Key Highlights
- ICAO has selected ASECNA to host the African Flight Procedures Programme and implement the Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) for Africa and the Indian Ocean, known as Augmented Navigation for Africa (ANGA).
According to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), there will be significant transformations in Africa’s aviation sector over the next two decades, particularly in air traffic management and flight operations. The Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), a crucial player in satellite navigation, is positioned to drive technological advancements in African aviation while advancing safety and sustainability goals.
Furthermore, ICAO has selected ASECNA to host the African Flight Procedures Programme. The agency will also focus on implementing a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) for Africa and the Indian Ocean, known as Augmented Navigation for Africa (ANGA). Like the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS), ANGA will provide safety-of-life services, allowing the safe use of GPS signals for air navigation during all flight phases, from en route to landing. This system will enhance flight safety and efficiency while reducing environmental impacts.
The system will also provide an open service with greater accuracy than standard Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). These services will adhere to ICAO standards and recommended practices and be compatible with SBAS avionics already installed in commercial aircraft fleets.
“Beyond the political and operational challenge for ASECNA to have its means to improve and secure air traffic management, ANGA will take up a major technical challenge. It is the first system to be deployed in the equatorial zone. As such, it is the first SBAS in the world to provide a service despite ionospheric disturbances that are at their maximum around the equator,” pointed out Mohamed Moussa. The implementation of SBAS with community capacity is a further step towards building a uniform sky for Africa.
Mohamed Moussa, Director of the ASECNA, underscores the organisation’s commitment to establishing a unified “Single Sky for Africa” through enhanced cooperative management of airspace. This approach aims to standardise training and operational procedures across the continent. In addition, Mohamed Moussa also commended Rwanda for joining ASECNA and for its dedication to advancing the agency’s roadmap. This move will enable ASECNA’s influence as it strives to innovate, enhance air safety, and promote integration in African airspace.
“Our focus for 2024 is strengthening our achievements and consolidating ongoing continental projects, including the crucial African Flight Procedures Programme FPP/AFI office. This initiative is critical given the projected growth in air traffic across Africa,” said Mohamed Moussa.
Source: https://spaceinafrica.com/2024/06/14/asecna-selected-by-icao-to-host-the-african-flight-procedures-programme/
