Categoria: Europe

The Italian Air Force (AMI) was officially founded in 1923, exactly 100 years ago. This event has been celebrated in many places in Italy with exhibitions and shows, one of which took place in Milano on September 10 at the Linate Airport, not far from the operational office of SITTI.

Several thousands of enthusiastic and curious people of all ages crowded the airport to have the opportunity of having a close view of aircrafts and military vehicles. Many interactive activities have been prepared to allow visitors to have a touch-and-feel experience of the technical means used by the Air Force for accomplishing its tasks, including flight simulators, operational and technological components, logistics and much more.

Visitors have been welcomed by many pilots, technicians and specialists who passionately talked about their daily work for the defence of the country and the execution of important rescue activities and international missions.

SITTI boasts a decades-long strict collaboration with the Italian Air Force, providing all military airports and bases with its top-most systems for Air Traffic Control. As such, SITTI was also involved in the preparation of this wonderful and interesting event, to make it possible to visitors to see how our Air Force works when ensuring a safe sky to all of us.

SITTI contributed to the show by installing and activating some operative positions in a simulated environment that allowed controllers and pilots to exchange important flight information and to provide situational operative awareness, in a similar way as operational rooms and SCC/AM centres (Coordination and Control Service of the Air Force) do every day.

 

SITTI communication systems are already installed at the Decimomannu base of the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare). They allow local controllers to carry out a vast number of tasks, from airspace control to air traffic management and weather forecasting and information distribution.

In order to cope with the increasing operations that controllers are asked to perform, and to allow a larger and more integrated management of the communication lines (both radio and telephone) at the airbase, the local systems require some additional features, including VoIP connections to standard ED137 radios and telephone lines, however not forgetting the capability of interfacing analogue and digital links currently terminating at the airbase.

Some new interface boards, capable of properly dealing all related communication protocols as a matter of simple software configuration, together with controller working positions (CWPs) are going to be installed and commissioned to become operative at the beginning of 2024.

The systems upgrade involved the airbase tower, the operative rooms, the weather forecast office, the approach features and other facilities like IFTS. One of the systems supplied to the Italian Air Force is in fact used in the local International Flight Training School (IFTS), aimed at giving advanced in-depth training courses to pilots of combat aircrafts from different countries. Trainings are based on simulation scenarios that allow trainee pilots to have a very realistic understanding and feeling of the operational situations they may have the need to tackle.

SITTI is known all over the world as a primary market leader for the development and supply of highly reliable, efficient, flexible and integrated solutions for civil and military air traffic control and public services, wherever secure, trusted and controlled communications are required. This unrivalled position in the market is also accompanied by the capability of our company to also produce customised consoles for operators.

Leveraging on its large experience accumulated in decades of successful presence on the market, SITTI is offering its customers a number of solutions for helping them choosing the best solution for their operative consoles. Controllers sitting all day at their desks with a heavy and critical workload must be given the best working solution possible.

“It is not just a matter of comfortable sitting places,” – Massimo Romata, Program Manager, says – “but all aspects related to work environment shall be taken into consideration, such as:

• Ergonomy and comfort
• Seating adjustment
• Non-toxic fire-extinguishing materials and paints
• Easy access to communication instrumentation
• Free line-of-sight view over controlled areas
• Handy placement of displays
• Space optimization”

The simulation system provided to the Italian Air Force at Pratica di Mare (near Rome) envisages 6 different operative scenarios, in which trainers, trainees and pilots can easily interact by means of the embedded native radio, telephone and intercom simulation capabilities of the MULTIFONO® M800IP® VCS system. Up to 14 frequencies are simulated, thus allowing the execution of complex training sessions with the contemporary selection and use of a variety of radio channels to best represent live operational scenarios and give trainees a feel-and-touch approach to the tasks they are being trained for.

All these aspects are covered by the GH series of consoles that are going to be supplied to the Italian Air Force (AM) for the Pratica di Mare airbase, close to Rome. 20 new consoles with all their respective additional materials (arms, loudspeakers, armchairs, etc.) will be installed within the end of this year. Military controllers at the airbase will therefore benefit from all aspects mentioned by Mr. Romata in his speech.

Poggio Renatico is one of the most important Italian Air Force bases, with air traffic control responsibilities that cover the entire national peninsula. Targeting a continuous enhancement of this and other similar facilities in Italy, the Air Force Command decided for the installation of 52 new consoles to be used by local operators to better cope with their tasks. In addition, further upgrades are also foreseen for the military Voice Communication System (VCS) deployed at the base.

The new consoles are the result of the many years spent by SITTI side by side to ATC clients worldwide. This allowed SITTI also getting a vast experience in delivering consoles to give operators the best workplace and contributing to making their air traffic control tasks easier, safer and more comfortable, taking into full account all recent technological trends that see information sources being consolidated and concentrated on their desks.

Priority has been given to simplicity and ergonomics to offer friendly solutions for comfortably accessing all required operating functionalities, centred on the operator and his/her task requirements.

The space internal to the console is used to house communication devices, thanks to the two 19” racks, each 8 U high, that allow rear access for non-disruptive maintenance activities. An intelligent cable distribution arrangement reduces the burden of physical connections between different pieces of equipment. High quality colours, removable panels in stainless steel, customisable bays for accommodating loudspeakers and control devices, moveable arms, large internal space for communication equipment complete this high level product.

This large number of new consoles for the operational room at Poggio Renatico will allow military controllers to better utilise the communication devices and various information sources that are being presented to their position, thus improving their air traffic control activities.

SITTI is pleased to inform that EUROCAE has approved the creation of a new working group, aimed at standardizing communications between VCS and ATC/ATM equipment (e.g. radar). The standard that will be defined will allow these systems to exchange a large amount of information that will facilitate the work of air traffic controllers, making flights safer. As happened with the ED137 standard on VOIP, this new standard is also destined to be adopted worldwide.

The idea of ​​setting up a new working group was originated by SITTI which, together with THALES and ENAV, proposed it to EUROCAE (the main European standardization body in the aviation field). Not only has EUROCAE approved its creation, but SITTI (in the person of Mr. Roberto Weger) will guide the work of this new group.

The recognition of SITTI as leader of this new important group (which all VCS manufacturers and a large number of ANSPs asked to join) testifies of the recognized value of our company and the high consideration we have in these international bodies.

SITTI thanks all those who, directly or indirectly, have contributed and will contribute with their inputs, observations, criticisms and comments to this working group.

AIR TECH ITALY is the Italian Association representing Italian companies specialized in supplying products, technologies and services for airports and air-traffic control. SITTI is a founding member of this association and contributes with its active presence in the governing board.

As we mark the 100th anniversary of the Italian Air Force, we at SITTI are filled with immense pride and gratitude. We wish to extend our heartfelt congratulations to a force representing courage, dedication, and exceptional service to our nation.

For decades, we’ve had the privilege of being a trusted supplier, supporting the Air Force’s mission with our advanced systems. This collaboration is not just about providing technology — it’s about sharing a vision for a safer, stronger Italy. Our journey together has been one of mutual respect, innovation, and progress.

Today, as we honor the Italian Air Force’s centennial, we reaffirm our commitment to serving our nation’s guardians of the sky. We look forward to soaring higher and exploring new frontiers together in the years to come.

Thank you, Italian Air Force, for a hundred years of safeguarding our skies and fostering unity. Here’s to many more years of strength, innovation, and success. Ad maiora!

SITTI is proud to announce that the Ministry of Transportation has recently awarded SITTI a big contract for the supply of Voice Communication Systems (VCS) and ancillary equipment to the 19 major airports in Greece. This contract will allow the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) to make use of the most recent and advanced systems for air traffic control in the central Mediterranean area.

The contract is divided into two lots:

• Larger Airports, including Thessaloniki, Kerkyra, Kos, Rhodes, Heraklion
• Regional Airports, like Chios, Kalamata, Paros, Samos, Milos, Skiathos, and many others

All these airports will receive a brand new MULTIFONO M800IP system, in full compliance with the international standards issued by the major standardisation bodies, with particular attention to the EUROCAE ED137 documents that define the use of VoIP (Voice over IP) in ATC/ATM (Air Traffic Control and Management). Main and backup VCS systems are envisaged for the larger airports.

The M800IP VCS will be complemented by a dual Digital Voice and Navigational Data Recording and Reproduction System (DVRRS), capable of recording and replaying detailed information about the information exchanged between controllers and pilots. A dedicated Time Reference and Display Systems (TRS) allows precise synchronisation between all pieces of equipment and permits perfect reproduction of recorded data.

Last but not least, SITTI will be providing the National Greek Air Traffic Control with 122 controller working positions (CWP) at the larger airports, plus another 44 positions for the regional ones. The controller working positions that are going to be supplied belong to renowned families of consoles manufactured by SITTI; they give controllers comfortable access to all communication devices, with optimal ergonomic solutions.

“The contract that has been signed between Greece and SITTI” – Massimo Crovato, SITTI CEO, states – “is a great confirmation of the outstanding capability of SITTI to cope with large programs covering entire Nations. It is also a further demonstration of the ductility of M800IP VCS systems and recorders that can be used in large as well as small airports and ACCs worldwide”.

Many different emergency situations may occur at airports. Most of them involve aircrafts having problems in landing, taxiing, maneuvering, taking off require the intervention of specialized and qualified teams to tackle the issue and solve it, trying to minimize the overall effects of the abnormal situation, with special attention to human lives. This is the main task of the firefighting staff operating at the airports.

They are constantly monitoring all radio frequencies used for airport services, including ground and air traffic control, to be able to immediately react in case of any real or potential risk. Besides them, other radio frequencies are listened to, to receive indications and orders from the area and regional firefighters commands. Telephone connections to all other emergency services inside and outside the airport are used to coordinate possible interventions.

Since end of last December, 2022, SITTI completed the setup of a new MULTIFONO® M800IP® system at the Malpensa firefighters tower, thus allowing operators to benefit of all the modern features provided by this new VOIP-based system. In particular, radio and telephone connections of different kinds (e.g. both analogue and VOIP) are seamlessly integrated to give operative staff immediate, efficient, quick access to all communication features.

The installation and setup of the new system has been carried out by SITTI specialised personnel, that has been coordinated by SEA, the airport managing company, and supported by the local firefighter station, to guarantee a smooth transition from the previous system based on TDM technology to the new VOIP one.

The extremely good relationship between firefighting brigades all over the National territory and SITTI, permits this vital emergency service to take full advantage of the constant research and development activities carried out by SITTI and to get full support in case of any possible issue or expansion request that can arise from the field.