Birmingham Airport's new radar fully operational
Above: (left to right) development director Will Heynes alongside development and infrastructure manager Andrew McConnachie.
The new state-of-the-art radar will allow air traffic controllers to survey the sky in greater detail, detecting the range and direction of aircraft within a 60 nautical mile radius.
Standing 36 metres high, this latest addition to the airport’s impressive infrastructure represents an investment of over £2.2 million.
The Star 2000 primary surveillance radar from Thales is one of the world’s most advanced radars, and replaces the previous system which was nearing the end of its operational life.
Will Heynes, development director at Birmingham Airport has overseen the project from the beginning. He said: “It’s great to see our new radar complete and fully operational. This represents yet another step forward for the airport. The new equipment is a vital part of the state-of-the-art air traffic control system that we are developing.
“As part of this improvement scheme, we also took the decision to reposition the new radar tower within the airport’s Long Stay car park after many months of careful planning. This site was purposely chosen to minimise any impact on local communities.
“With work on the runway extension well underway, this is an exciting time of growth for the airport.”
Kevin Tolcher, general manager for Air Traffic Management at Thales UK, said: “Birmingham Airport now has a world-class radar system that can better support its effective air traffic management. The successful delivery and installation of the Thales STAR 2000 primary surveillance radar will provide air traffic controllers with the information they need to ensure safe and efficient operations during en-route, approach and airport movements.”
