CAA: aeronautical communication and control project

Civil Aviation Authority has, in the last decade, completed an infrastructure for properly co-ordinated Air Traffic Control services thru commissioning of a network of Radar and communication systems under its AC&C (Aeronautical Communication and Control) Project.
This plan has been initiated soon after inception of CAA. In December 1982, when the Civil Aviation Authority was formed, there was practically no radar coverage available for traffic using Pakistan air space. 2.First phase of AC&C plan was completed with the installation of Karachi Airport's terminal radar in 1988.
The next phase of the project comprising terminal radars for Islamabad and Lahore Airports was completed in 1993 with the installation and commissioning of radars at these Airports. 3.With the induction of these radars, greater safety in air traffic operations was made possible at the major airports of the country viz, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
4.The third phase of the project comprising the en route Air Traffic control, throughout Pakistan Air Space, using Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSRs) located at Rojhan, Lakpass, Pasni Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore is operational since 31st October 1996. At Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, the SSRs have been co-mounted with the terminal radars. Data from all these radars is being fed via satellite network into and processed at Area Control Centres (ACCs) located at Karachi and Lahore.
The VHF Communication through out Pakistan Air Space has been established through a number of stations located at Karachi, Quetta, Pasni, Rojhan, Hyderabad, Faisalabad and Laram Killa. These stations are being remotely operated and controlled via satellite network from the ACCs to enable control of all air traffic in the country. An Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) has replaced the manual AFTN. This system received important aviation information, distributes same to airports through out Pakistan. It has been installed at Karachi with remote terminals at important airports and at PAF Air Defence Headquarters.
5.We are now in the process of assessing the possibilities of augmentation of our radar based air traffic control network to bridge gaps in the coverage. The present extended radar network covers almost our entire territorial airspace except a portion of about 120 NM falling North West of Pakistan.
Since major air traffic flow between Europe and Far East passes through this airspace, CAA is planning to install a Radar and communication station at Panjgur. CAA is also evaluating Satellite based Communication. Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) Air Traffic Management (ATM) Systems to be inducted under an ICAO implementation plan.
6.AC&C systems have brought major benefits to all fields of aviation industry. These have modernised ground control environment, enabled effective airspace utilisation, and resulted in increased efficiency of operations and better flight planning. CAA is confident that Pakistan's system now stands ahead of other countries in the region, its skies are now safer than before.
(The writer is Project Manager Civil Aviation Authority.)