CISCEA, the Commission for Implementation of the Brazilian Air Space Control System, and FREQUENTIS celebrate major progress in ATM network programme

On 5 October 2016, two weeks of Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) were successfully completed at Frequentis headquarters in Vienna. In the presence of Major-Brigadeiro do Ar Sérgio Roberto de Almeida, President of CISCEA, this major step forward supporting the successful partnership for the Brazilian ATM network programme was celebrated. Frequentis received an award for its performance in designing, developing and implementing the nationwide network for ATM services and applications.

Frequentis’ ATM-grade IP network solution, vitalsphere, incorporates three different transmission technologies – terrestrial IP, terrestrial TDM and satellite IP – into a modern air traffic management network. The solution ensures ‘application-aware’ routing decisions for radio, telephone calls and operational data in order to provide the highest level of availability. Furthermore, it integrates administrative applications and a national management system which handles monitoring and configuration capabilities for the different subsystems.

The FAT was conducted in the presence of a delegation of CISCEA and other program partners at Vienna headquarters of Frequentis. Factory tests were performed on equipment designated for 20 sites including one area control centre, approach sites, radio sites and mobile stations. In addition to requirements verification, it included tests for bandwidth optimisation, load testing and the emulation of network impairments and security threat scenarios.

This important step and recent operational tests in the field were celebrated together with the five years partnership in implementing the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network in Brazil (ATN/Br). “The solution implemented by Frequentis enables future growth capabilities while bringing flexibility and efficiency to meet dynamic operational demands. With an enhancement of overall service levels this result in economic advantages through reduction of our wide area network component costs”, describes Tenente-Coronel André Eduardo Jansen, Director of the Technical Division at CISCEA, the benefit of vitalsphere.

During the celebration, Major-Brigadeiro do Ar Sérgio Roberto de Almeida presented an award to Hannu Juurakko, Vice President ATM Civil at Frequentis, and expressed thanks for sharing the same ideals in providing a safe and efficient telecommunication solution. “We are responsible for controlling about twenty-two million square kilometres of airspace and this next generation air traffic management network will help us to keep up with the forecasted growth in air traffic for the first decades of the 21st century”, he said.

”It is one of the most advanced aeronautical networks in the world and has been designed following the principles of safety, efficiency and flexibility. The strong engineering partnership between CISCEA and Frequentis resulted in a powerful platform supporting legacy technologies and allowing for future developments. We would like to thank the whole team on both sides and are honoured to receive this award”, added Juurakko.

Delegation from Brazil and Vienna, group picture

Major-Brigadeiro do Ar Sérgio Roberto de Almeida, President of CISCEA, and Hannu Juurakko, Vice President ATM Civil at Frequentis