CAAP launches automated aviation information system

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s aviation information system is now fully automated and linked to the European aviation database, which provides global access to the latest aeronautical and weather information.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) inaugurated last week the Automated Aeronautical Information Service (AIS), a fully automated database linked to the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) network, which provides member countries information critical to aviation safety.

The United States is expected to connect to Eurocontrol next year.

CAAP spent P50 million for the new AIS which generates information in real time.

Christian Troemer, Chief Regional Office of Frequentis, the firm that constructed the AIS, said that the CAAP can recover its expenses by charging fees to airline companies and member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which uses the database.

Companies that make maps and engage in aerial surveys will also benefit from the new AIS. 

The Philippine’s AIS yields information about the country’s airports by providing maps, charts, route of flights, available navigational aids and their locations, ongoing constructions of airports and facilities and upgrading of other services.

Troemer said the Philippines is the first Asian country to adopt the new automated system. New Zealand, Australia and Japan will follow soon.

CAAP Director General Ruben Ciron said the installation of the new system brought the CAAP closer to regaining its category 1 status.

“We have now one of the most advanced telecommunication system and this would hopefully convinced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of our serious concern to bring our aviation body at par with the world,” Ciron said.