Wind monitoring system could be installed quickly
As already reported here on a number of occasions recently the Diario confirms that the tender for the acquisition of new Radar equipment at Madeira airport could be launched in the second quarter of the year and that the funding is included in the national air traffic control budget.
If it goes well, the contest can be launched in the second quarter, otherwise, it will be for the third quarter and the money is in the NAV budget”, said Hugo Santos Mendes, at the end of a seven-hour hearing of a joint parliamentary committee within the scope of the State Budget for 2022
In 2021, a working group created by the Government of the Republic concluded, among other things, that it was essential to acquire two pieces of radar equipment that allow a more accurate measurement of winds, contributing to the better operation of the airport, which is often affected by this reason.
The acquisition process is the responsibility of the Portuguese Air Traffic control organisation NAV Portugal, which carries out its work on mainland Portugal and in the Portuguese autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira.
On February 10, the member of the board of directors Egidia Martins said, in a parliamentary’ hearing at the Legislative Assembly of Madeira, that the company is in a position to proceed with the public tender, in the amount of €4-5 million, provided that they obtain guaranteed funding from the Government.
The official indicated that NAV had not yet received any indication or guarantee of funding from the Socialist Government, also clarifying that the amount was not included in the State Budget for 2022. However, PSI Madeira deputy in the Assembly of the Republic Carlos Pereira recently stated, in statements on RTP/Madeira, that the public tender for the Radar would be launched in March.
“I’m waiting to see if it will materialize”, commented Miguel Albuquerque, adding that the installation of the radars is a “fundamental work”.”Right now, it is a fundamental work for the country, it is an essential work to improve accessibility in one of the main airports in the country”, he reinforced.
COVID-19 in Madeira: updates can be found in an earlier post
The sooner the better! Been diverted a few times ourselves.