MACL Inaugurates The First Air Traffic Tower Simulator At VIA

On Tuesday, Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) inaugurated the Maldives' first Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower Simulator at Velana International Airport(VIA).

At a special ceremony held at VIA’s Air Traffic Control Center, MACL's acting In-Charge, Deputy Chief Officer Ibrahim Thoha, inaugurated the Simulator. Senior officials from MACL as well as air traffic control officers attended the ceremony.

Developed through a budget of MVR 4 million, the simulator has the capacity to simulate all airports in the Maldives and airspace traffic.

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The simulator will strengthen the company's efforts to train air traffic control officers. Refresher training is required by regulation as part of air traffic controller continuation training following the acquisition of the ATC license in order to enhance and maintain the controller's knowledge and skills. The newly installed Tower Simulator will enable refresher trainings to be conducted by simulating the real-world traffic situation at any Maldives airport. This also provides an excellent opportunity for youths interested in pursuing careers in air traffic control.

Installed and commissioned using cutting-edge simulator technology, this simulator significantly reduces the current costs associated with training Air Traffic control officers from abroad. If conducted abroad, training the staff on the currently planned tower control training and new runway familiarization program would cost an estimated MVR 6.9 million. This is a significant and long-term advancement in the training of air traffic control officers.

Micro Nav Limited, a UK company with over 33 years of experience in the installation of airport and air defense simulators, supplied and installed the ATC Tower Simulator.

The simulator currently displays the airport's runway at 240 degrees; however, there is room to expand this to 280 degrees of the tower, allowing to conduct of all major air traffic training programs. The simulator is designed to complement Maldivian airports which also provides a detailed view of the entire Velana International Airport aerodrome.

MACL provides air traffic control tower services at all international and domestic airports in the Maldives.