Industry Addendum: Air Traffic Management
Singapore to spend big on ATM infrastructure
June 1st 2019
Transport minister, Khaw Boon Wan, last month committed Singapore to a multi-billion dollar project to upgrade and make more efficient its air traffic management system. Read More »
He told delegates attending the China Aviation Development Forum in Beijing last month that the current Singapore ATM system was commissioned six years ago and needed to be improved to avoid obsolescence.
Upgrading a complex and increasingly congested ATM system requires constant investment and as well as constant training and upskilling of staff, he said. Singapore employs 450 air traffic controllers and intended to increase that number to 700 by 2030, The Straits Times reports.
“Air traffic management today is largely fragmented. It results in inefficiencies, longer flight times and higher costs for airlines,” Khaw said.
“Some commentators think managing air space is a viable business venture. They are wrong. Fees from airlines barely cover the high cost of managing airspace properly.”
