New Canadian-installed landing system debuts at Guyana's airport
By: The Associated Press
Posted: 02/18/2012 11:33 AM
Source - Winnipeg Free Press
GEORGETOWN, Guyana - Guyanaβs international airport has a new landing system long demanded by pilots that is expected to simplify approaches and make them safer, officials said Saturday.
Pilots approaching Cheddi Jagan International Airport can now use an instrument landing system that will provide a more precise reading of their angle of descent and guide them to within 60 metres of the main runway, said Civil Aviation Chief Zulfikar Mohamed.
He said the ILS installed by Intelcan Technosystems Inc. of Ottawa, includes distance-measuring equipment and an omnidirectional radio range system. It is part of a $3.5 million upgrade in pilot aids.
An ILS is especially helpful at night and during low visibility.
A previous system decommissioned in 2003 guided planes to within 150 metres of the runway, drawing numerous complaints from local and international pilots.
Guyana's outdated airport equipment came under scrutiny last July after a Boeing 737-800 with 162 people on board slid off the runway and stopped short of a deep ravine after breaking in two. No one was killed and it is not clear if the navigation equipment played a role in the accident.
Guyana also has awarded a $138 million contract to Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Company to build a new airport terminal and extend Cheddi Jagan's main runway by more than a kilometre.
By: The Associated Press
Posted: 02/18/2012 11:33 AM
Source - Winnipeg Free Press
GEORGETOWN, Guyana - Guyanaβs international airport has a new landing system long demanded by pilots that is expected to simplify approaches and make them safer, officials said Saturday.
Pilots approaching Cheddi Jagan International Airport can now use an instrument landing system that will provide a more precise reading of their angle of descent and guide them to within 60 metres of the main runway, said Civil Aviation Chief Zulfikar Mohamed.
He said the ILS installed by Intelcan Technosystems Inc. of Ottawa, includes distance-measuring equipment and an omnidirectional radio range system. It is part of a $3.5 million upgrade in pilot aids.
An ILS is especially helpful at night and during low visibility.
A previous system decommissioned in 2003 guided planes to within 150 metres of the runway, drawing numerous complaints from local and international pilots.
Guyana's outdated airport equipment came under scrutiny last July after a Boeing 737-800 with 162 people on board slid off the runway and stopped short of a deep ravine after breaking in two. No one was killed and it is not clear if the navigation equipment played a role in the accident.
Guyana also has awarded a $138 million contract to Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Company to build a new airport terminal and extend Cheddi Jagan's main runway by more than a kilometre.