Tangerang, CNBC Indonesia \u2014 On World Air Traffic Controller Day on\nTuesday (20 October 2026), AirNav Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to\nstrengthening national air navigation services. The commitment is being\nput into effect through the modernisation of systems at four service\ncentres, upgrades to operational facilities and the development of staff\ncompetencies.<\/p>\n
AirNav Indonesia President Director Capt.\u00a0Avirianto Suratno said the\ndevelopment was intended to support the safety, reliability and\nefficiency of services, while strengthening support for air traffic\ncontrollers (ATCs).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are delivering on that commitment through system and facility\nupgrades, stronger staff capabilities and the development of operational\nprocedures. Air traffic controllers need reliable equipment and adequate\ninformation to make sound decisions,\u201d Avirianto said in an official\nstatement on Tuesday (20 October 2026).<\/p>\n
He said AirNav had begun operating the latest-generation Air Traffic\nManagement Automation System (ATMAS) in Jakarta, Medan, Pontianak and\nBalikpapan. The system was introduced in stages from November 2025,\nculminating in its deployment at the New Jakarta Air Traffic Services\nCentre (JATSC) on 16 June 2026.<\/p>\n
The modernisation strengthens facilities for managing flights both at\ncruising altitude and as aircraft approach airports. The system includes\ntools for sequencing arrivals and departures, managing air traffic\nflows, providing aeronautical information, exchanging flight messages\nand handling voice communications.<\/p>\n
The integrated equipment and information help ATCs manage aircraft\nmovements and co-ordinate between units. Arrival and departure\nsequencing tools support service planning, while air traffic flow\nmanagement helps align flight volumes with service capacity.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur focus is on ensuring that facility development meets operational\nneeds. Equipment upgrades must go hand in hand with staff readiness and\nprocedures so that they can be used effectively in day-to-day services,\u201d\nAvirianto said.<\/p>\n
As part of its service development, AirNav is implementing Free Route\nOperation (FRTO), which allows airlines to plan more efficient routes\nbased on weather conditions and operational needs. It is being\nintroduced gradually through trials, safety risk assessments and\nco-ordination with the regulator and relevant service units.<\/p>\n
In 2025, 5,030 flights used FRTO in the Jakarta and Ujung Pandang\nflight information regions, an 82 per cent increase from 2,770 flights\nin 2024. AirNav\u2019s calculations indicate that FRTO use in 2025 saved\nairlines US$8.04 million in fuel costs and avoided 5,426 tonnes of\ncarbon dioxide emissions.<\/p>\n
AirNav Indonesia Operations Director Setio Anggoro presented the\nexperience of implementing FRTO in the archipelagic region as a\npanellist at the ICAO Air Navigation World\u2013Air Traffic Flow Management\nforum at the International Civil Aviation Organization\u2019s headquarters in\nMontreal, Canada, from 5 to 9 October 2026. His presentation covered the\nimplementation stages and the support provided by automation systems,\nprocedures and ATC expertise in handling more dynamic flight\npatterns.<\/p>\n
To strengthen staff and organisational capabilities, AirNav is also\nworking with Airservices Australia through the Indonesia Transport\nSafety Assistance Package (ITSAP). The series of workshops, which\nconcluded on 3 July 2026, covered workforce planning, air traffic\nmanagement standards, data management, flight surveillance data\nprocessing and programme management.<\/p>\n
Through ITSAP Senior Engagement, leaders from the two organisations\nalso discussed safety, service modernisation, digital transformation and\nhuman resource development. Visits to Airservices Australia\u2019s\noperational facilities formed part of an exchange of knowledge on\ntechnology deployment and service management.<\/p>\n
At regional level, AirNav hosted the inaugural ICAO APAC Project\n30\/10 Task Force meeting in Tangerang from 16 to 18 June 2026. The\nmeeting was attended by 61 delegates from 18 countries and\nrepresentatives of international organisations.<\/p>\n
Setio Anggoro, as task force chair, led discussions on a regional\nimplementation mechanism to optimise separation distances between\naircraft. The discussions covered technological readiness, operational\nprocedures and cross-border co-ordination, with the aim of using\nairspace more efficiently while continuing to meet safety\nrequirements.<\/p>\n
Avirianto said international co-operation was a way to strengthen the\ncompany\u2019s capabilities and align the development of cross-border\nservices. Indonesia\u2019s operational experience was also being discussed\nwith air navigation service providers from other countries. On World ATC\nDay, he praised all controllers for their professionalism in serving\naviation.<\/p>\n
\u201cATC professionalism must be matched by tangible support from the\ncompany. We will continue to direct the development of systems,\nfacilities and competencies towards service needs so that staff can work\nmore effectively, co-ordination improves, and aviation safety and\nefficiency are maintained,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/airnav-reaffirms-commitment-to-strengthening-indonesias-air-navigation-services-1792482664", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }