The Moroccan Airports Authority, ONDA (Office National Des Aéroports), entrusts Frequentis Comsoft to upgrade their message handling and switching capability in line with latest ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) basic and extended AMHS (ATS Message Handling System) service profiles. The new system has been operational at the Area Control Centre in Casablanca since November 2021.

Morocco upgrades aeronautical message handling with Frequentis Comsoft

Thanks to its strategic location, Morocco is an important hub for air traffic flows between many regions of the world. The continuous and secure flow of aeronautical messages is crucial to safe air traffic management, which is why upgrades to new standards and the implementation of new features are vital in preparing ONDA for the future demands and challenges of its airspace.

“Frequentis Comsoft successfully upgraded our message handling system, smoothly, ahead of schedule and with no interruption to normal operation, despite COVID restrictions. The upgrade enables us to further support the increasing demands of our service, both now and in the future. We would like to thank the whole team for their efforts and support, and for providing us with excellent training sessions in both the factory and on site.” said Bartal Said, Information Processing Division Manager, ONDA.

Frequentis Comsoft and ONDA have been working together since 2007, when selecting the technology supplier to install an ATS message handling system (AMHS) in Morocco. This was the first operational system on the African continent using AMHS technology, which improved air traffic between North Africa and Europe and underlined Morocco’s unique position as the gateway to Africa.

The solution for ONDA consists of several components to ensure aeronautical data and messages can be sent and received, including the user-friendly display of meteorological data, thanks to a new traffic statistics feature requested by, and adapted for, ONDA. This is now available for other customers. The system also includes Frequentis Comsoft’s Directory Services solution, a proven solution created to support the ICAO ATN Directory and European Directory Service (EDS).

“We are pleased to support our longstanding customer ONDA in enhancing their message handling capability. The successful completion of the AMHS upgrade can be attributed to the great cooperation between teams on both sides”, says Constantin von Reden, Managing Director Frequentis Comsoft. “With the AMHS upgrade ONDA is already prepared for all future aeronautical messaging environments and demands. In addition, it is the ideal platform for the implementation of a SWIM/AMHS gateway.”

The pandemic had an overwhelming impact on sectors like tourism, but Morocco is showing signs of recovery, including the expansion of the country’s car manufacturing and renewables industries and, with that, an increasing number of flights for the transportation of goods as well as for tourism.