Bidding for the Olympics? Talk to Thales ATM

China's air traffic control is destined for a major up-grading with the award of a contract, estimated to be worth $100 million, by the Chinese Civil Aviation Adminisration (CAAC) for three air traffic control centers at Beijing, Shanghai and Guagzhou, together with four control towers serving the country`s premier airports. Over 200 workstations will be in the new system and will provide controllers with the capacity and advanced funtionality to permit them safely to handle traffic through China`s ever-busier airspace. All should be fully operational by 2004 to support China's economic development throughout the first half of this century.

China has over 1,150 air routes on which traffic is growing at an annual rate of ten percent and the contract for the new control system has gone to the French firm Thales which will based development work in its plant at Melbourne. The link is significant -- Thales ATM was responsible for Australia`s advanced air traffic control system, which was used as a convincing model on the back of which the Chinese deal was won. A greast deal of Aussie know-how and experience is involved, and much of the equipment will be manfacturured in Melbourne.

An early traffic peak, for which the new system must be fully operational, will occur in 2008 when the Olympic games take place in China. Thales and the Olmpics seem to go hand in hand: the air traffic management company was also involved in major upgrades of the national systems in Greece and Austrailia before the Olympics in Athens and Melbourne, respecively.

By Bob Rodwell