New navigational aids at Cheddi Jagan International Airport

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA) under a Government of Guyana Capital project to modernise the Air Navigation Services has installed new navigational equipment, the Timehri Instrument Landing System (ILS) which includes approach Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) and the new High Powered DME co-located with the Timehri Very High Frequency Omni directional Radio Range (VOR).

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) says it has installed new air navigation equipment at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport to help pilots land and take off during bad weather with poor visibility, Timehri.

A release from the Authority on Friday said these were an Instrument Landing System (ILS) which includes approach Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) and a new High Powered DME co-located with the Timehri Very High Frequency Omni directional Radio Range (VOR).

“These en route navigational and landing Aids have been flight checked, tested and certified during the first week of February 2012 and have been commissioned for use by aircraft operating in Guyana’s National Airspace.

Prior to this installation, our Air Navigation Services Navigational Infrastructure was supported by a single VOR only for eight years since the removal from service of the high powered DME in 1997 and subsequently the ILS in 2003 followed by the decommissioning of the Non Directional Beacon,” the release read.

It added that navigation throughout Guyana’s airspace was accomplished with the use of the VOR complemented by satellite technology such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

The ILS provides enhanced capability during bad weather with poor visibility since it allows flight crews to make precision approaches for landing. The system comprises a Localizer Transmitter, a Glide Path Transmitter and Distance Measuring Equipment.

“When an aircraft approaches to land and is on final approach it intercepts the Localizer which gives accurate horizontal guidance along the centerline of the runway. When intersected at the correct angle with the Glide Path, the instrument in the cockpit will indicate to the flight crew that their aircraft is precisely on the centerline and at the correct gradient.

The Timehri ILS is category I which will safely guide an aircraft to a lower decision height of 200ft above the runway as against 520 ft when only the VOR is in use,” the GCAA stated.

The Authority added that these tools provide bearing and distance information which are used in the air traffic management environment to pinpoint aircraft positions relative to each other in order to provide a more efficient and effective service.

“Use of airspace is optimised because more precise position information is available to air traffic controllers. The air traffic controllers who manage our airspace can apply more efficient separation standards to ensure adequate spacing between aircraft, optimising use of airspace and allowing aircraft to operate at their optimum profile while ensuring safety of our skies,” the statement concluded.

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