Improved Safety Measures For Air Traffic Control

Jamaica will vie for a council seat at the next International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) General Assembly to be held in September.

Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Audley Shaw, made the announcement during his contribution to the 2022/23 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday (April 27).

“Securing an ICAO Council Seat will help Jamaica to forge and maintain strategic partnerships with industry stakeholders and provides an opportunity for Jamaica to contribute to decision-making at one of the highest levels in the aviation industry,” Mr. Shaw said.

Meanwhile, the Minister noted that safety remains one of the primary obligations of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA).

He said that efforts continue to implement infrastructure and systems to ensure safety for all.

This includes the installation of new Doppler Very High Frequency Omni Range (DVOR), which is a navigational aid that defines air-traffic-control routes, at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) in the last financial year and the replacement of the DVOR at Sangster International Airport (SIA), which continues in this financial year.

Mr. Shaw said going forward, the JCAA has outlined several projects and initiatives, including the implementation of an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), surveillance technology for aircraft location via satellite navigation.

Other initiatives include a Low-Level Wind Shear Alert System, which is a ground-based system to detect wind shear and weather phenomena; a new Meva node, a common contingency telecommunications network; and upgrade of voice communication control system, used for the provision of air-traffic-management services, at the Tinson Pen Aerodrome.

In addition, the Authority will further work to implement a back-up component for the communication network to help facilitate contingency procedures, if air traffic services from the Kingston Air Traffic Control Centre are suspended.

“This activity will also bolster efforts to ensure that the Authority continues the implementation of more widely accepted protocols, in accordance with the Regional Communications, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management Plan,” Mr. Shaw said.