Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE
Plans by Cathay Pacific Airways to equip its fleet of Airbus A340-300s with the Airbus interoperable modular future air navigation system (AIM-FANS) package have been scrapped in protest at the US Federal Aviation Administration's failure to modernise its oceanic air traffic control centres (ATCCs).
The carrier had intended to upgrade eight A340s in service and three aircraft on order to ensure compatibility with the new communication, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) system. Cathay says, however, that the plan to install AIM-FANS "-to our aircraft is now to be reviewed in the light of recent developments involving air traffic service [ATS] providers".
Cathay's action appears to be targeted, in particular, at the FAA's recent decision to again delay implementation of the CNS/ATM at its two Pacific ATCCs at Oakland and Anchorage - a move that also prompted a strong letter of complaint from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to the US authorities.
Its revised Oakland timetable now calls for the use of datalink communications on only one sector, to Fiji, by the third quarter of 1998, and there is no fixed programme planned for Anchorage until at least 2008. The last agreed date for CNS/ATM implementation at Oakland was the fourth quarter of 1997, while the Anchorage decision represents a slippage of up to ten years.
"Having invested heavily in CNS/ATM capability over the years, most of the airlines have failed to see any return on their investment," says Cathay's Paul Horsting, also chairman of IATA's Asia-Pacific regional co-ordinating group. "The procrastination by ATS providers, such as the FAA, has resulted in many airlines reconsidering their current wholehearted commitment to CNS/ATM in pure cost/benefit terms."
Most of the region's main international carriers have been retro-fitting the Boeing FANS-1 package to their 747-400 fleets since late 1995, ahead of anticipated CNS/ATM implementation.
Cathay has already completed fitting the system to all 21 747-400s in its fleet, while Singapore Airlines has also ordered AIM-FANS for its 17 A340-300s.
IATA has suggested that, unless Washington reverses its decision and sticks to commitments made by former FAA Administrator David Hinson, the International Civil Aviation Organisation should re-allocate responsibility for the Oakland and Anchorage oceanic flight information regions.
"Suitably equipped states that are prepared to provide the level of air traffic management desired should be asked to do so on the FAA's behalf," says IATA.
Source: Flight International
