[Article] €83m Shannon air traffic system launched

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/3290174?view=Eircomnet

Air chaos as €115m control system collapses
From:The Irish Independent
Saturday, 29th May, 2004

FAULTS in a new €115m air traffic control system were blamed last night for lengthy delays to around 200 flights using Dublin Airport.

The system, which assumed responsibility for all aircraft movement last Saturday, first ran into problems on Sunday.

As soon as the glitch was detected, the new technology was temporarily replaced by the old, but teething problems have continued throughout the week for the Irish Aviation Authority.

Aer Rianta estimated 80pc of flights taking off after lunchtime yesterday were delayed by between five minutes and an hour, with the delays worsening throughout the evening due to the knock-on effect.

An Aer Rianta spokeswoman said: "It is an Irish Aviation Authority induced problem.

"The IAA sat down with us and the airlines and told us they were introducing this system, and that the new equipment might have teething troubles.

"It said there would be no danger to passengers, but it was possible flights could be affected during the handover."

She said the airport had no indication when the problem would be resolved, and was powerless to get the flights back on schedule.

Passenger Graham Cooper, who works in Dublin but regularly flies home to Scotland for the weekend, said the airport was in chaos last night.

"People are just milling around, no one is taking responsibility," he said. "Flights are being delayed all over the place."

In the incident on Sunday, the system failed to identify the call signs of aircraft on controllers' screens. A shadow crew of air traffic controllers immediately took back control.

The system is already up and running at Shannon Airport, which accounted for €25m of the €115m investment. It was purchased from Thales, a French company.

The IAA was unavailable for comment last night.

Helen Bruce

Victor

http://www.rte.ie/business/2004/0702/aviation.html

€83m Shannon air traffic system launched
July 02, 2004 12:08

The Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan, today launched the Irish Aviation Authority's new €83m Shannon Air Traffic Management system and centre.

The new system expands the capacity of the Irish Air Traffic Control system and enables Irish controllers to handle expected higher traffic volumes. From 2006, Shannon controllers will handle 90% of all traffic between Europe and North America.

Shannon air traffic controllers are now using the new system to manage the 1,200 large jet aircraft, which daily fly through Irish airspace. This adds up to nearly 400,000 transatlantic crossings every year, carrying in the region of 50m passengers.

The new system, known as CAIRDE 2000, is part of the Irish Aviation Authority's national programme to provide Ireland's airspace with one of the most advanced computerised radar and flight planning management systems in Europe.

Victor

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/07/02/story155213.html

Minister launches IAA air traffic system
02/07/2004 - 11:25:52

Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan today launched the Irish Aviation Authority's (IAA) new €83m Shannon Air Traffic Management (ATM) system.

Shannon Air Traffic Controllers are now using the new system to manage the huge fleet of over 1,200 large jet aircraft, which daily fly through Irish airspace.

This adds up to carrying in the region of 50 million passengers.

The new system expands the capacity of the Irish Air Traffic Control (ATC) system and enables Irish controllers to handle expected higher traffic volumes.

From 2006, Shannon controllers will handle 90% of all traffic between Europe and North America.

The new ATM system, known as CAIRDE 2000, is part of the IAA's €115m national programme to provide Ireland's airspace with one of the most advanced computerised radar and flight planning management systems in Europe.

Minister Brennan said: "CAIRDE 2000 will play a pivotal role in securing the IAA's future in the new aviation environment of the Single European Sky."

The Single European Sky is an EU initiative aimed to reform the outdated European air traffic control system and safely expand its capacity to manage increased traffic volumes.

The IAA employs almost 350 people in the Shannon region. These include air traffic controllers, radio officers, engineers and the necessary administration staff.

Airlines pay the IAA for air traffic control and communications services and this accounts for over 80% of the IAA's revenue.

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/3517650?view=Eircomnet

Sky's the limit for air traffic control with €83m system
From:The Irish Independent
Saturday, 3rd July, 2004

A NEW high-tech air traffic management system (ATM), which will deal with almost 400,000 transatlantic crossings every year, was officially opened yesterday in Shannon by Transport Minister Seamus Brennan.

The €83m system, based at Ballycasey, will expand the capacity of the Irish air traffic control system and will enable Irish controllers to handle expected higher traffic volumes.

According to the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), from 2006 Shannon controllers will handle 90pc of all traffic between Europe and North America.

Air traffic controllers at Ballycasey are now using the new system to manage the huge fleet of over 1,200 large jet aircraft, which fly through Irish airspace every day, carrying in the region of 50 million passengers every year.

The new ATM system, known as Cairde 2000, is part of the IAA's €115m national programme to provide Ireland's airspace with one of the most advanced computerised radar and flight planning management systems in Europe.

The project was fully financed by the authority from its own resources.

Speaking in Shannon yesterday, Mr Brennan said: "Cairde 2000 strengthens the IAA's position as an international air navigation services provider. The aviation industry is undergoing a period of immense change and the need for modern, reliable and integrated ATC systems is now greater than ever.

"I commend the IAA on this important achievement. Cairde 2000 will play a pivotal role in securing the IAA's future in the new aviation environment of the single European sky."

Meanwhile, campaigners for the Shannon stopover called on the Government not to conclude any 'open skies' agreement on Ireland/US flights unless it can get a 10-year lead-in time.

The lobby group Signal said any lesser phasing in period would have disastrous consequences for tourism and industry.

Pat Flynn