Culmination Of Data Services Agreement Signed In 2015

The Dutch Caribbean Air Navigation Service Provider (DC-ANSP) has deployed Aireon's space-based ADS-B surveillance service in the Curacao Flight Information Region (FIR). This milestone follows years of collaboration, with the two organizations signing the data services agreement (DSA) in October of 2015.

Effective immediately, DC-ANSP will have 100 percent air traffic surveillance over the 116,000 square miles that make up Curacao's FIR. Adjacent to Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Colombia, the majority of this FIR is oceanic.

"Space-based ADS-B will revolutionize how DC-ANSP ensures the highest levels of safety and efficiency throughout the Curacao FIR," said Micilia Albertus-Verboom, Director General, DC-ANSP. "Before Aireon, the northwestern sector of our FIR lacked real-time air traffic surveillance coverage. Now, space-based ADS-B provides coverage where before there was none."

The Curacao FIR is a major throughway for flights; DC-ANSP manages critical routes between the United States, Central America, South America, the Caribbean and Europe throughout the Curacao FIR. Because of space-based ADS-B coverage, DC-ANSP's air traffic controllers will be able to reduce separation and guide overflight efficiency in the northwestern sector of the Curacao FIR.

Director General Albertus-Verboom also noted, "among the many benefits we anticipate, Aireon will allow us to facilitate seamless transitions between Curacao's neighboring FIRs. Regions adjacent to us will benefit from safer and more efficient hand-overs, which are afforded by the minimization of human error through data-driven decision making."

"Deploying Aireon in Curacao FIR solidifies DC-ANSP's position as a leader of aviation safety and efficiency in the region," said Don Thoma, CEO, Aireon. "Our data will provide DC-ANSP more control over how they manage cross-regional and intersecting routes within their airspace and will enable complete situational awareness for DC-ANSP as they continue to deliver superior safety and efficiency to the flying public."

For the past several years, DC-ANSP and Aireon have worked closely on the technical implementation of the system in Curacao, which includes the use of the regional network, Mejoras al Enlace de Voz del ATS (MEVA), as a secondary telecommunication link as a means to transfer space-based ADS-B data to DC-ANSPs operations center. Additionally, Aireon has worked alongside DC-ANSP leadership to ensure preparation for the enhancements in procedural operations.

"Not only have we changed how we manage our airspace, but we are also adapting how we work with our adjacent airspaces and our customers, and Aireon has been our partner at every step of the way for the last four years," said Director General Albertus-Verboom.

Curacao has a January 1, 2020 ADS-B equipage mandate for part of the airspace where there is no conventional radar coverage. Users in Class A airspace must be ADS-B equipped.

(Source: Aerion news release)

FMI: www.aireon.com