KATCC Reopens with Newly Upgraded Air Traffic Equipment
Jamaica has upgraded equipment used to monitor air traffic at the Kingston Air Traffic Control Centre (KATCC).
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the recent improvements come at an opportune time to meet the demands of continuous air traffic volume expansion and rapid technological advancements.
The Prime Minister’s comments came while speaking at the official reopening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the KATCC on Wednesday (December 18).
“In an environment of continuous air traffic volume expansion, rapid technological advancements, sophisticated threats, and increasing efficiency demands from our myriad stakeholders, the recent upgrade of the Kingston Air Traffic Control Centre was propitiously timed, multi-billion-dollar investment on which our country embarked, under the direction and guidance of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority”, said Prime Minister Holness.
In that regard, the commissioning of new industry-leading Air Traffic Management systems has created a significant evolution in Jamaica’s air traffic capacity, efficiency, and safety.
The upgrades undertaken included a Voice Communication Control System (VCCS), a system-wide Air Traffic Management (ATM) Automation Surveillance System, Global Positioning System (GPS) master clock and receiver and an Air Traffic Control Simulator.
The KATCC which is operated by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA), is the nucleus of Jamaica’s air traffic management network and operations.
Prime Minister Holness stated that other stakeholders confidently rely on Jamaica’s air navigation services for its contribution to a safe global air traffic management system and safe and efficient passage through Jamaica’s strategic and highly traversed airspace.
“Additionally, we would have noted that there has been an increase in the number of stopover arrivals which would have been facilitated by an increase in aircraft movement into the island. Targeted upgrades to our air navigation service infrastructure, will continue to enhance synergies and cooperative support for other industries, such as tourism and trade,” said Prime Minister Holness.
According to Prime Minister Holness, this development emphasizes the focus of the government’s policy framework to support aviation and enable the right conditions for growth, access, and inclusiveness for the global economy.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Holness also underscored that investment in state-of–the-art systems and technologies to handle consistent air traffic growth must be complemented by continuous training and up-skilling of the workforce