Increased air traffic and tighter time schedules make it necessary to control 
every movement within and around an airport. All ground vehicles and
aircraft must be kept at a certain distance apart, especially in low visibility. Therefore, developing an integrated system that not only controls ground movements, but also air traffic close to the airport, is of the highest interest.
The answer to this need is A-SMGCS, Advanced Surface Movement
Guidance and Control System, as described by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
More so than current systems, A-SMGCS will rely on automated processes
to give pilots and air traffic controllers information on positioning and directions.
The main difference from the situation today is that every ground and air
movement can be monitored and controlled within one superior system. This will make airports incorporating A-SMGCS both safer and more effective.
Safegate Group delivers complete A-SMGCS solutions as well as vital parts pertaining to it. Let us make your airport ready for tomorrow – today.
How does Safegate Group support A-SMGCS?
Level 1 – Improved surveillance and procedures
The aim is to make use of improved surveillance and procedures covering the maneuvering area for ground vehicles and the movement area for aircraft. The procedures include identification and the issuance of ATC instructions and clearances. The controllers are given traffic position and identity information that is an important step forward from the traditional Surface Movement Radar (SMR) image.
Safegate Group supports:
In level 1 there are no requirements on the airfield lighting system. But airports at Level 1 normally operate at CAT II-III which Safegate Group can support with compliance to ICAO requirements for the airfield lights.
Level 2 – Adding safety nets
The next step is to add safety nets to protect runways, designated areas and the associated procedures. Appropriate alerts are generated for the controllers in case of conflicts between vehicles on runways or incursion of aircraft onto designated restricted areas.
Safegate Group supports:
Control and monitoring of stop bars and lead-on segments interconnected with local sensors provides real-time guidance to drivers and pilots, and real time status to Air Traffic Control. This gives a basic control capability that covers the most critical areas of guidance and routing. The solution helps preventing runway incursions, simplify maintenance and increase traffic flow density.
Level 3 – Detection of all conflicts
This level involves the detection of all conflicts on the movement area as well as improved guidance and planning for use by controllers. In practice, level 3 is often translated into pre-defined routing, and this is believed to require an extensive investment.
Safegate Group supports:
Just by adding a small modem to each fitting and defining segments in software, the airport gets a flexibility that enables quick and easy adaptation to various operating conditions.
Level 4 – Conflict resolution, automatic planning and guidance
The last level of A-SMGCS involves resolutions of all conflicts, automatic planning and automatic guidance for the pilots and the controllers.
Safegate Group supports:
When it comes to light fittings and pilot guidance, level 4 is easy to reach for airports already operating at level 3. By simply adding an interface in connection with the ground radar, the airport gets automatic routing. And when building a new airport, level 3 and 4 can be achieved at a even lower cost compared to a typical AFL system due to software-based segments for lamp control.
Why is it important to secure an airport for the future?
Aiming at higher CAT
Planning for A-SMGCS
Pre-defined routing
Minimising maintenance
Add stopbars, RGL, lead-on etc
Utilise existing CCRs for new projects
Possibility of additional power and CO2 savings
