Ports of Jersey has awarded Micro Nav with a contract to upgrade its stimulated radar system with BEST 3D Tower capability.

Jersey’s Air Traffic Services achieved certification of its services as an Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in June 2017. It is the first ANSP directly certified by EASA.

For Ports of Jersey to deliver the quality of training needed as an ANSP, Micro Nav’s BEST simulator, with BEST Radar, BEST Talk voice communications and BEST Link stimulation capability, was approved by EASA as the training device.

To further improve the training offering, the BEST simulator has been upgraded with BEST 3D capability to provide an out-the-window view of Jersey Airport, along with an updated Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS), BEST Talk‘s accurate replication of a voice communications system and lighting panel, BEST Speech‘s speech recognition, plus EFSS and a BEST Radar display stimulation.

The BEST 3D Create package provides Ports of Jersey with powerful tools to make changes within the BEST 3D simulator as the airport continues to expand. In addition, new airport layouts and procedures can be trialled in the simulator to evaluate and support future plans.

With a remote tower ATC contingency VCR solution being installed by Frequentis at Jersey Airport, the newly installed BEST simulator will assist with its training, the simulator hardware being representative of the remote tower system.

The upgrade strengthens Ports of Jersey and Micro Nav’s relationship of more than 20 years. Over the last seven years alone, Micro Nav has delivered five projects, supporting Ports of Jersey in its drive to enhance its air traffic services and airport growth.

Les Smallwood, Manager of Air Traffic Control at Ports of Jersey, said: “This contract award is an example of how Ports of Jersey continues to invest in its airport, which is fundamental to the operation of the Island. We have contracted Micro Nav again as the specialist supplier of ATC simulators, as their experience in this field has provided us with a simulator, which not only meets our current demands, but future-proofs our business.”

“Being the first ATC simulator used for EASA ANSP certification further demonstrates the capability of the BEST product,” commented Shane Hannam, Micro Nav’s Simulation Product Manager. “By adding BEST 3D Tower capability to the BEST Radar simulator, Ports of Jersey becomes another Micro Nav customer that benefits from the scalability and flexibility of BEST. In doing so Ports of Jersey joins a worldwide group of ANSPs and airports that successfully use BEST for training, validation, testing and research, for both aerodrome and radar.”