Tocumen International Airport Is First in the Americas with New Departure Clearance Service from ARINC

Annapolis, Maryland—Panama’s busy Tocumen International Airport has inaugurated a new data link departure clearance service provided by ARINC Incorporated. Designed to enhance air safety and Air Traffic Control in Latin America, the service was declared operational February 22.

ARINC developed the service at the request of Panama’s civil aviation authority, Autoridad Aeronáutica Civil, with significant support from Copa Airlines, a leading Latin American carrier.

Unlike air traffic control in North America, where airport tower controllers issue Pre-Departure Clearance (PDC) through airline central computers, in Latin America the airport tower controllers and pilots traditionally use voice radio. ARINC’s new solution offers the benefits of computerized departure clearance without the need to modify airline central computers. It allows pilots to request and receive departure clearance directly from tower controllers using standard data link.

Copa Airlines, which operates one of Latin America’s most modern fleets, tested the system extensively over a period of months. Copa subsidiary AeroRepublica, and Iberia, KLM, and FedEx also were involved in the system tests.

“This very successful implementation is the result of a cooperative technical interchange between ARINC and Autoridad Aeronáutica Civil,“ stated Ron Hawkins, ARINC Vice President, Commercial Aviation Solutions. “We applaud their foresight in initiating this project, and we congratulate them for becoming the first Civil Aeronautical Authority in Latin America to offer this valuable new service for aviation.”

“ARINC’s departure clearance service will enable a new level of efficient flight management for air traffic controllers in Latin America,” said Licdo Rafael Bárcenas, Director General Autoridad Aeronáutica Civil. “We greatly appreciate ARINC’s cooperation in creating a simple, efficient, and low-cost solution which will enhance the level of safety in our airport operations for years to come.”

Tocumen International Airport, located 15 miles from Panama City, Panama, is the largest airport in the country as well as the busiest in Central America. It is served by 18 airlines carrying 5 million passengers a year, and is Copa Airlines’ “Hub of the Americas.” Copa operates 152 daily flights from Tocumen to 45 destinations in 24 countries in North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

ARINC Incorporated, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, provides communications, engineering and integration solutions for commercial, defense and government customers worldwide. Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland with regional headquarters in London and Singapore, ARINC is ISO 9001:2008 certified.

Release: 10-019

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