The entire flight information region (FIR) of Papua New Guinea – from the ground to 60,000 feet – will use Aireon space-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data to manage aircraft, under an agreement signed by NiuSky Pacific Limited (NSPL), the air navigation service provider of Papua New Guinea, and Aireon.
Papua New Guinea has been operational since 2021 with Aireon for the upper-level airspace, and now that coverage area has been expanded to the lower-level airspace to encompass the entire Port Moresby FIR, which spans 1.6 million square kilometers.
Aireon’s space-based ADS-B data has been particularly beneficial for operations in the Papua New Guinea airspace, due to the mixed antenna equipage of the diverse aircraft fleet operating in the area and the challenging terrain and weather in the region. In 2022, NSPL began using space-based ADS-B in the application of a surveillance-based separation standard of 20 nautical miles, which has enabled flexible routing throughout the airspace.
“I would like to commend NiuSky Pacific Limited for their innovative leadership in their support of space-based ADS-B in the region. The expanded use of Aireon data to lower-level airspace unlocks a great deal of potential for further operational efficiencies for Papua New Guinea airspace users,” said Don Thoma, Aireon CEO.
“NSPL is committed to safety and the use of Aireon’s space-based ADS-B at lower altitudes in Papua New Guinea’s mountainous airspace offers unique advantages over our current ground-based coverage. Aireon’s space-based ADS-B provides uninterrupted surveillance coverage across PNG’s airspace, improves flight safety, enables better emergency response and increased chances of successful rescue and recovery operations,” said Jordan Imal, acting Managing Director NiuSky Pacific.
