The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Tuesday inaugurated its P159.9-million Eurocat air traffic management system, replacing the outdated system it has been using since 1996.

The state-of-the-art system upgrade features a computerized air traffic control and management solution that control en route, over flights, arriving, and departing air traffic from as far as 250 nautical miles.

Before the upgrade, flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) particularly during the rainy season are affected by continuous outage resulting in flights cancellation or diversion, said CAAP director general William Hotchkiss III.

He added that the system had outlived its life span of 19 years and parts are already obsolete and unavailable for replacement.

Undertaken in partnership with Thales Australia and Pacific Hemisphere Development, the systems upgrade was inaugurated and blessed at the airways facilities complex at the CAAP central office in Pasay City.

Also in attendance during the inaugural were CAAP Deputy Director General for Operations Gen. Rodante Joya, Raymond Lions, branch manager Thales Australia Limited Philippine branch Office, Roger Ferrari of Pacific Hemisphere Development, and other officials.