Aerolineas Argentinas developed a satellite-based approach system for the Chapelco airport, which will allow operating in that terminal even with adverse weather conditions and low visibility.
The "Chapelco Project", as this initiative was called, involves the application of autonomous satellite navigation techniques, which allow completing the more complex and precise operations in the world without the need for terrestrial radio navigation systems.
"We are proud of this new technology, created with the effort and ingenuity of our flag carrier. Initiatives like this are what make travel conditions improve, helping to connect Argentines with each other more and more and better" said Guillermo Dietrich, Minister of Transport of the Nation.
For her part, Isela Costantini, President of the Aerolíneas Group said, “Our priority as flag carrier is to offer a quality and sustainable service. This is why we are today taking another step forward by implementing advanced technology that allows minimizing delays and cancellations, consolidating our safety standards and protecting the environment by reducing fuel consumption, which in turn implies an important saving for the company".
The Minister of Production and Tourism of the province of Neuquén, José Brillo, stressed that "the fact that the Aerolineas Argentinas flights begin to be operated with this new instrument, will allow reducing the uncertainty of landing of over 25% currently registered, to about 3%".
The system is based on a new PBN airspace concept - Performance Based Navigation - being Chapelco airport the first in the country to operate with this procedure, which was developed by a multi- and interdisciplinary team of professionals of the flag carrier, composed of pilots, fleet managers, dispatchers, engineers, technicians, mechanics and airspace designers. "This system fills us with pride because it is a 100% Argentine initiative, which makes an operational contribution to the efficient development of our flights" Eduardo Ravera, area manager responsible for the Aerolineas Argentinas’ technical team.
It is important to note that this new system is designed according to each airport’s specific characteristics, but overall the benefits are:
Organization of the air traffc
Autonomy from the terrestrial radio navigation aids service
Improvement of the operationtal safety
Minimization of delays or cancellations
Reduction of the company’s operating costs
Reduction of CO2 emissions
Limitations for operating with conventional procedures caused that 25% of the scheduled flights to Aviador Carlos Campos Airport were canceled or delayed last year. With this new system it is estimated that only 3% of the flights could suffer any changes
Buenos Aires, May 6, 2016