Project Name: A-SMGCS (Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System)

Description:

An A-SMGCS consists of the provision of guidance to, and control or regulation of, all aircraft, ground vehicle and personnel on the manoeuvring area of an aerodrome. Guidance relates to facilities, information and advice necessary to enable the pilots of an aircraft or the drivers of ground vehicle to find their way on the aerodrome and to keep the aircraft or vehicles on the surfaces or within the areas intended for their use. Control or regulation means the measures necessary to prevent collisions and to ensure that the traffic flows smoothly and freely.

Background:

An A-SMGCS must provide guidance to, and control or regulation of an aircraft from the landing runway to the parking position on the apron and back again to the take-off runway, as well as their movement on the aerodrome surface as from a maintenance area apron, or from apron to apron. This will include authorised or unauthorised persons on the manoeuvring area.

The provision for the acquisition and installation of an A-SMGCS at OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports were realised with Tender No. R58/200. This Tender was awarded to Siemens, who as an integrator of various sub systems will provide the full A-SMGCS system. 

Benefits:

The A-SMGCS will provide the following:

  • Enhance the safety and capacity at both airports.
  • Provide continuous detection, tracking, monitoring and display of aircraft, vehicles, people, animals and obstruction positions on and near the surface of all airport movement areas including grass areas.
  • All vehicles on the airport infield areas will also be detected and tracked.
  • Coverage will be provided on all manoeuvring areas and for 200m adjacent to manoeuvring areas and on other operational and approach areas.
  • Provide controllers with accurate information to assist with the control or regulation of all aircraft, on or near the surfaces as outlined previously, on high resolution colour displays. It will also provide the tools, facilities and information for guidance and routing.
  • Meet operational requirements in reduced visibility conditions such as heavy rain, smoke and fog.

Status:

  • Installations and Technical Site Acceptance has been completed at both airports.
  • Customization and software updates are being conducted in order to optimize the system.
  • Procedures and Safety Case are currently in the process of finalisation.