From yesterday's Press & Journal:
08:50 - 25 July 2006
Plans to introduce local radar cover at Inverness Airport will increase the numbers of flights and reduce noise, airport bosses claimed yesterday.
Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (Hial) has awarded a six-figure contract for the construction of a new radar room to Belgian-based airport specialists Barco.
It is hoped that seven-day radar cover will be in place by summer 2007, using specially-trained radar controllers based at the airport.
The airport's radar cover is currently provided Monday to Friday through an arrangement between National Air Traffic Services and the Ministry of Defence, using the radar heads at RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth.
Four Hial air traffic controllers are undergoing radar training and one man has already gained his qualification. Externally qualified radar controllers are also being recruited.
Earlier this year Hial signed a contract with Marshall Aviation Services to develop the radar project and is working closely with the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Safety Regulation Group on the scheme.
The project is being funded by Hial and has been awarded a grant of £50,000 from regional transport partnership Hitrans.
Inverness Airport manager James Walton said: "The arrangement we have had with the MoD since 1999 has served the airport well but as the airport continues to develop the time has come to move to providing our own radar.
"This is a major project that will offer significant benefits to the airlines, minimise delays to passengers, and mitigate the environmental impact of aircraft movements at Inverness in terms of reducing noise and emissions.
"We are working closely with the industry regulators, the MoD and our specialist consultants to ensure that this project is properly phased and ultimately delivers the radar service a rapidly expanding regional airport like Inverness requires. Barco has extensive experience of providing radar control rooms in Europe and we are delighted that their first UK project will be at Inverness."
Passenger numbers have been increasing at Inverness Airport in recent years as a result of the introduction of several new routes.
In the year to March 2006, Hial's 10 airports handled a record 1,153,000 passengers.
How many ATCOs will be required to provide radar cover for the full opening hours 7 days a week?
I imagine 5 ATCOs (one recruited radar controller with limited experience and four HIAL ATCOs who are being trained) will not be enough.
SotN