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Friday, March 29, 2024

CAAP: Airport radar repair to affect flights

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AVIATION authorities on Monday ordered the immediate repair of one of the radars being used by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which they said, will affect some flights at the country’s premier international airport.

In a notice to airmen, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said some flights will be affected at the Naia because of the scheduled corrective maintenance of Tagaytay (monopulse secondary surveillance radar) beginning March 6 until March 11.

“CAAP advises the public that some flights at the Naia will be affected as a result of the air-traffic control system adjustment on the said dates,” said CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio.

CAAP Deputy Director General for Operations Capt. Manuel Antonio Tamayo said that coordination with Manila International Airport Authority and airlines operating at the Naia have been put in place and advisory on the revise flight schedules during the duration of the repair period will be coordinated with passengers through their respective airline carriers.

The radar repair will cover the overhauling of antenna and replacement of its drive motor and rotary joint that is long overdue and will be integrated with the soon to launch satellite-based Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management technology.

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The CNS/ATM facility will be turn over by main contractor Sumitomo-Thales JV to CAAP management by July this year.

When fully operational, the facility can monitor 80 percent of the Manila Flight Information Region as assigned to the Philippines by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The project was partly funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

In a related development, the CAAP also ordered the immediate repair of Surigao Airport which was damaged by the magnitude 6.7 quake last Friday night.

Aviation officials issued a directive closing the operations of Surigao Airport “effective at 7:23 a.m Saturday Feb.11, 2017 with 30 days validity.”

CAAP engineers from aerodrome development management services are still conducting inspections on the structural integrity of the damaged airport complex. 

CAAP Area Center manager Evangeline Daba said an earthquake of 6.7 magnitude that struck Surigao City at around 10:04 p.m. on Friday damaged partially the concrete 1700 meter runway 18/36 of Surigao Airport that needs immediate repair and rehabilitation.

Daba added that the airport terminal except from some broken windows and crack tiles suffers only minimal damages.

 Because of the closure, flights of Philippine Airlines Express and Cebu Pacific will be diverted to Butuan Airport, a two hours land travel from Surigao.

Dava said that PAL Express and Cebu Pacific operate daily flights to the said airport from Manila.

CAAP Director General Capt. Jim Sydiongco immediately instructed the airport manager aviation engineering team to expedite the repair and rehabilitation of the damaged portions of runway18/36 on 24 hours basis.

CAAP assured the riding public that the aviation regulator is doing its best to accelerate the repairs to put it back in its normal operations very soon.

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