Civil Aviation Launches Cutting-edge Radar

By Gubae Gundarta

The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority’s Air Traffic Control Division upgraded its locating system from primary surveillance radar to Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR), Automatic Dependent Surveillance-B model.

In an official visitation arranged for media personnel earlier this week, Shimelis Kibreab, who is the Director of Air Traffic Control at the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority, told journalists that the new radar replaced the old and procedural equipment with a most advanced system. Adding, he said the new automated structure would alleviate the traffic holdup at the Bole International Airport. With the old control system planes squandered a lot of fuel as they waited in line midair, flying about. According to the director the new radar not only improves the quality of air control at the airport but also enhances air traffic control at national level, thereby safeguarding the sovereignty of the country.

To ensure nationwide presence and coverage, other radars were also installed at Mekelle, Bahir Dar, Dire Dawa, Arbaminch and Gore.

“We used radio communication before, but now the system is computerized. No airplane will cross our aerial boundaries without permission because every plane shall be identified before it does,” Shimelis emphasized. Moreover the director also indicated that landing service provision can be expanded making it possible for aircrafts from other countries to make transit landing. This in turn creates an opportunity for earning foreign currency.

It was learned on the occasion that the radar was manufactured by an Italian company named SELEX with a total cost of 7.5 million dollars.

NewsDire Staff Writer