Page 34 - AAA MAY - JUNE 2014 Online Magazine

NEWS

Honeywell operates SmartPath at Malaga airport
Honeywell Aerospace’s SmarthPath use of this satellite navigation system services has identified Honeywell’s
Precision Landing System, which underlines Aena’s commitment to SmartPath GBAS as a cost-effective,
simultaneously reduces weather- incorporate the very latest technologies easy-to-install and more flexible
related delays, lowers air traffic noise, to improve air traffic services.” alternative to conventional systems.”
improves flight efficiency and increases Malaga Airport is the fourth SmartPath supports up to 26
airport capacity, has started operating at busiest airport in Spain and has flight precision approaches for aircraft across
Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport in Spain. connections to over 60 countries up to four runways simultaneously,
A ceremonial flight with Air Berlin was worldwide. It currently serves more eliminating the need for multiple
organised by navigation service provider than 12.5 million passengers per year. ILS systems at airports with several
Aena Air navigation Directorate on May 5 Because the city is a popular tourist runways. It reduces maintenance costs
to mark the start of the system’s use for destination, maximising landing as it does not require the same level of
unrestricted commercial flight operations. assurance and operational efficiency manual calibration as ILS, and it reduces
SmartPath is the world’s only at its airport remains a top priority for tarmac congestion and increases airport
certified Ground-Based Augmentation Aena Air navigation Directorate, which throughput by mitigating the need for
System (GBAS), a technology that is leading the GBAS initiative at the taxiing aircraft to “short-hold.”
augments GPS signals to make them airport. nearly 20 airports around the
suitable for precision approach and “With significant passenger growth world have adopted SmartPath to
landing, before broadcasting the data occurring at many airports globally, increase capacity, improve efficiency
to approaching aircraft. It overcomes the pressure on legacy ILS systems and maximise landing assurance. As
many of the limitations of Instrument to support increasing traffic volumes well as the recent contract award to
Landing Systems (ILS) traditionally is greater than ever before,” said SmartPath at Frankfurt International
used by airports to guide aircraft as they Pat Reines, senior product manager, Airport, Germany, and delivery of the
approach the runway. SmartPath, Honeywell Aerospace. system to India’s Chennai International
“Today is an important milestone “Unlike ILS, GBAS supports multiple Airport, Honeywell’s system is now
for Aena with the entry into service approaches simultaneously, reducing installed at Sydney International Airport,
of Honeywell’s SmartPath Precision airspace congestion and lowering Australia, and due to begin operation
Landing System, an important step airport noise and emissions. Aena Air for commercial flights in the next few
forward in terms of safety, cost- navigation Directorate is ambitious months. Other airports that selected
effectiveness and operability for airspace about the implementation of satellite the system include Houston, Texas, and
users,” said Enrique Maurer, Aena Air navigation-based operations, and its newark, new Jersey, in the US; Bremen,
navigation Systems Directorate. “The forward-looking approach to air traffic Germany; and Zurich, Switzerland.

34 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MAY / JUNE 2014 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM