Data Edge and the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) collected the Public Sector ICT Project of the Year Award at a gala dinner at last night’s ICT Excellence Awards ceremony in Dublin. The award is in recognition of the one of the most significant air traffic control ICT projects in Europe this year. The system improves passenger safety by allowing for the recording and storing of all audio and visual communications received by air traffic control.
The investment, worth €2.5M, enhances air traffic monitoring and review procedures for the more than half a million flights that go through Irish airspace each year, including 80% of all flights that cross the North Atlantic.
The ICT Excellence Awards are the most important for Ireland’s ICT industry. They recognise projects that have delivered outstanding applications of technologies. The award was collected by Brian McBride, managing director of Data Edge and Ger Caffrey, Project Manager at IAA.
Eoin O’Driscoll, chairman of the judging panel, said: “The competition in this category was among the most intense, due to the exceptional quality of the five finalists. Data Edge’s project with the IAA eventually won out due to its pioneering nature, involving an innovative blend of data, voice and timing technologies, which raises the bar for the rest of the European air traffic control sector.”
Data Edge’s Brian McBride said: “We are delighted to receive independent recognition for a project which has the potential to save lives by making flying safer. The IAA has shown tremendous vision to make this investment and demonstrate its international leadership.”
IAA’s Ger Caffrey said: “With the new system, we are better able to manage ever-growing volumes of air traffic and increasingly stringent safety legislation. This national award is a great boost to our team as it affirms our reputation as one of the most innovative authorities in the world. Data Edge has been a great partner to work with and has seamlessly managed a very challenging project. ”
Data Edge’s system records and replays unified voice, screen and data interactions between air traffic controllers and flight crew. The solution precisely documents, replays and synchronises all of the communications channels that Irish air traffic controllers in Ireland use when guiding flights through Irish airspace and airports.