There is nothing new in the perception of inadequacy in African and Third-World air-traffic control (ATC) - merely in the articulation of that perception. The major international bodies (the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) have long known not only about the problems, but waned to do something about them.
They have even quietly suggested providing funds and the equipment needed to upgrade services, but have never succeeded , because, in most cases, they cannot get guarantees from the countries concerned that the resources so given will, in fact, be employed in improving ATC services.
So far, there has been no public fuss about either the inadequacy of the current ATC services or about the lack of success in helping upgrades, for fear of alienating the countries which are at fault.
Now, the International Federation of Airline Pilots Associations has said the unsayable: there is a problem, and the international community had better do something about it or pilots will not fly over these areas. Far from being annoyed by such a statement, the likes of ICAO and IATA are probably vastly relieved that somebody else has brought the issue out into the open. Their relief will, however, be tinged with concern that, now, it will be up to such as them to make that "something" happen.
There are two possible solutions to this problem: one is to find a method of persuading or forcing the countries at fault to upgrade their ATC systems to (and maintain them at) an acceptable standard; the other is to find a way of bypassing these countries in ATC terms.
Persuasion has not worked so far, and is not likely to. Understanding the need for seamless, faultless ATC - far less providing it - is a long way down the priority list for a great many regimes, and gentle persuasion will not change that. This makes it difficult to accept the view of some commentators that only the nations at fault can do something about the problem. Compulsion is another issue: United Nations -backed sanctions (such as cutting off air services and foreign aid) might have the effect - but getting the UN to agree to apply sanctions over a comparatively non-urgent, non-life-threatening issue like this would be near-impossible. What can possibly be the solution, then?
If the countries at fault refuse to provide proper ATC services, let others do it for them. The technology is available, both for the ground infrastructure and for the aircraft. If a reliable automatic dependent surveillance system can be set up in the Pacific Ocean, it could certainly be set up in Africa.
There are enough "good", responsible countries which could host the ground stations; there are enough satellites to provide coverage for two-way communications; the airborne systems are available. The problem is, of course, that by international convention, one country cannot "control" (even in the sense of ATC) the sovereign airspace of another - without its consent. Would the "bad" countries give such consent? They would have a lot to gain from so doing. They would be absolved of the responsibility and expense of providing en route (although not local) ATC services. They would lose the censure for failing to provide adequate ATC.
Such consent would, of course, not be lightly given. These countries do derive income from overflights, even if they do not plough that income back into ATC services as they should by international agreement. National pride in even the most sophisticated of countries can often stand in the way of ceding real or apparent sovereignty over even the most minor of issues.
If the international community were willing to take on the task, however, it could set up trans-national bodies to provide these services. It would be such a body, not a single nation, which would then be encroaching on a particular country's airspace. With international funding, such a body could cover its operating costs and still pay each host nation a "rental" for its airspace).
The problem is then just one of persuading the international bodies to move. That persuading should come from the airlines (especially those of the "developed" world) whose reputations suffer with every incident which occurs -whether caused by ATC or not.o
"If the countries at fault refuse to provide proper ATC services, let others do it for them."
Source: Flight International
