Air Traffic Control (ATC) Voice & Data Recording Solutions

Precision Applications is proud to announce that it has been chosen to supply and install two identical ATC Recording Systems in the Control Tower and the Virtual Control Facility (VCF) at Heathrow Airport.  The Veristore Recording Systems were recommended by NATS and approved by Heathrow Airport Limited.

Heathrow is unique, having a Main Control Tower and a Virtual Control Facility (VCF).  The VCF is the first of its kind in the world, being a fully-approved virtual control room, which enables Heathrow to have its air traffic controlled remotely, at up to 70 per cent capacity, on occasions when it is not possible to operate from the Main Control Tower.  The VCF looks and feels like the inside of the Control Tower, but is located off the airport, at ground level, with no windows. Controllers work as if the airport were fog-bound – using radar screens, surveillance technology and radio communication to keep the airport functioning.

The installation and commissioning of both systems will be managed and overseen by NATS.  NATS are not only responsible for the Air Traffic Engineering at Heathrow but were also responsible for the delivery of the VCF – from commissioning to installation and safety assurance.

Each Record and Replay System will record and synchronously replay 128 channels of Voice Communications, 6 TTW Radar Data channels and 20 Controller Screens.  Veristore recorders and recording systems have been designed specifically for use in modern ATC environments and are fully compliant with the latest ICAO SARPS, the latest issue of UK CAA CAP 670 and the relevant Eurocontrol regulations.  When the installation of the two systems at Heathrow is completed Veristore will be recording in excess of 2,000 independent audio channels, 120 Through-the-Wall radar channels and 150 controller screens at more than 35 different locations.

In terms of total passenger traffic Heathrow Airport is the busiest in Europe and the third busiest in the world.  It serves London and the surrounding area and is a major international hub, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe.  In 2011 Heathrow welcomed almost 70 million passengers and handled nearly 1.5 million tons of cargo with a total of 476,000 aircraft movements.

Denise Malyan, Precision Applications’ Managing Director said ‘Heathrow is the world’s busiest intercontinental hub and we are both proud and excited that Precision Applications has been selected to provide essential equipment at the UK’s most prestigious airport.  In 2007 we installed the first Veristore system at Southampton, which is another airport in the Heathrow Airport Holding Group.  Since then we have worked closely with NATS to complete the installation of recording systems at 14 other airports throughout the United Kingdom.  We believe that Veristore not only meets all of the international legal requirements but is also the most user-friendly of any system available on the market and has the lowest cost of ownership and the longest expected in service life.’