To prevent the repeat of the New Year's Day technical glitch involving the electrical networks of CAAP's UPS, the aviation regulator will hold a two-day maintenance at ATMC.
The country’s aviation regulator will hold a two-day scheduled maintenance at the Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) to ensure an efficient air traffic system.
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said the two-day technical upgrade on May 3 and on May 17, 2023 would involve the Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and replacement of the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). The replacement sought to ensure that the UPS would function well and prevent power failures. There would also be an upgrade of the Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) A/B power supply.
The ATMS facility houses the Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) system which manages and supervises the air traffic activities within the Philippine Flight Information Region (FIR).
According to CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio, the operations of the ATMS will be suspended from 2 a.m. until 4 a.m. on May 3, and 12 midnight until 6 a.m. on May 17, 2023.
He said the agency would issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to facilitate the scheduled work at the ATMC.
No flights would be affected during the 2 am-4 pm repairs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
However, flights would only be affected during the maintenance scheduled at 12 midnight until 6 a.m. on May 17.
Airlines were advised to adjust their operations on May 17, but CAAP said if the maintenance was finished earlier than expected normal flights would commence as early as possible.
Apolonio explained that the ATMS power supply upgrade would involve the installation of a bypass panel to provide seamless ATMS operation and the reconfiguration of the existing distribution panel to segregate ATM system A (voice) and ATM system B (data).The UPS and AVR can then serve as backup to each other in case of power supply interruption.
The maintenance would also affect flights at the Clark International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, as well as at other 42 CAAP commercially operated airports.
The CAAP has already sent notices to Manila International Airport Authority, Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp., and GMR - Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation in advance regarding the maintenance.
The CAAP said it "assures the public that once the maintenance activity is completed, operations at the ATMC will resume as normal and will allow CAAP-ATMC to serve the flying public better and ensure continued flight safety. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation in ensuring the safety and efficiency of our traffic management system."
On New Year's Day, CAAP's UPS broke down, leaving CNS/ATM powerless.
The technical glitch also saw the cancellation of domestic and international flights at the country's main gateway and other airports prompting the holding of a Senate investigation into the fiasco.
Tags: #maintenanceactivity, #atmsfacility, #caap, #repairandreplacement