Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4) — The country’s air traffic system is not outdated and still serves its purpose for controllers, but an upgrade is needed, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said on Wednesday.
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“When they mentioned outdated, they would mean it is not really obsolete at this point,” CAAP Deputy Director for Operations Edgardo Diaz told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
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“It just requires some upgrading of some of the features… but it is working perfectly for as long as we follow the maintenance program requirement and that is being done,” he explained.
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Diaz was referring to an earlier statement made by CAAP Director General Capt. Manuel Tamayo who admitted that the technology behind the Communications, Navigation and Surveillance Systems for Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) of the country’s Air Traffic Management Center is already outdated.
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Tamayo said the technology was conceptualized in the late 1990s, but was started only in 2010 and completed in 2018.
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According to Diaz, a CNS/ATM is being used by air traffic controllers to monitor all airplanes in the country’s air space and as means of communication to guide pilots.
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So when power went down, controllers lost these, he noted.
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Diaz said that when the system was purchased in 2010, it was “state-of-the-art” and was at par with what was being used in neighboring countries.
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It also has a lifespan of minimum of 15 years, he added.
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Even if five years already passed since it was completed, the country’s current CNS/ATM is still serving its purpose, he pointed out.
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Maintenance of the system is regularly done, while upgrading is being implemented based on recommendations made by the manufacturer, Diaz said.
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To further improve the country’s air traffic monitoring capacity, Diaz said there are plans to purchase a new CNS/ATM.
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He said this is being discussed even prior to the incident on Jan. 1.
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