The Air Navigation and Weather Services, CAA, MOTC (Hereinafter referred to as ANWS) aims at improving the air traffic safety and the service quality of the Taipei Flight Information Region (Taipei FIR) and attaining the organization's goal to become the best air traffic service provider in the Asia-Pacific region. The major administration plans are as follows:
Inaugurated in 1990, ANWS' Songshan, Hualien, and Taitung terminal radars are now exceeding their service lifecycle while facing manufacturing shortages for spare parts and components with rising costs for maintenance and repair. To ensure air traffic service quality and operational integrity of airports within Taipei FIR, ANWS planned to replace the existing radars with new models equipped with Mode S functions, which will improve detection efficiency and positioning accuracy. The implementation of the new radars will ensure that ANWS's aircraft surveillance technology complies with international standards.
This project began its implementation in 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2024 with a budget of NTD724,860,000. The Songshan radar start using on May 8, 2023. The Taitung radar was replaced in 2023, and is expected to be used in May, 2024. The Hualien radar is expected to be replaced in 2024.
The Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) completed its operational transition on July 13, 2022; incorporating various enhanced functions and interfaces to align with international regulatory standards and strengthening air traffic control operational efficiency.
The Extended Backup ATC System (EBAS) serves as ATMS’ fallback system for Air Traffic Controllers while the ATMS undergoes maintenance or when encountering system abnormalities.
To ensure the two systems share similar user interfaces and functions,ANWS planned the EBAS upgrade and has completed system and software installations and tests in 2023.In March 2024, stability testing, operational assessments and evaluation were completed.
On April 23, 2024, ANWS complete the process of switching from the old backup system to upgraded EBAS , and the upgraded EBAS was put into service as the backup system from then on, enhancing backup functionality and resilience.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) actively promotes information sharing among countries to adjust the takeoff time of aircraft at various airports so as to solve the risk of aircraft holding in the air. Currently, the Northeast Asia Regional Air Traffic Flow Management Cooperation Group (NARAHG) comprised of Japan, South Korea, and China in the north of the Asia-Pacific region, and the Asia-Pacific Cross-Border Multi-Nodal Air Traffic Flow Management Collaboration (AMNAC) comprised of Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia in the south are teamed for collaborative information sharing among countries. Nevertheless, due to geopolitical relations and political conditions, Taiwan has not been able to join any regional air flow management group. Taipei FIR, the air traffic gateway connecting Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, is located in the core position of the hub and should actively participate in Asia-Pacific flow management cooperation. Therefore, ANWS commissioned the “ATFM Development Working Group (ATFM Working Group)” on November 2, 2021 to construct the the ATFMS architecture, conduct flight data verification and analysis, plan overall flow management and arrival operation procedures, formulate the “Taipei FIR Flight Flow Management 5-Year Development Plan” and to progressively implement air traffic flow management in our FIR and with the region.
The plan is conducted in two stages. The first stage falls between 2023 and 2024, in which the Calculated Take-Off Time (CTOT) operation will be trialed at the main international airports in Taipei FIR, and preliminary ATFM system functions and operation procedures will be completed. The second stage is from 2025 to 2027. It is expected that the integration of the flight information from the air traffic control system and an intelligent platform to balance capacity and demand of air traffic can be achieved. The platform will be capable of calculating CTOT and disseminating CTOT messages to the neighboring ATFM units. Through the collaboration, appropriate number of arriving aircraft are sequenced to enter Taipei FIR, so flight management efficiency is enhanced to meet international standards
To ensure flight safety and improve service quality, ANWS deployed Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS) throughout our region's airports, including Taitung and 7 outlying islands (Qimei, Wangan, Kinmen, Beigan, Nangan, Ludao, and Lanyu), based on the “Airport Meteorological Equipment Setting Operational Guideline”. Due to the AWOS equipment approaching the end of its lifecycle, a replacement project has been planned to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the weather observation system, while providing more stable weather information.
The four-year replacement project has an NTD140 million budget and is carried out between 2021 and 2024. The new AWOS system at Qimei and Wangan airports was commissioned on April 20, 2023. In the year 2023, installations at Kinmen, Nangan, and Beigan airports were completed, with the plan to finish the installations at Taitung, Ludao, and Lanyu airports by the year 2024.
In order to continuously enhance flight safety and the quality of aviation meteorological services, ANWS is implementing the Advanced Operational Aviation Weather System Renewal and Update (AOAWS-RU). Based on the operational and service requirements of the new generation of aviation meteorology in Taipei FIR, this project aims to establish a completely new aviation meteorological information system. The objectives of this project implementation are as follows:
ANWS' Aeronautical Information Services System (AISS) has been providing online AIS services since 2011. It was the first full-scale system that enabled the automatic handling of Flight Plans (FPL) and NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen / Air Missions), as well as the provision of Pre-flight Information Bulletin (PIB) in Taipei FIR. The AES website is an integrated AIS system that provides aviation personnel an interface with functions such as online flight plan filing, pre-flight briefing, NOTAM proposal, NOTAM query and weather information.
In accordance with ICAO's roadmap for transition from AIS to Aeronautical Information Management (AIM), ANWS is also planning a new AIS system to provide quality AIS services and accommodate the latest international standards and specifications, ensuring that the timeliness, integrity, and accuracy of the AIS system are upheld.
The new AIS system implementation is expected to be carried out between 2023 and 2024. The budgeted amount is NTD 179.85 million.
Various forms of cyber-attack events have increased in recent years, including targeted social engineering attacks, ransomware, and confidential information leaks. Governments around the world are actively allocating significant resources to prevent information security incidents, serious economic loss or affect national safety. As the provider of our region's air traffic services, not only does ANWS shoulder the responsibility of ensuring air navigation efficiency and flight safety, but we should also actively propose corresponding information security protection measures. To achieve our goal of progressively strengthening information security, ANWS has drawn up the “Information Security Enhancement Roadmap” for the next six years: Main goals of the roadmap are as follows:
To ensure a seamless transition after the ATMS reaches its service expectancy, to meet operational requirements for air traffic services, and to incorporate international standards such as the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) and the Aviation System Block Upgrade (ASBU) strategy as well as considering new technologies, ANWS is currently developing the New-Generation ATMS Deployment Plan, including the expansion of the current North and South ATS parks. This initiative aims to ensure Taipei FIR’s air traffic services will continue to maintain excellence and competitive advantage in the Asia Pacific Region while aligning with international regulatory standards.
ANWS has completed the preliminary planning stage in 2023 and is now seeking administrative approval. This Plan will include two major fields of work, the “North and South ATS Park Expansion” and the “New Generation ATMS Deployment”:
Situated between Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport's Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, the New Air Traffic Control Tower was inaugurated on December 16, 2019, replacing the old tower which has been operational since 1979. With the airport's ongoing expansion and the third runway's slated completion in near future, the ATC Tower must further optimize its visual requirements of the maneuvering areas while accommodating future traffic growth. To achieve this goal, ANWS has been planning to construct a second ATC tower between the current Runway 05L/23R and the future third runway, providing more comprehensive air traffic control services while equipping both towers with contingency operational capabilities
In accordance with the airport's third runway construction timeline, ANWS began the Second Tower Construction Preliminary Plan in 2021. The project aims to thoroughly address objectives, schedules, and budget plans while determining the tower's optimal location, structural parameters, and related air traffic service facilities. Furthermore, ANWS will also evaluate implementation strategies, and conduct risk assessment and management. The preliminary proposal is completed in February 2024.
ANWS plans to secure administrative approval in 2025 and initiate Professional Consultancy Management (PCM) or commissioned service procurement in 2026 Design Execution and Supervision, Construction Work Procurement between 2026 and 2028, Tower construction between 2028 and 2030, and system tests and equipment installations between 2030 and 2031.
ANWS plans to utilize areas north of Songshan Airport’s runway to execute a new construction project, in accordance with the “Songshan International Airport 2040 Master Plan”. Upon completion, the site will accommodate ANWS headquarters, the Taipei Aviation Facilities Sector, Songshan Tower, and the Aviation Training Institute. The overall image of the park will symbolically represent excellence in air traffic services and the cultivation of aviation talent, with its newly constructed buildings meeting Seismic Design Specifications, enhancing the operational safety of air traffic service provision.
ANWS aims to gain administrative approval for the project in 2024, with construction being carried out between 2026 and 2033 in two phases. The first phase of construction, including ANWS Headquarters, Songshan Tower, and the Taipei Aviation Facilities Sector, is set to be completed in 2030. This will be followed by relocation and operational transitions in 2031, while the second phase of construction, involving the new Aviation Training Institute, is scheduled for completion in 2033.
Continue Air Traffic Controller recruitment and training to cope with air traffic volume recovery in the future:
To adhere to national development policies, diversify the use of UAS, and meet the requirements of military exercises, ANWS will assist in ensuring smooth operations for various airspace activities: