Dublin opts for flexible surveillance

Dublin International Airport has selected MSS, a multilateration surface surveillance system manufactured by Era Corp. The procurement is part of a €100 million (US$132 million) investment by the Irish Aviation Authority to improve the country’s aviation infrastructure.

Dublin, already one of Europe's busiest airports, is experiencing rapid growth, with a new terminal and piers with additional apron space. The airport has plans for additional infrastructure, including parallel runways, so the flexibility of a multilateration solution was an important consideration in choosing a surface surveillance system. Era says that MSS provides higher accuracy, greater update rates, better coverage and improved reliability when compared to conventional radar, and will do so at a much lower initial cost and with lower annual maintenance costs.

Recently, MSS was recognized by Jane's Information Group, which presented Era with the Development Award at the ATC Maastricht Awards ceremony. The award recognizes Era's achievement in wide area multilateration, specifically for their deployment in Ostrava, Czech Republic for the Czech ANS.