India's air navigation system
to be world's most sophisticated
By
Arjun Sen
Hyderabad,
Oct 24 (IANS) By 2011, India will have arguably the most sophisticated
satellite-based air navigation system in the world that will
bring immense benefits to both civilian and military aircraft,
experts said.
Raytheon
Company of the US is currently leading a team of companies
to deliver a comprehensive solution for a global satellite
navigation system to the Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) and the Airports Authority of India.
The
$196 million or Rs.7.74 billion Global Positioning Satellite-Aided
Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation system or GAGAN, to be
implemented from the end of this year or early next year,
will provide India with the most accurate, flexible and efficient
air navigation system ever deployed.
"India
had asked for the most sophisticated navigation system - even
more sophisticated than what we have implemented in the US
and Japan and we have shown that we are ready to deliver that,"
Raytheon's director of business development and strategic
planning Fred A. Treyz III told IANS.
Treyz
was here as part of Raytheon's delegation to the first civil
aviation air show in India, the India Aviation 2008 held here
Oct 15-18, 2008.
The
GAGAN design is based on the experience that Raytheon gained
while implementing the only certified space-based navigation
augmentation systems in the world in the US and Japan.
The
Wide Area Augmentation System, designed and developed by Raytheon
and now being used in the US, was certified and commissioned
by the Federal Aviation Administration of the US in July 2003.
The
MTSAT Satellite Augmentation System also designed and developed
by Raytheon was certified and commissioned by the Japanese
Civil Aviation Bureau in September 2007.
The European Union is currently implementing the European
Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) but this
system is yet to be certified.
No
other nation or group of nations is deploying such sophisticated
air navigation systems.
The
other members of the Raytheon-led technology team are Accord
Software and Systems Pvt. Ltd. of Bangalore, Elcome Technologies
Pvt. Ltd. of Gurgaon and Naverus Inc. of Kent, Washington.
Accord
Software is providing Global Positioning System (GPS)-based
user receiver prototype development optimized for the equatorial
region, Elcome is providing logistical and on-site support
and Naverus is providing performance-based navigation route
design, procedure flight validation and other related services.
The
project will provide straight-line fuel-efficient routes and
precision approach landings, thereby reducing fuel burn substantially.
It will also enable multiple approach capability.
GAGAN
will also make it possible to provide coverage of oceanic
areas, which is not possible by terrestrial systems; improve
airport and airspace access in all weather conditions; enhance
reliability and reduce delays; provide uniform and accurate
navigation performance over the entire airspace; provide fuel
efficient air corridors and provide CAT-I approach without
ground element support.
Broadly,
the project would result in fuel savings/efficiency for airlines
and enable higher air traffic within the limited airspace.
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