THE radar system at Ronaldsway airport will be replaced at a cost of £3.46 million under a proposal by the Department of Infrastructure.
December’s sitting of Tynwald will be asked to approve the scheme which is said to be at the end of its working life and has cost a considerable amount to maintain and repair in recent years.
Isle of Man Airport currently operates two radar systems simultaneously, a ‘Secondary’ Surveillance Radar (SSR) that operates as an interrogator (one part giving the aircraft identity and the other element gives an altitude report) and a ‘Primary’ Surveillance Radar (PSR) that enables Air Traffic Control to provide a basic radar service.
The Primary system displays aircraft position information (a “blip”) but does not provide any additional features, such as identification, that are commonplace in today’s air traffic environment. These two systems work in conjunction to produce a synchronised surveillance picture.
Ann Reynolds, Airport Director, said, “At the end of 2011, the “approval to operate” the Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) at Ronaldsway will cease and Isle of Man Airport will no longer be able to use this radar.
“At the same time, the Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) is coming to the end of its useful life, having been originally installed in 1965 and modified in 1995. Whilst it is currently working, over the last three years there have been several breakdowns, including two major ones, each costing between £80,000 and £100,000”.
In April 2006, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) wrote to all UK airports which currently hold approval for ground-based Secondary Surveillance Radar interrogators to inform them that they would not issue approvals to operate the old binary systems after 31 December 2011.
This was in accordance with the UK policy to discontinue the use of “traditional” radars and replace that technology with new modern digital system radars in a planned transition until the year 2011.
A further letter was received in December 2007 reinforcing the 2011 deadline. Therefore at the end of 2011 Isle of Man Airport will no longer be able to use the secondary radar.
Mrs Reynolds added, “Should no replacement secondary system be installed for use post 31 December 2011, then Isle of Man Airport would be left with a Primary Radar service only, in effect turning back the clock and providing a very much reduced ATC service.
“Although this would enable the airport to still operate a safe ATC service, the efficiency of this service would be very much impaired and any subsequent air traffic delays would not be acceptable. Also the effect on the Isle of Man’s reputation as a forward thinking modern location would have to be considered.
“Should no replacement Primary radar be installed, then the old Primary radar would remain in use until either the type no longer remains serviceable or fails to maintain approval to operate. A refurbishment exercise was considered but this would have limited effect given the system is 45 years old and would attract increasing maintenance costs”.
Minister of Infrastructure Phil Gawne added, “The development strategy of this capital project is based on the need to meet the requirements of the UK CAA regarding the intention to cease to issue approvals to operate the current Secondary Radar after 31 December 2011 by installing a new Secondary Radar system, and to replace a life-expired Primary Radar.
“This project is a routine replacement of safety equipment which has been in the Government “Pink Book” for a number of years in anticipation of the expected demise of the appropriate licensing for the equipment”.
