Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: The Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre of UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is the first in the world to implement the Air Traffic Services Message Handling System (AMHS) and link three states in the Middle East.
In 2009, the UAE became the first in the Middle East to electronically link AMHS with Oman. In January 2010, it became the first in Asia and Europe to establish a second electronic link with Jordan, and it is the first in the world to establish a third electronic link with Qatar in April.
Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of GCAA said in this occasion: "Our aim is to make the UAE a global link and a point of reference for other countries in the region in respect of air navigation services, applications and technology. Since the Sheikh Zayed Centre was opened in November 2009, it has gone several steps in terms of communications with world countries. The UAE's experience, being the first worldwide, will be presented at the meeting on message handling systems to be held in Paris next June".
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About AMHS:
AMHS is a modern electronic messaging system used to transfer and deliver air traffic flight related safety and emergency information among the members of the global air traffic control community.
All messages carried by AMHS and AFTN are defined by ICAO and are used by:
• Air Traffic Controllers
• Airports
• Airlines and flight staff
• Meteorological Offices
• Emergency services
A variety of information is carried in these messages:
• Flight Plans & their related take off slot allocations
• Air Traffic Services Information
• Meteorological forecasts
• Emergency signals
AMHS supercedes the older AFTN which has been in operation since 1930, and which has serious limitations on the type of information that it can carry. Over time, the AFTN will be replaced by AMHS technology. During this transition period, it will be necessary to have the two systems interconnected with each other using AFTN<>AMHS gateways as specified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation in ICAO Document 9880.
Why AMHS?
As pointed out earlier, the AFTN is an old technology which is not based on modern standards, and has no market outside the air traffic control community. The market is therefore very small. This means that the costs associated with AFTN supply and procurement are relatively high.
Furthermore, AFTN technology is based on the Telex protocols, and is severely limited with regards to messaging functionality and the types of information that its messages can carry (e.g. it can carry text only in either IA5 or ITA2 form, and of a length of maximum 1800 characters).
AMHS, on the other hand, has a much higher functionality (which includes Security and Directory access facilities), and the messages can carry any kind of digital information, including text, graphics, images, files, databases, audio and video. It can expand the type and functionality of messages to support a wider range of air traffic control messaging requirements within a standardised framework.
For more information please contact
Hanan El Moussa,
PR & Communications Manager
GCAA Tel: 009714-2111596
Fax: 009714-2111563 Email: hmoussa@gcaa.ae
© Press Release 2010
