Sensis’ Multistatic Dependent Surveillance System Deployed at Zurich and Geneva International Airports

DEWITT, NY - January 17, 2005 - Sensis Corporation today announced that Zurich and Geneva International Airports, Switzerland have begun live operational use of Sensis' Multistatic Dependent Surveillance (MDS) system for surface surveillance on the runways, taxiways and gate areas. Sensis partnered with Park Air Systems, provider of the display systems including data fusion between the MDS and surface movement radars. The system provides air traffic controllers a surveillance picture with an accuracy of 10 meters, helping the airports improve safety, efficiency and capacity. Skyguide, Switzerland's Air Navigation Service Provider, procured the MDS system for both Zurich and Geneva airports after a successful evaluation of the system at Zurich Airport.

"Zurich recently added a midfield terminal that created the need for improved surface surveillance and we anticipate that annual traffic at Geneva will increase significantly over the next several years," said Heinz Schmid, program manager, Skyguide. "Sensis' MDS system offers the flexibility and adaptability necessary to accommodate infrastructure and passenger growth."

Prior to MDS, Zurich and Geneva operated under the "see and be seen" principle to maintain separation between aircraft and vehicles on the airport surface. During low visibility operations, special operational procedures were followed during surface movements to ensure proper separation, including limiting the landing aircraft exiting the runway to certain taxiways and to designated routes to the apron. Also, ground vehicle use was strictly controlled during low visibility procedures, and only essential vehicles were permitted on the airport surface.

"With its one second update rate, excellent accuracy and all-weather performance, MDS provides airports with the surveillance necessary to ensure safe, efficient movements," said Marc Viggiano, president of Sensis' Air Traffic Systems Division. "This system will help support the anticipated capacity increases at Zurich and Geneva International Airports."

Sensis' MDS, a transponder multilateration system, uses low-cost, non-rotating sensors to detect and track the movement of aircraft or vehicles based on their transponder signals. With precision comparable to global positioning systems, a higher update rate than traditional airport surveillance radar, and consistent surveillance performance regardless of weather conditions, the MDS system provides significant benefits.

In addition to being operational at Zurich and Geneva International Airports, Sensis' multilateration technology is in operational use at London Heathrow Airport, Charles de Gaulle Airport and Vienna Airport. MDS is being installed at three additional European airports - Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Brussels Airport and Frankfurt Airport. For enhanced terminal surveillance, Sensis' multilateration technology is being installed at Innsbruck and Frankfurt Airports. Further, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is deploying Sensis' multilateration system to 34 airports as part of the Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X program (ASDE-X).