Avinor selects Sensis ADS-B for tracking helicopters
Avinor has chosen Sensis ADS-B for surveillance of helicopters serving oil and gas platforms off Norway
Avinor AS, the Air
Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) for Norway, has selected Sensis Corporation
to deploy an Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) system for
the surveillance of helicopter traffic serving oil and gas platforms in the
Norwegian part of the North Sea.
Presently the Ekofisk
airspace, with over 160,000 annual helicopter passengers served by Stavanger Airport, uses Avinor’s Modified –
Automatic Dependent Surveillance (a propriety system that employs GPS and a
geostationary satellite communications link) and partial radar coverage to
provide Flight Information Service and Alerting Service. With the Sensis ADS-B
deployment, the airspace will be upgraded to support Air Traffic Control
Service with a minimum separation of five nautical miles. The ADS-B system will
consist of a number of ground stations established at both offshore and onshore
installations. The ADS-B technology complements the surface multilateration
surveillance system Sensis is delivering to Bergen Airport.
“Enhancing the safety
of helicopter traffic in these busy areas is of highest importance to
Avinor,” said Knut Skaar, chief executive Avinor ANS. “Sensis
delivered the economically most advantageous tender for the delivery of said
systems, and based upon the company’s technical solution and proven track
record in deploying oil and gas platform surveillance systems, we believe that
the Sensis’ solution also will contribute to Avinor’s continuous efforts in
order to improve safety.”
“Sensis is the industry’s proven leader in delivering next generation
surveillance systems in one of the world’s the toughest environments – offshore
oil and gas platforms,” said Ken Kaminski, vice president and general
manager of Sensis Air Traffic Systems. “The ADS-B system will provide
Avinor air traffic controllers with highly accurate location and identification
of helicopter flights at all times to improve safety and provide precise
location information in the event of search and rescue operations.”
