completed the delivery of a FANS service at Brazzaville as part of ASECNA's broader plan to expand FANS use throughout its FIR.

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Consultancy for NAMA completed

SITA has just completed a consulting project for the Nigerian Air Space Management Agency (NAMA) involving an assessment of the ANSP's current Communications,
Navigation and Surveillance infrastructure and other ATM-related systems.

The assessment sought to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the system and the gaps between the current system and new industry standards and operational
requirements.

SITA, in partnership with Helios, worked both on- and off-site to develop a comprehensive audit and recommendations, including a detailed ground-ground VSAT-based
network capable of integrating all operational ATC voice/data and recommendations to increase efficiency, reliability and safety over the Nigerian FIR.

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Participation to Aeroexpo in Marrakech

Africa's first Aeroexpo Conference & Exhibition was held in January 2008 in Marrakech, Morocco. Aeroexpo brought together a broad range of aeronautical professionals including representatives from ministries of transport, from the military and from civil industrial aeronautics entities throughout the Maghreb, Africa and the Middle East. The event was supported by Royal Air Force Morocco, Royal Air Maroc, GIMAS & ONDA.

SITA, together with its Moroccan partner Global Systems, was represented on a booth for the entire duration of the event. On that booth, SITA teams demonstrated the
distribution of live ADS-B reports originating from south-east England using an Air Situation Display tool developed by UK-based Qinetiq™.

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ADS-B workshops in East Africa

In August SITA held a series of ADSB workshops in East Africa, covering Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Workshops were well attended, welcoming professionals from
relevant ANSPs, local airlines and aviation authorities.

The objective of the workshops was to update African ANSPs on ADS-B and its applications. Airservices Australia (ASA) kindly supported the workshops by sharing its ADS-B
implementation experience with audiences. Topics covered included an ADS-B tutorial, managed service provision, regional networks and ATC tower solutions.

Participating ANSPs also presented their respective visions, future plans and updates on their aviation industries. The workshops, which were well received by audiences,
helped broaden SITA's understanding and appreciation of the various ANSPs' operational capabilities in CNS areas and similarly helped ANSPs understand the value SITA
can deliver in facilitating the deployment of ATC infrastructure to enhance their operations.

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Deployment of D-ATIS at Kigali International Airport

SITA was selected by the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority to install a D-ATIS system at Kigali Airport. The new data link ATC system was successfully implemented and commissioned within the committed delivery timeframe, and will enhance Rwanda CAA's ATC operations.

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SITA sponsors ASECNA CNS/ATM symposium

ASECNA (l'Agence pour la Securité de la Navigation Aérienne en Afrique et à Madagascar) held a symposium on future solutions and technologies for Air Traffic Management on 22-24 October 2008. SITA was a proud sponsor as well as a presenter at the event, which aimed to build awareness among African ANSPs about emerging new solutions and technologies.

SITA gave a presentation on the progress of worldwide FANS implementation and ADS-B implementation feedback in the Asia-Pacific region.

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ICAO African Regional Air Navigation meeting

The African Indian Ocean special Regional Air Navigation meeting (AFI RAN 08) was held on 24-29 November in Durban, South Africa. SITA was a key participant in the
event, and also submitted an Information Paper indicating its readiness to assist ICAO and its Members on the implementation of ADS-B, VSAT-based ground/ground
networks for integrating ATC voice/data, ATC data link solutions and Aeronautical Information Management Systems.

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