FAA Orders Sensis Production of 21 Airport Surface Detection Equipment Systems, Model XTraffic Management System Will Enhance Safety and Efficiency
of Airport Surface Operations
DEWITT, NY – February 18, 2003 – Sensis Corporation today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has exercised production orders for 21 Airport Surface Detection Equipment Systems, Model X (ASDE-X), in addition to supporting components and services. This order represents 1/3 of the approximate $100M production order referenced in the FAA’s 2002 letter of intent. Sensis will receive the remaining funding incrementally for system enhancements and services associated with these 21 initial systems.
“Aircraft and surface vehicles share the airport movement area. The challenge, especially at the nation’s busiest airports, is the safe and efficient movement of this traffic,” said Vincent Capezzuto, FAA senior engineer in charge of ASDE-X installations. “Accurate and complete information on traffic location is critical – particularly at night and in low-visibility conditions. ASDE-X will further enhance air traffic controller situational awareness, and through its compatibility with developing technology such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B), will also lay a foundation for future capabilities.”
Sensis was awarded the ASDE-X program contract in October 2000. ASDE-X is a traffic management system for the airport surface that will provide seamless surveillance and aircraft identification to air traffic controllers. The system uses a combination of surface movement radar, transponder multilateration and ADS-B sensors to display aircraft position, labeled with flight call signs, on air traffic control tower displays. The integration of the three components provides data with an accuracy, update rate and reliability that will improve airport safety and efficiency.
Capezzuto stated, “Sensis’ depth of knowledge regarding the challenges associated with air traffic systems, and the engineers’ dedication to working collaboratively with the FAA team have helped to streamline the implementation of this fully integrated air traffic management system.”
Since the award of the ASDE-X program, Sensis engineers have worked closely with the FAA to ensure that the system meets performance requirements and areas such as training and documentation are completed and ready to support operational usage. Currently, Sensis is performing Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) at General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, at a logistics support site at Hancock International airport, Syracuse, and on a system that will be deployed at Orlando International Airport. The Milwaukee and Orlando airports will serve as key sites for continued operational testing of the system. Under the ASDE-X program, the FAA will deploy ASDE-X at 33 of the nation’s busiest airports; additionally, the FAA will purchase four support systems. The production order announced today, for 21 ASDE-X systems, will address the highest priority sites.
“The FAA’s ASDE-X program will significantly increase the safety and efficiency of the National Air Space,” said Marc Viggiano, president of Sensis Air Traffic Systems. “By partnering with the FAA, the Sensis-lead ASDE-X team is delivering a powerful new capability at a fraction of the time and cost of similarly complex systems. We look forward to continuing service to the FAA through collaboration, innovative products and successful technology deployment.”
As well as supporting the multilateration requirement for the FAA’s ASDE-X program, Sensis’ Multistatic Dependent Surveillance System is in operational use at London Heathrow Airport and is being installed at seven additional European airports – Brussels Airport (Belgium); Charles de Gaulle Airport (France); Frankfurt Airport (Germany); Geneva International Airport (Switzerland); Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (The Netherlands); Vienna International Airport (Austria); and Zurich Airport (Switzerland).
|
