Flight Inspection of Polish Air Navigation Services Agency has won another tender in Lithuania. The Agency’s colourful aircraft called Parrot for three years will be providing AGL & PAPI flight inspection services to the State Enterprise Lithuanian Airports. The maximum revenue from the tender could reach 128 000 EUR.
From May 2021 to May 2024, besides flights planned for Oro Navigacja, PANSA will provide Aeronautical Ground Lighting (AGL) and Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) services to Lithuanian Airports.
In the times of crisis, the Agency focuses on the development of non-navigational business activities and innovations. Acquiring new sources of funding is key to PANSA’s future, since navigational fees are currently the only source of income for the Agency, which, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are much lower than prior to 2020.
Experience of other countries’ ANSPs shows that revenue diversification in downturn years is the way to maintain financial liquidity in case of a significant decline of air traffic and, as a consequence, significant reduction revenues. Based on that, PANSA sees great potential in sale of services and products such as i.e. Flight Inspection services.
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, PANSA’s Flight Inspection has not only accomplished a record number of foreign missions, but also has achieved the highest revenues in the last 5 years. Revenues from the domestic and foreign Aerial Inspection services in 2020 amounted to 877 000 PLN.
Last year’s contracts for control and measurement flights were conducted for two European air navigation services providers, one airport management company, and one ILS system contractor. First one of them included measurement flights in the NATO’s EYSA – Šiauliai base in Lithuania. Next, for Cypriot DCA – validation of approach procedures at aerodromes in Larnaca LCLK (RNP APPROACH RWY 22) and Pafos LCPH (RNP APPROACH RWY 29), and for Moldavian MoldATSA for whom a periodic air inspection of two ILS/DME and DVOR/DME, as well as the control of luminous navigational aids (including four PAPI) on both runways was carried out at Chișinău International Airport .
The last order was for measurement flights for Oro Navigacija in November, under a newly signed contract after winning the tender.
PANSA’s Flight Inspection exists since 1963. Among its duties are airport ground equipment inspections and instrument flight procedures validation. PANSA’s Aerial Inspection fleet currently consists of two planes: L410 UVP-E 15 “Turbolet” and Beechcraft King Air 350i.
Photos:
Piotr Bożyk – PANSA
Martynas Jaugelavičius – Lithuanian Airports
