The Cape Town and Johannesburg Flight Information Regions (FIR) for which Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) of South Africa are responsible are massive – comprising more than 6 percent of the world’s airspace.  

ATNS provides air traffic, navigation, training, and associated services within South Africa and a large part of the Southern Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Being a vital piece of traffic in the southern hemisphere required safety and technological enhancements to maintain South Africa’s high standard of operational safety. 

ATNS went operational with Aireon data across its two FIRs in 2023 after a thorough and in-depth testing and implementation process. Since then, the ANSP has been investigating ways they can use that space-based data to reduce separation and increase capacity in their airspace.