MINSK, 1 August (BelTA) – A new air traffic control center will be put into operation in the Sokol neighborhood near Minsk in late 2018, BelTA learned from the Respublika newspaper.
According to Valeryan Grod, head of the traffic department of the Belarusian air traffic control enterprise Belaeronavigatsia, today flights over Belarus are guided by the company's Minsk District air traffic control center and the air traffic control center in Minsk National Airport. Belaeronavigatsia also operates regional divisions located at other civilian airfields across the country. “Regional ATC centers will soon delegate a part of their authority to the new center. They will guide flights within a 60-100km radius at altitudes up to 4,500m. The most evident advantage of this process is that the new ATC in Sokol will control virtually the entire sky above Belarus,” Valeryan Grod noted.
The Sokol neighborhood is home to many ATC specialists. The new center is expected to employ some 400 people. The facility will be equipped with cutting-edge equipment and will be one of the best in Europe.
According to Valeryan Grod, once the center becomes operational, it will help optimize the airspace structure, enhance air navigation services, and promote air security. All these things will boost Belarus' transit potential, Valeryan Grod added.
Initially, the project was estimated at Br87.5 million. Specialists expect that the project will pay off in eight years.
Valeryan Grod recalled that at present there are 56 routes that air carriers can use to cross the Belarusian air space. They make up a total of nearly 22,000 kilometers. The main users of the Belarusian air space are Russian and European air carriers (70% in total). The Belarusian share is as small as 10%. About 750 aircrafts cross the Belarusian air space daily. In 2016, their total amount reached 280,000. Experts forecast that this number will grow. Every aircraft requires control. The new center will be built near Minsk for the sake of common security and profit, the newspaper summarizes.
