NLR to advise on expansion of Taiwanese airport
24 February 2008
NLR is going to advise Taiwan's largest airport, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TTIA), in the areas of training and air traffic control systems.
NLR will advise the Taipei airport on Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (A-SMGCS). These are systems that help traffic control tower personnel to track aircraft under any weather conditions. NLR will act as a consultant with regard to the development and purchasing of the systems that are also critical to safety during runway and taxiway improvements.
NLR consultants will also advise TTIA on training for airport personnel. What kind of training do air traffic controllers and maintenance personnel at the Taiwanese airport need? Or aircraft handlers?
The services will be provided on behalf of NACO (Netherlands Airport Consultants BV), the company that was recently awarded a consultancy contract with an investment value of €150 million for improving and expanding the runways and taxiways of the Taiwanese airport. NACO selected NLR to handle part of the contract because of NLR's expertise and experience in the research and development of training programmes and air traffic control systems.
The work started on 1 January 2008 and will continue for about five years. NLR will be actively involved during primarily the first 18 months since this period includes the design stage. Other partners include Taiwan-based Moh and Associates (MAA) and To70, a Dutch-Australian firm. They will be responsible for the renovation and extension of existing runways for takeoff and landing, the renovation of all taxiways, and the upgrading of landing systems (ILS). The NACO consortium acquired this contract following fierce competition with three competing American consortia.
