The Instrument Landing System (ILS) of the Fortaleza International Airport – Pinto Martins (CE) was completely replaced by the Commission for the Implementation of the Airspace Control System (CISCEA), in a long process that ended last Friday, May 20th.
The ILS is an instrument approach system that gives precise guidance to the plane that is on the final approach to a given runway, especially when the aerodrome has adverse weather conditions.
The system is based on the transmission of radio signals that are received, processed and displayed on the aircraft's on-board instruments and consists of two different systems: one of them guides the aircraft to land on the runway axis ("Localizer"), and the other guides the proper descent angle (“Glide Slope”), thus providing a safe landing.
In addition to the ILS System, the Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) was replaced, which allows the replacement of the External (OM) and Medium (MM) Markers, equipment that is part of the system, eliminating safety problems and difficulties in maintaining these sites, since these installations, due to the distance from the airfield, are located in remote and isolated locations, subject to acts of vandalism.
The ILS was replaced due to the obsolescence of the equipment and the need to reposition the “Glide Slope”, due to the extension of the runway, carried out by the airport concessionaire, in a detailed planning that included the evaluation of the local meteorology history, of so as not to impact aerodrome operations.
The Instituto de Cartografia Aeronáutica (ICA) participated in the replacement process, which surveyed the necessary geographic coordinates, the Special Group for Inspection in Flight (GEIV), which successfully measured and approved the equipment and aids for navigation and landing with analysis and approval of operational procedures – all under the technical-istrative coordination of CISCEA, which managed the project.
The forecast is that in early June 2020, the system will be released for operation by the Operations Subdepartment (SDOP) of the Airspace Control Department (DECEA).
With information DECEA.
