Georgia buys new system for better air traffic control

Georgia is improving its flight safety standards by purchasing new technology that will increase control of the country’s airspace.

Today at the Georgia-Czech Business Forum in Tbilisi, Sakaeronavigatsia (air navigation service provider in Georgia) signed an agreement with ALES, a member of Czech business group ICZ, to purchase and install a reserve air traffic control system.

Currently Georgia’s air traffic control is provided by Spanish company Indra.

A spokesperson from Georgia’s Ministry of Economy told Agenda.ge that Indra’s air traffic control system provided top navigation services to Georgia, and the addition of the ALES reserve system will be in place "if something happens to the major system”.

Today Sakaeronavigatsia (Georgian Air Navigation) signed an agreement with ALES, a member of Czech business group ICZ, to purchase and install a reserve air traffic control system. Photo by Georgia's Ministry of Economy.

Indra and ALES experts will come to Georgia install the new systems later this year.

Last year the Government spent 15 million GEL ($6,048,387/ €5,395,683*) to replace Georgia's old air traffic control system with a new, high-tech system provided by Indra.

On another note, this afternoon the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency and Sakaeronavigatsia signed an agreement to approve the Georgian Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Implementation Plan. The plan would standardise operations to harmonise and predict flight paths, and result in aircrafts operating more efficiently, improved air safety, better fuel efficiency and more.

Also today at the Georgia-Czech Business Forum, representatives from the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Czech Chamber of Commerce signed a memorandum for closer cooperation in the business sector. The event gathered representatives from 31 Czech businesses and 85 Georgian companies.

The Business Forum aimed to allow the businessmen to network and share bilateral business ideas. Georgia's investment opportunities was spoke about by many, and both sides noted the potential for building a beer brewery in Georgia.

After the Business Forum ended the Georgian and Czech business officials held 178 business-to-business (B2B) meetings.

* Currencies are in accordance with today's National Bank of Georgia exchange rate.