Sep 4 2013
Airservices Australia, the Air Navigation Service Provider for Australia, has commissioned into service the Integrated Tower Automation Suite (INTAS) at Adelaide Airport. This is their third airport to receive the integrated air traffic control tower platform provided by Saab and NAV CANADA for the safe, efficient management of air traffic.
INTAS, based on NAVCANatm technology and modified to meet the needs of Airservices Australia's National Towers Program (NTP), is a fully harmonized suite of air traffic control (ATC) tools that provides Airservices controllers with a common, modern set of key ATC systems and capabilities in a single customizable platform. The same technology is operational at Broome and Rockhampton Airports, with Melbourne scheduled for commissioning later this year.
Airservices Australia's NTP initiative is modernizing or replacing the core ATC technology in its towers with a universal, flexible solution that meets current and future controller needs for safe, efficient operations. Saab, along with partners NAV CANADA and Harris have developed and are deploying INTAS. NAV CANADA provided a modified version of its NAVCANsuite, while Harris supplied the voice communications system, and Saab is providing overall project management and system integration.
The INTAS architecture supports any tower position (local, ground, clearance or supervisor) and is fully scalable to any size tower (from small regional airports such as Broome and Rockhampton to Australia's major international hubs).
INTAS is comprised of a Controller Working Position with up to four touchscreen monitors to display data and common input devices based on the airport. The system integrates:
- Electronic Flight Strips
- Operational Data Management (monitoring and control of airfield ground lighting, navigational aids, weather and other related systems)
- Digital – Automatic Terminal Information Services (enabling controllers to construct the terminal information services messages)
- Voice Communication Control System
- Electronic Surveillance System (integrated terminal and surface surveillance on a common display)
"With the commissioning of Adelaide, INTAS has demonstrated its ability to effectively scale from small regional airports to major airports using the same systems, tools and equipment," said Ken Kaminski, general manager of Saab ATM.
"The inherent flexibility in the INTAS platform allows it to meet the current and future demands of all tower types and operator position," said Sid Koslow, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at NAV CANADA. "INTAS fuses critical ATC functionality into a customizable system that is adaptable to a range of facilities and configurations, and scalable to meet the demands of current and next generation technology. As an air traffic service provider, we also ensure the integration of operational knowledge into our technology development to deliver advanced solutions that offer enhanced efficiency and safety."
NAVCANsuite integrated tower automation products combine flight and operational data, surveillance and voice communications into a single customizable air traffic management system. NAVCANsuite products are in operation at more than 70 Canadian sites, and have been adopted internationally by the United Kingdom, Denmark, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Dutch Caribbean. Additional projects are currently underway in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.