By WOLE SHADARE ngrguardiannews.com
In recent times all over the world, the volume of air traffic in the sky has increased tremendously leading to an over-bearing impact on existing infrastructure. WOLE SHADARE writes that air navigation is fast moving towards satellite system with little emphasis on ground based navigation system.
Early pilots looked out of their open cockpits for roads, rail lines, and airports to find their way in daytime flight. They watched the horizon to make sure they were flying with the aircraft’s nose and wings in the proper position relative to the ground, called attitude.
As they began flying at night and in all kinds of weather in the early 1920s, new equipment helped them to navigate and maintain aircraft attitude when they could not see the ground. Navigation aids were developed for use inside the aircraft and also to guide the pilots from the ground.
Simple equipment to help pilots maintain attitude was introduced during the 1920s. These devices included such ideas as a bubble of liquid to help keep wings level and a device that measured pressure at different heights, called an altimeter, which told a pilot his altitude above ground level. A simple magnetic compass for direction was installed either in the cockpit panel or held in the pilot’s hand.
Radio navigation aids were developed around the same time as mechanical aids.
In 1926, successful two-way radio air-to-ground communication began, and the first transmitter/receiver went into mass production in 1928.
Teletype machines were installed so that all stations along an air route could transmit weather conditions to the pilot. Eventually the pilot used these stations to indicate the plane’s location.
Today’s aircraft are tracked as computer-generated icons wandering across radar display screens, with their positions, altitude, and airspeed updated every few seconds.
Pilots and controllers communicate using both voice and data transmitting radios, with controllers relying on radar tracking to keep aircraft on course.
Today, cockpit navigation information is increasingly displayed on a monitor, but the position of information and its format are nearly identical to the basic six instruments of early and simpler aircraft.
The global positioning system (GPS) is one technology that allows pilots to accurately determine their position anywhere on the earth within seconds, raising the question whether they need any help from the ground.
At many times, controllers are left with the only option of managing traffic on a first come, first served basis: stack and hold airplanes at low altitudes on arrivals, or at times diverted, only to be given slots to land in turns.
The consequential effects of this pattern are: fuel wastage, environmental pollution, and ineffective flight scheduling.
Other worrisome incidents in the past are the situations whereby airplanes are declared missing in an airspace, only to be located after many days when all occupants have perished, or in some worst situations, not seen at all.
Even when seen on time, mobilization and coordination of emergency resources is often very poor.
With this concept, the position of an airplane can be easily known in the sky. Consequently, effective traffic control can be guaranteed when there is need to control large traffic.
With a GPS-based control mechanism, efficient multilateral separation of airplanes can be sustained.
In other words, many airplanes can be flown more closely placed side by side in the sky by controllers.
When major stakeholders of the world aviation community in April 1, 2009 signed a declaration calling for rapid implementation of Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), a new air navigation concept that will contribute to further improving the safety, efficiency and sustainability of the global air transport system, little did Nigeria know that the country’s transition to satellite based system would be quick.
Because of the continued growth in air travel world- wide and the inability of traditional air traffic control systems to cope with the demand for airspace capacity, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) established the Special Committee on Future Air Navigation Service (FANS) to carry out research into new technologies and to make recommendations for the future development of navigation systems for civil aviation.
This led to development of a satellite-based system concept to meet the future civil aviation requirements for communication, navigation, and surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM).
The collective mission of the ICAO) has always been to provide the citizens of the world with the safest and most efficient air transport system possible. Performance based navigation is vital to helping them fulfill today and in the future.
PBN sets clear performance requirements for any given flight operations. It involves a major shift from conventional ground based navigation aids and procedures to satellite-based navigation aids and area navigation procedures, which are more accurate and allow for shorter, more direct routes between two given points, as well as more efficient take-offs and landings. This reduces fuel burn, airport and airspace congestion and aircraft emissions.
The system also improves customer service, by reducing diversions caused by low visibility weather conditions and providing better access to ‘weather-challenged’ destinations, while helping to improve overall on-time performance by airlines.
Not pleased to be left behind with the new air navigation concept, Nigeria engaged the services of two foreign airlines, Emirates and KLM to test-run the new approach, which was recently adjudged successful.
At the core of the NextGen air transport system is an automatic surveillance-broadcast technology, better known as ADS-B, a satellite-based technology that broadcasts aircraft identification, position and speed with once-per-second updates.
Using satellite-based direct point-to-point navigation, rather than following established routes illuminated by radio beacons, has the potential to shorten virtually every commercial airline route, safe fuel and time, increase the amount of air traffic in the skies at any one time, and reduce aircraft engine emissions.
Emirates Airlines was first to carry out the test in Lagos while KLM recorded the same feat in Kano.
To operate the new system, aircraft are expected to be equipped with necessary prescribed gadgets on board for easy link with the satellite for seamless navigation and communication to designated airports.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nnamdi Udoh disclosed that the agency began the exercise with the completion of the N360 million World Geodetic Survey (WGS-84) of the country’s 22 airports and the procedural design of the four major airports in 2010.
According to him, sixty industry stakeholders were currently undergoing training on the satellite-based air navigation system with participants drawn from air traffic controllers, pilots, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Presidential fleet.
A PBN expert, Ed Hajek, from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Montreal, Canada, is training them.
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