Sydney Surface Movement Radar Upgrade (A-SMGCS)

[Will T]

A 30m tall temporary Surface Movement Radar (SMR) mast will soon be erected in the controllers' 'barbeque area' adjacent to the Old Control Tower/TCU Building at the Beach. This will enable the SMR on top of the new control tower to be removed and replaced with a new system as part of a broader Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS). The temporary SMR will be dismantled by March 2009. Melbourne regulars will have noticed similar installations down there recently.

Here's a bit more information (courtesy AsA)...

A-SMGCS is an air traffic surveillance system that enables aircraft and vehicles on the airport surface to be accurately tracked in all visibility conditions by air traffic control. A-SMGCS will enhance runway safety and is expected to lead to fewer runway incursions, lower likelihood of collision on the surface and improved ATC situational awareness. The A-SMGCS installation at Sydney will replace the existing Tower Data Processing and Display System (TDPDS) and Surface Movement Radar (SMR) which is located on top of the ATC tower.

A-SMGCS utilises multiple surveillance sources; SMR, multilateration, ADS-B and the existing Terminal Area Radar (TAR) to provide a comprehensive surveillance picture of the airport surface as well as airspace up to 50 Nm surrounding the airport. The surveillance data is combined with information about aircraft and vehicles and then presented as labelled icons on a map of the airport to air traffic control in the ATC tower. Where aircraft and/or vehicles are likely to be in conflict, an alert is provided to the air traffic controller for resolution.

Once the A-SMGCS is commissioned using the temporary SMR, the existing SMR will be removed and a new SMR will be installed on top of the ATC tower. The new SMR on top of the ATC tower will be tested and integrated with the remaining A-SMGCS equipment prior to final commissioning of the Sydney ASMGCS. Once this work has been completed, the temporary SMR will be removed.

The site of the temporary SMR was selected based on the requirement for the SMR to have visibility of all runway and taxiways and for the 30m tower to remain below the Obstacle Limitation Surface.