IAA issues second Performance Report

As required under the Single European Sky regulations the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is required to publish an annual Performance Report. This report covers  a five year Business Plan, an annual Business Plan and an Annual Report.

Today, The IAA issued it's report for the calendar year 2007.

The bullets on traffic figures read as follows :

• En route traffic for 2007 was forecast to grow by 2.7% in 2007 but the final figure at 310,831 represented a 5.5% increase, the variance being attributable to the Open Skies policy and favourable weather (certainly not on the ground !)

• Terminal movements were forecast to grow by 4.8% in 2007. The year end figure 0f 267,828 represents a 6.6% increase over 2006 with the growth coming almost exclusively from Continental Europe.

• Ballygireen handles 414,645 flights in 2007 which, represented a 6% growth in line with projections.

• Delays to terminal traffic for 2007 were forecast at 37,294 minutes. The end of year figure recorded by the Central Flow Management Unit (CFMU) reported delays at 29,136 minutes to 1438 aircraft. The IAA note that these delays are almost entirely attributable to Dublin airport and show a 22% improvement in the number of aircraft experiencing a delay over 2006. The 2007 figure represents 3.95 aircraft per day being each delayed by 80 minutes.  

In terms of infrastructure the report highlights the following which were undertaken in 2007 :

• In Dublin Airport, planning commenced on a new control tower which will be used as part of the twin runway operation.

• In Cork Airport, construction commenced on a new stand alone control tower which is planned to be operational by May 2009.

• The radar replacement program is expected to be completed in 2009. This program sees the replacement of primary and secondary surveillance radar with Mode S secondary and solid state primary systems.

• A new surface movement ground radar system is expected to be operational in Dublin by the end of 2008.  

• The report also notes that the program to replace all ILS, DVOR/DME and runway IRVR systems at the three State airports on course for completion in 2008 with the bulk of the work having been carried out in 2007