Procurement and Installation of ATC Tower Console – CAAN

Supply, Delivery, Installation and Testing of ATC Tower Consoles  at 10 Domestic Airports, CAAN/CNAD/ICB-01/075/76

MSIPL project Number: MSI-PRJ-75-0332

Achieving Safer, More Efficient, and Quality Airport Operations and Services

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN)  the country’s civil aviation regulator and primary service provider for Air Navigation Services and Aerodrome Operations embarked on a comprehensive modernization initiative to upgrade its Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS)  infrastructure   across ten domestic airports including Meteorological observation system .

Nepal’s airspace management depends on robust, uninterrupted communication and navigation systems. As air traffic volumes at major airports such as Biratnagar and Nepalgunj surged in recent years, the limitations of aging ATC console infrastructure became increasingly apparent. Simultaneously, remote mountain and hilly airports accessible only by small aircraft lacked modern AFIS facilities entirely, posing significant safety and operational risks.

Under the mandate of alignment with ICAO standards, CAAN commissioned the supply, delivery, installation and testing of new ATC tower consoles and associated facility equipment across a geographically diverse network of airports. This project addressed aging infrastructure at major controlled aerodromes while simultaneously extending modern AFIS capabilities to small, remote airports previously underserved by reliable communication and power systems.

Objectives

• Enhance safety, security, and operational efficiency of airport services across Nepal’s domestic aviation network

• Replace legacy ATC consoles at major controlled aerodromes with advanced, ergonomically designed two-operator systems

• Extend modern AFIS console infrastructure to small hilly and mountainous airports with single-operator systems

• Improve the reliability and coverage of VHF/HF ground-to-air radio communication systems 

• Enhancing the meteorology Observation system with ICAO and WMO compliance. 

• Deploy a remote monitoring and control system for all connected VHF equipment, enabling real-time parameter settings and equipment status surveillance

• Upgrade meteorological weather observation systems at remote airport locations

• Ensure uninterrupted airport operations throughout the system transition, with all replacements executed during overnight windows

• Provide dedicated, reliable power infrastructure including solar photovoltaic systems to support equipment operation in areas with limited or unstable grid electricity supply

Key Deliverables

• Installation of modern two-operator ATC tower consoles at major controlled aerodromes (Biratnagar and Nepalgunj Airports)

• Installation of single-operator AFIS consoles at eight remote domestic airports (Dang, Doti, Sanfebagar, Balewa, Rajbiraj, Rumjatar, Phaplu, and Thamkharka)

• Integration of VHF Multimode Digital Radio systems for advanced ground-to-air communications with digital signaling capability

• Deployment of meteorological weather observation systems at remote locations to support flight information services

• Installation of Digital Voice Recording systems at each airport for aviation safety monitoring and compliance

• Implementation of computer-based remote control and monitoring systems for VHF radio equipment, enabling centralized ATC and wide-area control applications

• Solar photovoltaic power systems with 400Ah@C10 dual-bank battery backup (with redundancy switching) for uninterrupted equipment operation at off-grid and power-unstable locations

• Full project execution covering design, procurement, installation , testing, and commissioning at all 10 airports.

Challenges

The project presented a unique combination of operational, geographical, and technical challenges that required careful planning and innovative execution:

• Operational Continuity

Biratnagar and Nepalgunj Airports had both recorded significant surges in passenger and aircraft movements in recent years. Replacing existing ATC consoles and reinstalling associated facility equipment at these busy controlled aerodromes, without any disruption to daily flight operations, required precise coordination. All installation work had to be completed within limited nighttime hours, with each system fully operational and ready for use by the start of the next operational day.

• Remote and Inaccessible Terrain

Nepal’s topographical complexity poses a formidable logistical challenge. Several of the remote mountain and hilly airports in the project scope including Phaplu, Thamkharka, Balewa, and others are accessible only after road journeys.Transporting heavy equipment, solar systems, and technical personnel to these locations demanded extensive advance planning and resource mobilization.

• Power Supply Constraints

Grid electricity in many hilly and mountainous airport areas is either unavailable or unreliable, with voltage levels often insufficient to support sensitive electronic equipment. Solar photovoltaic systems with high-capacity battery banks became the sole viable power source for ATC and AFIS equipment at these locations, requiring robust engineering to ensure round-the-clock availability.

• VHFCoverage in Challenging Geography

Delivering reliable ground-to-air radio coverage across Nepal’s diverse terrain  where high altitude, valley orientation, and obstructions can significantly affect radio propagation required the use of latest-generation VHF equipment capable of outstanding performance in congested and complex RF environments.

Solution

Working closely with CAAN, the project team developed and implemented a robust, end-to-end solution tailored to Nepal’s unique operational and environmental context.

At Biratnagar and Nepalgunj Airports, modern two-operator ATC consoles were installed within carefully orchestrated overnight windows. All associated facility equipment was dismantled, integrated into the new console systems, and fully tested to ensure readiness before the start of each airport’s next operational day. This approach eliminated any disruption to active air traffic services.

For the eight remote AFIS airports, single-operator consoles were deployed alongside VHF digital radio systems providing three radio sets per airport for redundancy and resilience. The advanced digital signaling capabilities of these radios ensure excellent RF performance even in geographically congested environments, future-proofing CAAN’s communication infrastructure.

Power infrastructure was a critical component of the solution. Solar PV systems were deployed at all remote airports, paired high-capacity battery banks organized in two independent banks with automatic redundancy switching. This configuration provides continuous, uninterrupted power to all ATC and AFIS equipment regardless of grid availability, ensuring safe operations even in the most isolated locations.

meteorological systems were installed at remote airports to provide accurate, real-time weather observation data  essential for flight information services in regions where weather conditions change rapidly and unpredictably. Digital Voice Recording systems were deployed at every airport, providing a fully featured professional voice logging capability to support aviation safety audits and incident investigations.

Impact

• The project delivered measurable, lasting improvements to Nepal’s domestic aviation safety and operational capabilities:

• All 10 airports are now equipped with modern, reliable ATC and AFIS infrastructure, significantly enhancing aviation safety across Nepal’s domestic network

• Dedicated solar power systems ensure uninterrupted operation of critical VHF, meteorological, and voice recording equipment even in the most remote and grid-deficient locations

• VHF Multimode Digital Radio systems provide three sets per airport, combining superior RF performance with advanced digital signaling for future-ready communications

• Digital voice call recording and monitoring systems at every airport support aviation safety compliance and operational accountability

• ATC and AFIS personnel now work in ergonomic, purpose-designed console environments that improve both operational effectiveness and workplace safety

• The computer-based remote control and monitoring system for VHF equipment allows CAAN to centrally manage radio parameter settings and receive real-time equipment status information across its network

• Zero disruption to flight operations during the entire installation process, demonstrating best-practice project management in live aviation environments

Conclusion

The successful modernization of ATC and AFIS consoles across ten domestic airports represents a significant milestone in Nepal’s civil aviation development. By combining advanced console technology, state-of-the-art digital communication systems, reliable solar power infrastructure, and professional voice recording capabilities, the project has fundamentally strengthened the safety and resilience of Nepal’s airspace management.

The project’s ability to deliver complex technical upgrades across geographically dispersed and logistically challenging locations while maintaining continuous airport operations demonstrates the highest standards of systems integration and project execution. It sets a benchmark for aviation infrastructure modernization in developing and challenging environments.

Above all, the initiative reflects a shared commitment between CAAN and the project team to making Nepal’s skies safer for all who travel through them from the busy corridors of major regional airports to the remote mountain airstrips that connect isolated communities to the rest of the country.