Serbia to get the most modern air traffic control in the world - From May 2011 the operational center worth EUR 90 million

(The building will be completed by October, 2010)

In May 2011, Serbia will get the most advanced flight control system in the world worth 90 million EUR. Construction of the new Center of Area Flight Control Belgrade (COKL), which is an integral part of modernization, will be completed on 10th of October this year. Area Flight Control will have 22 sectors in which there will be able to work 50 controllers at the same time, who will be able to accept up to 4,000 aircrafts a day.

AMDT Serbia and Montenegro began testing the system, the furnishing of simulation room has been finished, as well as for the technical and operating rooms, and soon it will begin training of air traffic controllers for the new system.

The new COKL building, of the area of 9500 m2, is located near the Airport "Nikola Tesla" in the center plot of 2 hectares. The area around the building is planned to be a park, so that air traffic controllers would rest after working for one hour and then they have two hours reserved for resting. In order to have more opportunities for relaxation, it is planned to build tennis courts and volleyball in the sand.

Construction of a new building in which was invested 18 million EUR was commenced in March 2009 and then it was planned that the works last 24 months. Additional engagement of investors, contractors and by the agency, the building will be completed in 18 months - said Nikola Stankov, Chairman of the Board of AMDT Serbia and Montenegro.

Stankov visited today (22 July 2010) with Milutin Mrkonjic, Minister for Infrastructure, the completion works of the new COKL.

Domestic companies were in charge of the consturction. Contractor was a consortium headed by "Pojektomontaza" with members - "Denez M Engineering, PS "Telephony", "Ratko Mitrovic Niskogradnja." Equipment was a responsibility of the European consortium consisting of French "Thales", "Comsoft" from Germany, Austria's "Frequentis" and Italian "Alcatel".

The construction was financed by the credit from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The Agency hired for monitoring of the project an external consultant, German flight control - Deutsche Flugshicherung (DFS).

- Traffic in our jurisdiction is growing rapidly because our services are primarily safe, effective, without delays arising from our work. From 2003, we have recorded an increase of traffic greater than 100%, and only in the first six months of this year it increased compared to the same period of the 2009 by 7.7%, while the last three months are higher than 10%. Since the beginning of work of AMDT, most aircrafs were recorded in one day in this year. It was the third July, when there were 2.227 flights - said Nikola Stankov.

(Milutin Mrkonjic and Nikola Stankov)

AMDT Serbia and Montenegro is located at 11th place, just behind the countries of Central Europe who have the most air traffic, according to indicators of the complexity and volume of traffic of the European Organization for the Safety of air Navigation (Eurocontrol).

Services of AMDT Serbia and Montenegro uses more than half a million aircrafts a year, which speaks of the importance and need for the new Center for regional air traffic control, especially when taking into account the expected increase in traffic by 2025.

AMDT Serbia and Montenegro provides services of air traffic over the territory of Serbia, Montenegro, 55% of the upper airspace of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the air of international waters of the South Adriatic.