Mode S Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) which was eventually installed after one year of long work jointly by JICCA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is waiting for the calibration flight. The Radar system is planned to replace the previous 18 years old transmission system located in TIA.
CAAN and JICCA together cordially have installed two Mode S Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar system one in at TIA section and the other at Bhatte Danda for accessing the air operation in the region with the latest transmission system. The newly installed system is currently under test and only will come into operation after the approval of calibration flight.
CAAN had earlier called global tender two times for the calibration flight but had failed to receive a single bid on both occasions. Hence CAAN analyzing none being interested in the tender had approached FAA for the calibration flight. FAA is expert and pioneering in Radar testing and the reports published by them are more elaborative comparing it with any other authorities, we can rely on them for complete information, stated Mr. Birendra Prasad Shrestha Deputy Director General & Spokesperson at CAAN.
As been stated by the authorities from CAAN the calibration has been scheduled to be conducted by 22-25 this month but the approval from US Government and FAA is the matter of concern. The calibration flight was earlier scheduled to be conducted in March but was delayed.
As been informed US Government has requested FAA for overtaking the calibration flight with Government to Government agreement between Nepal and US. The foreign ministry of Nepal is currently working on to draft the agreement to the Government of US. Soon after the agreement is complemented FAA and CAAN will finalize the Memorandum of Understanding for the calibration flight.
The targeted cost for the calibration flight is more over two crores of Nepalese currency. Once the agreement is completed jet aircraft with hi-tech equipment from the US will land at TIA to take on the testing of Mode S Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) signal at an altitude of 40000 plus feet of elevation.
FAA Mode S Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) test is scheduled to take two days for the complete elaborate reports. Hence the radar will come in regular operation once the calibration flight is successful, reported Er. Sanjeev Singh Kathayat, Project Head of Radar Project for CAAN.
The radar installation work is accomplished with 1 billion of Nepalese Currency. The radar installation project was aided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as part of the broader Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) modernization project.
The new Mode S Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) can monitor the aircraft up to 200 nautical miles. Its range reaches it’s extending up to Dang in the west, and covers up the aerospace of entire eastern, northern and southern parts of the country whereas, the current existing 18 years old outdated radar’s range can only reach up to 60 nautical miles. The radar had also been troubling the air operation with errors at TIA.
