Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Airports in Geneva and Zurich are among the first in Europe to make the ground at airports safer by using a new ground collision warning system. The system has been in use by Skyguide in Geneva since December and in Zurich since 31 May, and the testing phase is now completed. Technically known as Runway Incursion Monitoring and Conflict Alert System (Rimcas), the new system supports air traffic controllers as they monitor and manage movements of aircraft and vehicles on the airport’s runway and taxiway network.

Such systems are common in the air, around airports, but not on the ground. Interference from buildings, topography and various sources has made it difficult to develop reliable systems that do not have frequent problems with false alarms.

Rimcas is fed by the data it needs from various sources such as radar and sensors, according to Skyguide. The system then uses the data to constantly calculate the positions of all the aircraft and vehicles on or near the airport’s runways and taxiways. In doing so, it also identifies any possible movement conflicts as they emerge, and alerts the tower controllers to these by issuing audio and visual signals. “”Our new warning system gives us an additional safety net to support our tower controllers in their work,” says Urs Ryf, head of operations at Skyguide.

The Geneva-based company is responsible for air navigation services in Swiss and nearby airspace, overseeing some 3,150 flights a day. It is a non-profit company whose main shareholder is the Swiss Confederation.