Weekly Review #198 - Runway renovations in Washington DC

First up, we have news of runway renovations from the United States. Ronald Regan Washington National Airport, one of the three commercial airports serving the Washington DC area, will resurface its two primary runways over the next two years. This will allow it to serve almost 300,000 flights each year, as well as over 1,500 metric tons of air freight.

Next, in news from Spain, Enaire is set to improve the operability of the Córdoba Airport. By implementing new departure, arrival and approach procedures, the national air navigation service provider will enable the scheduling of commercial flights from the airport. The procedures go into service on 15 June and will also enhance accessibility.

In Eastern Europe, BULATSA is training its colleagues at ARMATS, the air navigation service provider of Armenia. The air traffic controllers will learn how to cope with emergency and extraordinary situations. Those who meet the training criteria will receive a certificate compliant with the EU legal framework.

And in more news from Europe, joint stock company Latvijas gaisa satiksme (LGS) signed a contract with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environmental Executive Agency (CINEA) on issuing European Union co-financing for the construction of a new air traffic control tower at Riga International Airport. The total amount of the co-funding is 26.263 million EUR, with the aim of improving air traffic control infrastructure and adapting it for both civilian and military objectives.

ANSP news

• Bulgaria will train Armenian air traffic controllers - BULATSA has started training air traffic controllers of ARMATS – the air navigation service provider of Armenia. They will attend a one-week course, based on the standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization, as well as on topics according to European Union regulations.
• LGS signs contract for 26 million EUR co-financing from EU for construction of air traffic control tower - Last week state joint stock company “Latvijas gaisa satiksme” signed a contract with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environmental Executive Agency on issuing European Union co-financing in the amount of 50% for improving air traffic control infrastructure and adapting it for both civilian and military objectives. The total amount of the co-funding is 26.263 million EUR and it has been issued for the construction of a new air traffic control tower at Riga International Airport.
• ENAIRE to improve the operability of the Córdoba Airport for commercial flights with new instrument procedures - ENAIRE is improving the operability of the Córdoba Airport by implementing new departure, arrival and approach procedures that will go into service on 15 June, allowing commercial flights to be scheduled at the airport.
• ENAIRE and EGNOS deploy satellite-based navigation - ENAIRE, the national air navigation service provider, is improving operations at the Burgos Airport with new satellite-based navigation instrument approach procedures.

Airports news

• Reagan National Airport Runways To Undergo Improvements - British Aviation Group - Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, one of the three commercial airports supporting the US Washington DC area, will resurface its two primary runways, 1/19 and 15/33, in the next two years. The move comes more than ten years since the last resurfacing. The runway resurfacing will allow the airport to reliably serve almost 300,000 annual flights.

Market news

• Indra drives the modernization of the German and European skies with the commissioning of a state-of-the-art system at the Munich control center - The Munich deployment iCAS as part of the plan to move towards the Single European Sky of the iTEC alliance, made up of the air navigation service providers of Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Lithuania, with Indra as a technology partner

Context information

• EUROCAE Open Consultation ED-240B - EUROCAE published the document prepared by EUROCAE WG-100 "Remote & Virtual Tower (RVT)" for Open Consultation: Draft ED-240B "MASPS for Remote Tower Optical Systems".
• Advancing Aviation Standards: EUROCAE and RTCA Renew Commitment through Updated Memorandum of Cooperation - Today, RTCA and EUROCAE renewed their commitment of cooperation in the development of joint standards for aviation systems. During the annual EUROCAE Symposium held at the National Air & Space Museum in Paris, France, RTCA President Terry McVenes and EUROCAE Director General Anna von Groote signed an updated Memorandum of Cooperation.
• ICAO releases new data on status of global aviation gender equality - ICAO’s latest global survey on the status of licensed aviation personnel by gender reveals that the participation of women holding positions as pilots, air traffic controllers, and maintenance technicians has increased on an overall basis from 4.5% globally in 2016, to 4.9% in 2021.

Reports and data

• KIX, ITAMI, KOBE March 2023 Traffic Report - The articles reports aircraft movements in the following airports: KIX, ITAMI and KOBE from March 2023.

Research and innovation

• Death of Traditional ATC Training - Are you tired of the traditional classroom format of a teacher standing in front of a chalkboard or PowerPoint? We are. The pandemic has given educators the opportunity to experiment with new and innovative teaching methods, many of which involve digital content delivery.