The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has announced the continuation of the corrective maintenance activity at the Philippine Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) on 17 May 2023. The activity aims to repair the Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR), replace the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), and upgrade the Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) A/B power supply. The ATMC, which houses the Communications, Navigations, Surveillance / Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) system, manages and supervises air traffic activities within the Philippine Flight Information Region (FIR). The first part of the corrective maintenance activity was conducted last 03 May 2023 (suspending ATMC operations from 0200H to 0400H).
The upgrade of the ATMS power supply will include the installation of a bypass panel for seamless ATMS operation and the reconfiguration of the existing distribution panel to segregate ATM system A (voice) and ATM system B (data). This upgrade will result in the UPS and AVR serving as each other’s backup, ensuring uninterrupted power supply in case of any power supply issues.
To conduct the maintenance activity, operations at the ATMC will be suspended from [0001H (GMT+8) until 0600H (GMT+8)] 0200H (GMT+8) to 0400H (GMT+8) on 17 May 2023. However, if the maintenance activity is finished earlier, the issued Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) will be lifted, and operations at the ATMC will resume as normal.
The corrective maintenance activity will mainly affect flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Clark International Airport (CRK), and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), as well as several flights at the other 42 CAAP commercially operated airports. The CAAP has already coordinated with and advised concerned stakeholders, including air carriers and airport operators such as Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD), and GMR–Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) in advance regarding the intended corrective maintenance activity. Mitigating measures and flight schedule adjustments have been discussed with stakeholders to ensure the smooth conduct of the imperative maintenance activity.
The CAAP assures the public that once the maintenance activity is completed, operations at the ATMC will resume as normal, allowing CAAP-ATMC to better serve the flying public and ensure continued flight safety. The agency apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciates the understanding and cooperation of the public in ensuring the safety and efficiency of the air traffic management system.
UPDATE: Based on a media advisory issued by the CAAP last 05 May 2023, the maintenance activity will now be shortened to just 0200H to 0400H (instead of the original 0001H to 0600H timings).