Georgia Prime Minister George Kvirikashvili opens new ATC building in Tbilisi. Credit: Georgian Air Navigation.

Georgian air navigation services provider Sakaeronavigatsia has opened a new Air Traffic Centre (ATC) building and a training centre at Tbilisi International Airport.

Sakaeronavigatsia’s decision to build a new ATC centre is aimed at addressing the growth of air traffic in Georgia.

Georgia Prime Minister George Kvirikashvili said that the opening is another step forward to increase flight safety and to develop the ATC industry in the country.

Spanish company Indra manufactured a new, modern system which has been installed in the new ATC centre, which also features voice communication provided by Italian company SITTI.

“INDRA’s new system will give the company an opportunity to move from the existing two-sector level to three-sector level, which will further increase the capacity of the airspace of Georgia.”

Equipped with dual protection, Indra’s new system can be activated in seconds in case of a problem and this process will be a completely unnoticed procedure for the air traffic controllers.

It will also feature a third additional protection, a reserve that is independent from the system and installed in Kutaisi, which completely excludes delay in the working process.

Sakaeronavigatsia director general Gocha Mezvrishvili said: “Switching to a new ATC system will enable Sakaeronavigatsia to introduce even more innovations. INDRA’s new system will give the company an opportunity to move from the existing two-sector level to three-sector level, which will further increase the capacity of the airspace of Georgia.

“It will also become possible to activate so-called upper sector, where aircraft of transit or distant routes are flying, which will also be an innovation for the Georgian aviation.”

The training centre is fitted with Indra’s latest 3D ATC simulator, with which the air traffic controllers will undergo practical training.

Built to meet full compliance with the European standards, the centre features ceiling and heating-cooling system.

The building has been designed by architectural company LEBO, while the civil works were carried out by construction company Dagi.