“According to our maintenance people--the technicians who maintain the radar-- they expect it to be operational by Monday or Tuesday,” said Atty. Tony Gonzales, head of CAAP’s Air Traffic Service.

 

Gonzales said they are temporarily using the Manila Approach Terminal Radar to aid Manila controllers with air traffic control.

 

“'Yung bright display na nasa tower ngayon ay aid lang po yan. Kumbaga, it is desirable but not necessary in the provision of air traffic control,” said Gonzales. 

 

Gonzales clarified that the defective system is not a tower, but a terminal radar display.

 

“It is not a tower radar data display. It is a terminal radar data display. Maliit lang 'yung factor nito doon sa sinasabi nating safety dahil hindi naman talaga ito 'yung nire-relay basically ng isang aerodome controller. Ang isang aerodome controller, kagaya ng nasa tower, ay nagre-rely lang talaga sa kanyang nakikita niya sa eroplano within a radius of 5 nautical miles,” he explained.

 

On Friday, sources reported that the tower radar data display has been defective since December 26. The TRDD is used by air traffic controllers to identify all aircraft that are within the 60 mile-radius of the aerodome surrounding Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

 

Meanwhile, Gonzales also clarified that a 25 percent increase in flights, and not the defective equipment, contributed to the flight delays at NAIA.

 

“Hindi po 'yan ang cause ng delay dahil previous to this season, siguro from January to November, ang pinakamataas na na-record na landing and takeoff was only 710. Now this reached 900 this season, in December. Ibig sabihin, there was an increase of 25 percent of flights. So, 'yun ang cause ng delay hindi po 'yung sinasabing bright display na nag-bog down sa Manila Tower,” he said.

 

Gonzales said they need to divert some flights and regulate air traffic to ease the congestion.

 

“Marami na po talaga ang traffic. Ibig sabihin, super congested na talaga,” he said. ANC