Air safety experts appear reassuring, in the wake of the incident that occurred in Cypriot airspace, where a Turkish military aircraft veered off course and came into a collision course with a Boeing passenger plane.
The activities of Turkish aircraft in the airspace controlled by the Republic of Cyprus—a situation exacerbated by Ankara’s refusal to maintain two-way communication with the Nicosia Air Traffic Control Center— as well as flight disruptions, is a long-standing phenomenon. However—as the President of the Mediterranean Flight Safety Foundation points out to Alpha—these incidents have decreased significantly in recent years.
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“I can say that technology has contributed greatly to reducing incidents caused by Turkey’s interference, which is unfortunately aimed at achieving political goals. There are instructions for pilots flying over Cyprus on how to handle this situation, and so there is, shall we say, a clear protocol for communicating with the Air Traffic Control Center.” Chrysanthos Hatzichrysanthou, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mediterranean Flight Safety Foundation
The technological upgrade applies to both the aircraft and the facilities of the Civil Aviation Department, so that such incidents can be addressed more promptly.
“The technology at the Nicosia control center has improved significantly, and new facilities have also been built in Kokkinotrimithia. Furthermore, aircraft are equipped with systems that communicate with the control center—not necessarily via radio—by sending messages, such as text messages to a phone, indicating their position, their flight path, etc.” Chrysanthos Hatzichrysanthou, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mediterranean Flight Safety Foundation
At the same time, as Mr. Hatzichrysanthou points out, both thorough training and the constant vigilance of air traffic controllers help prevent serious hazards.
Watch the report by Rafaella Stavrinou
