Curacao to deploy space-based ADS-B from Aireon to increase aviation safety, efficiency

MCLEAN, Va., 21 Oct. 2015. Officials atthe Dutch Caribbean Air Navigation Service Provider (DC-ANSP), the air traffic services provider for the Curaçao Flight Information Region (FIR), sought a reliable system with which to increase aviation safety and efficiency. They found their solution at Aireon LLC, developer of a space-based global air traffic surveillance system in McLean, Va.

DC-ANSP officials signed a data-services agreement with Aireon to implement the company’s global, space-based air traffic surveillance system for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) equipped aircraft. Through the agreement, DC-ANSP will in 2018 have 100 percent air traffic surveillance of the Curaçao FIR, which covers 300,000 square kilometers adjacent to Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Colombia – much of which is oceanic airspace containing critical routes between the United States, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Europe. This move helps to position DC-ANSP as a regional leader in aviation safety and efficiency, and enables greater flexibility over the cross-regional and intersecting routes it manages and facilitates seamless transitions between neighboring FIRs.

“Aireon’s space-based ADS-B is the future of air traffic surveillance by providing visibility over oceanic and remote regions – areas outside the range of traditional surveillance,” says Micilia Albertus-Verboom, director general, Dutch Caribbean Air Navigation Service Provider (DC-ANSP). “Signing this agreement demonstrates DC-ANSP’s commitment to the region to be a progressive air traffic services provider, and will allow us to provide enhanced services to our many commercial airspace users. It will be a landmark in collaboration with unprecedented data sharing to promote global air traffic surveillance and to solve the airspace monitoring challenges we have with current technology.”

“The data services agreement absolutely positions DC-ANSP as a regional leader. When the system is operational in 2018, the introduction of 100 percent air traffic surveillance in the Eastern part of the Curacao FIR will optimize busy routes operated by the major U.S., Caribbean, Latin American and European airlines,” explains Don Thoma, president and CEO, Aireon.

Aireon is deploying a global, space-based air traffic surveillance system for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) equipped aircraft over the entire globe. For the first time, Aireon will provide real-time ADS-B surveillance to oceanic, polar, and remote regions, as well as augment existing ground-based systems that are limited to terrestrial airspace.

Aireon will harness next-generation aviation surveillance technologies and extend them globally to improve efficiency, enhance safety, reduce emissions, and provide cost savings benefits to all stakeholders, officials say. In partnership with leading ANSPs from around the world, NAV CANADA, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), ENAV, and Naviair, as well as Iridium Communications, Aireon will have an operational, global, space-based air traffic surveillance system by 2018.