JCAA completes transfer of air traffic control operations
KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) has completed the transfer of Air Traffic Control operations to the new air traffic control tower facility at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.
This was disclosed by JCAA Director General, Nari Williams-Singh at a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North at the Altamont Court Hotel in Kingston.
According to the director general, this is another big step in the JCAA’s bid to improve its stewardship of the airspace.
“The new technologies, procedures and equipment which Jamaica, through the JCAA is implementing, under its strategic Air Navigation Services Modernisation Programme, are all changing the structure, complexity, capacity and efficiency of Jamaica’s air traffic management facilities and generally, the air navigation services environment,” he said.
Williams-Singh said new technologies implemented include the Topsky Air Traffic Management System, which equips Jamaica with the most cutting-edge advances, proven to optimise safety and efficiency within the air transport industry.
The director general explained that the JCAA recently installed a new IP-based, Voice Communications and Control System, which coordinates and share voice and data across the country’s air transportation network.
Other notable technological advances include the implementation of a new Voice Recorder System and new radars at the JCAA’s primary locations at the Norman Manley International Airport, Norwood in St James and the Mount Denham radar facility in Manchester.
The radars will enhance the safety and efficiency of Jamaica’s air transport system by improving the quality and integrity of the detection, identification and altitude-reporting processes.
According to the director general the full impact from this phase of the JCAA’s modernisation programme is imminent, as the installed technologies, have successfully undergone the required quality assurance processes of Factory Acceptance and Site Acceptance Testing, as well as Flight Checks, where necessary.
