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Selex ES Inc. recently partnered with Airport Technology to discuss ground-based navigation aids (NAVAIDs) and the importance of modernizing and maintaining these critical systems for safe air travel.
Here are a few soundbites from Selex experts in the article, America’s aging NAVAID infrastructure: should we be concerned?:
- “With the increased amount of GPS jamming interference throughout the world, the ground-based systems are now in the forefront of safely navigating planes to and from airports,” says Terry Thomas, vice president of programs at Selex, a leading American manufacturer of communication, navigation, and surveillance equipment.
- “The United States airspace is quite unique as compared to the rest of the world,” adds Kenneth Cleveland, Selex’s vice president of sales and marketing. “We have the largest and most crowded general aviation airspace. Many aircraft rely on ground-based systems, not just for a backup but also as a primary use of navigation. Overall, the ground-based infrastructure is critical based upon the geography of the United States and the number of remote locations that have airports.”
- “The design life of these NAVAIDS is around 20 years, but they often last 30 and sometimes 40 years. On average, our international customers replace theirs every 15 to 20 years,” says Jennifer Campbell, Selex’s director of government programs for air traffic management.
