CAAP shortens May 17 air traffic management system maintenance to 2 hours

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Friday announced that its scheduled Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) corrective maintenance activity on May 17 would only take two hours rather than the previously announced six hours.

The May 17 maintenance activity would begin at 2 a.m. and end at 4 a.m. instead of from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. “based on careful process reviews and simulations.”

“As a result of coordination with stakeholders, CAAP already canceled the initial Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), and issued NOTAM B1553/23 as of today,” the agency said.

Aviation authorities had previously announced that the country’s airspace would be shut down on May 17 to give way for maintenance activities on the country’s air traffic management system to avoid a repeat of the infamous New Year’s Day shutdown.

The CAAP said it would implement contingency procedures through direct coordination with adjacent Flight Information Regions (FIRs), which will help to minimize disruption to air traffic operations.

The agency said that all necessary measures were being taken to ensure the safety and efficiency of air travel during the maintenance activity.

“We apologize for any inconvenience that this schedule change may cause, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to maintain the recommended standards of air traffic management in the country,” it said. — DVM, GMA Integrated News