ITU WORLD RADIO COMMUNICATION CONFERENCE APPROVES RADIO SPECTRUM FOR GLOBAL FLIGHT TRACKING

Tanzania Delegation following discussion on the agreed radio frequency for flight tracking.

By Innocent Mungy, Geneva, 11 November 2015 – Yesterday, an agreement was reached at the World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva, Switzerland on the allocation of radio frequency spectrum for global flight tracking system in civil aviation. The system is expected to be in operation by 2017.

It was agreed that the frequency band 1087.7-1092.3 MHz to be allocated to the aeronautical mobile-satellite service (Earth-to-space) for reception by space stations of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) emissions from aircraft transmitters.

The frequency band 1087.7-1092.3 MHz is currently being utilized for the transmission of ADS-B signals from aircraft to terrestrial stations within line-of-sight. The World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) has now allocated this frequency band in the Earth-to-space direction to enable transmissions from aircraft to satellites. This extends ADS-B signals beyond line-of-sight to facilitate reporting the position of aircraft equipped with ADS-B anywhere in the world, including oceanic, polar and other remote areas.

WRC-15 recognized that as the standards and recommended practices (SARP) for systems enabling position determination and tracking of aircraft are developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the performance criteria for satellite reception of ADS-B signals will also need to be addressed by ICAO.

This agreement follows the disappearance and tragic loss of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 in March 2014 with 239 people on board, which spurred worldwide discussions on global flight tracking and the need for coordinated action by ITU and other relevant organizations.

In its special meeting on global flight tracking, which took place in Montréal, 12-13 May 2014, ICAO encouraged ITU to take urgent action to provide the necessary spectrum allocations for satellites to support emerging aviation needs. In October 2014, the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference meeting in Busan, Republic of Korea, instructed WRC-15 to consider global flight tracking in its agenda.

Speaking at the Conference, The ITU Secretary General Houlin Zhao, said, “In reaching this agreement at WRC-15, ITU has responded in record time to the expectations of the global community on the major issue concerning global flight tracking,”. He further said that ITU will continue to make every effort to improve flight tracking for civil aviation.

“The allocation of frequencies for reception of ADS-B signals from aircraft by space stations will enable real-time tracking of aircraft anywhere in the world,” said François Rancy, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau. “We will continue to work with ICAO and other international organizations to enhance safety in the skies.”

This agreement extends ADS-B signals beyond line-of-sight to facilitate reporting the position of aircraft equipped with ADS-B anywhere in the world, including oceanic, polar and other remote areas.

A majority of the earth’s aerospace over 70 per cent of it, is not tracked by any device, any radar or any type of capability. The agreement is a response by the world community to the Malaysia MH370 tragedy, where they weren’t able to find an aircraft because there weren’t adequate means for tracking the aircraft. This decision is an action taken to help prevent that from happening again.

The TCRA Deputy Director for Spectrum Management Eng. Khatibu Othman said this development will allow an aircraft to be tracked anywhere in the world, provide realtime information to air traffic controllers in order to improve the safety and the efficiency of air travel around the world. “Tanzania airspace as well as passengers on aircrafts all over the world will be safe. Our country supported this Resolution in order to ensure our skies are safe and aircrafts are traced wherever they are,” said Eng. Othman Khatibu.

When interviewed, Mrs. Valentina Kayombo, a delegate from Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority said there are three main benefits for tracking an aircraft from satellite, given the frequencies allocated in this Conference. The first and foremost is improved safety in the sense that real time location and identification of flight in distress will be enhanced.

She further said another benefit by providing that capability will facilitate the exercise of search and rescue in remote areas which are beyond radar coverage because it will be easy to note exactly the location of the event area. She added that, by allocating frequencies for Global Flight Tracking it shows that aviation safety is a commitment in partnership.

Eng. Samson Mwela, a delegate from Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology Tanzania, said by the way the majority of all ITU member country agreement to allocate frequency for tracking aircrafts shows the seriousness and importance safety of air travel in the world.

World radiocommunication conferences (WRC) are held every three to four years. It is the job of WRC to review, and, if necessary, revise the Radio Regulations, the international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and the geostationary-satellite and non-geostationary-satellite orbits. Revisions are made on the basis of an agenda determined by the ITU Council, which takes into account recommendations made by previous world radiocommunication conferences. The meeting started on 2nd November and expected to end on 27th November 2015 wherer member countries will sign agreements arising from WRC 2015.

Tanzania is represented in the Conference with delegates from Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, Ministry of Infrastructure of Zanzibar, TCAA, TCRA, TMAA, TTCL and other stakeholders. The Conference has brought about 3000 delegates from around the world. The Head of delegation for Tanzania is Ambassador Extra Ordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of United Republic of Tanzania to UN in Geneva, Switzerland.