Upgrades To Airspace Navigation Procedures Boost Capacity By 33%-Transport Minister

Amman, May 24 (Petra) -- Jordan on Sunday marked the completion of a project to update and review navigation procedures for its airspace, reporting major gains in capacity, fuel efficiency, and flight operations.

During a ceremony coinciding with the Kingdom's 80th Independence Day, Minister of Transport Nidal Qatamin said the project, which kicked off late 2022, was implemented entirely by Jordanian teams, comprising experts in air navigation, air traffic management, and communications and navigation systems.

Qatamin noted the project increased aircraft crossing Jordanian airspace by 33%, reaching about 650 aircraft per day. It also improved air traffic efficiency and reduced airlines' operational costs by shortening air routes, flight times, and fuel consumption.

The updates aimed to redesign arrival and departure procedures using satellite-based navigation technologies and modernize approach procedures at the Kingdom's main airports in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, he added.

He said the project also focused on reactivating the instrument landing system for Runway 19 at King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba after years of suspension, enhancing safety and operational reliability under various weather conditions.

According to operational simulation results, the project reduced fuel consumption by 17%, improved air route efficiency by 12%, cut departure delays by up to 62%, and increased airspace capacity by 33%.

Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) Chairman Daifallah Farajat said the project, worth over JD2 million, goes beyond technical upgrades by reshaping Jordan's airspace system to make it more efficient, safe, and sustainable.

He said the reengineering of air routes helped lower aircraft transit time through Jordanian airspace by up to 15 minutes through more direct routes and more efficient flight operations, enhancing the appeal of Jordanian airspace as a key regional corridor for international airlines.

//Petra// AO

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