Airways project improves navigation

Areas of rugged country around Omarama that had previously been ''out of reach'' to air traffic controllers, will now be clearly visible, after air navigation service provider Airways installed new high-tech devices.

A total of nine multilateration surveillance devices (MLAT) have been installed at remote mountainous regions throughout Otago and Southland, and Airways head of engineering and maintenance Peter O'Regan said installing the technology had been a challenge.

''We've been working in some really remote spots to install the equipment, using helicopters to fly heavy gear to mountain tops, with high exposure to wind, rain and snow throughout the year.

''At Wether Range, near Omarama, for instance, we drove a digger to the peak to dig the foundations, and then used a helicopter to fly in the 13 tonnes of concrete needed for the station foundations.''

MLAT technology provides a three-dimensional picture of air traffic and allows Airways to reduce the separation between aircraft, as the radar surveillance indicates the exact position of each aircraft.

Mr O'Regan said the equipment would allow air traffic controllers to confirm that aircraft were exactly where they said they were, and would remove the need to rely on position reports, which would be ''crucial for improving safety in this complex air space''.

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