Since December 6 2011 Windhoek FIR is surveillance controlled from FL145 and above. The new callsign for Windhoek area control is "Windhoek radar".

The controllers are using the Eurocat-X air traffic control management system in a new version but otherwise similar to the one used in South Africa.

On Hosea Kutako Intl is a radar (PSR + MSSR) covering up to maximum 250 NM from the station. The whole country is covered by WAM Wide Area Multilateration) antennas. WAM is a solution where the antennas interact with transponders (Mode A, C and S and ADS-B) and calculates time of answers to establish the positions. The positions are more accurate than with radar.

This far ten controllers are validated and working with surveillance control. They got radar training abroad (Singapore and South Africa) and have been trained on Eurocat-X and validated on radar/surveillance by a group of ICAO advisers from Sweden.

Next year surveillance control is expected to start also on Windhoek Approach and later on in Walvis Bay. There are also plans of airspace changes in Windhoek TMA and procedures for SID and STAR.

Information leaflet can be found here (http://media.ellerstrand.se/2011/11/Leaflet.pdf)

Good news indeed, there has been several ATC - related incidents there. Good move by the Namibian government, let's hope that DCA will maintain and improve on this new venture. I once herd rumors that the Namibian DCA will be ''transformed'' to NCAA, any ideas on how that's coming along, or was it just a bar counter talk...

A new air law is made ready by an ICAO expert from New Zeeland that will be part of realizing a "NCAA". Today it suggests only as a "Bill" and if and when it will be finalized I do not know.

Hope you guys are not relying on the internet only to spread this information.

Thanx Ellerstrand, happy landings ;)

John, there is of course NOTAM available on this and a thousand leaflet were printed and distributed among pilots.

Just in case someone did not watch TV or read the newspapers...

:)

FL 145 ?
Does a 210 reach that altitude ?:hmm:

Yup. No problem.

Sure does, but with no oxygen on board you'll probably never make it that high.

You will get there, but will fall asleep after about 20 minutes !
Fly safe everyone !

Not necessarily. Depends on the individual.

In large areas of the country there is sutveillance coverage also below FL145 although the system is bought to cover 145+

The next step will be to train controllers, adjust airspace and introduce SID:s and STAR:s to introduce surveillance control in the Windhoek TMA and later on in Walvis Bay TMA.

Probably it would later be possible to give information controllers training to use surveillance to enhance traffic information in uncontrolled airspace below FL145.