Satellite navigation at 7 civil and 3 military airports
With 85% funding intensity and as an individual applicant, HungaroControl has been able to secure nearly 700 thousand euros in form of an INEA (Innovations and Networks Executive Agency) grant to carry out its project ‘Implementation of PBN procedures in Hungary (PBN4HU)’. Within the framework of this project performance based navigation (PBN) procedures will be designed for 7 civil and 3 military airports in Hungary. These procedures will enable airspace users to carry out satellite based navigation at those aerodromes. As an additional part of the project, a national GNSS- (GPS, Galileo and GLONASS) signal monitoring network is to be installed as well.
The success of the planned project is ensured by the concerted action of several divisions from HungaroControl. Procedure designers, financial, legal and technical experts work together in a matrix structure to achieve the goals of the project within the framework of 30 months. Within this timeframe (01/09/2017 – 29/02/2020), satellite based navigation procedures are to be designed and published at the relevant aerodromes (Békéscsaba, Debrecen, Győr-Pér, Kecskemét, Nyíregyháza, Pápa, Pécs-Pogány, Sármellék, Szeged, Szolnok), and the monitoring network is also to be procured and deployed.
As a result of the PBN4HU project, the density of airports provided with PBN accessibility will reach the level similar to that of France, the location where there are the highest number of PBN approaches available, considering the territory of the country. This puts Hungary into the frontline of PBN uptake. Similarly, by installing and operating a national GNSS signal detection and processing system, HungaroControl will dispose of a capability which is becoming ever more significant to ensure signal interference detection. With special regard to comparable systems deployed in neighbouring or closely located countries (e.g. BLUE MED FAB), further synergies might also be exploited in the long term.
After several informal, bilateral negotiations, the official Kick-off meeting of the PBN4HU project took place on the 8th November 2017 in Budapest. Besides HungaroControl staff, representatives of further key stakeholders were present as well. The meeting was honoured to welcome Astrid Mechel, the project officer from INEA, Erika Dér, Head of Civil Aviation Unit at Ministry of National Development and delegates of the Ministry of Defence, just as well as the CEF Department of the Ministry of National Development. Representatives of the airports concerned were also present, along with international specialists with ample expertise in GNSS interference monitoring. Further participants included senior researchers of the Department of Geodesy and Surveying (Budapest University of Technology and Economics) who will contribute to the success of the project with their practice in GNSS monitoring system operation.
As a first agenda item of the Kick-off meeting, the INEA project officer described the financial background of the grant. Then, the project manager of HungaroControl explained the planned schedule and further technical issues. This was complemented by the detailed discussion of the experts.