Radar Intervisibility Assessment for Hangar Development 

Background and requirement 

A UK Airport wished to develop areas to the southwest of the runway, i.e. in accordance with the Airport Master Plan. This development is highly likely to result in a loss of surveillance coverage, as afforded by the existing Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) and Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR).  Sagentia Aviation was commissioned to undertake an assessment to determine the potential impact on the performance of the PSR and the SSR, caused by the development of hangars at a number of alternative locations. 

Approach 

Initially, Sagentia Aviation, through discussions with the Airport, established the surveillance Operational Requirement (OR) against which a series of intervisibility assessments were performed.  

Sagentia  Aviation concluded that the development of the Hangars would pose a significant reduction in radar coverage, as well as creating safeguarding infringements to both the PSR and SSR.  Shifting the proposed hangar location away from the PSR and SSR reduced the impact on the loss of surveillance coverage caused by the construction of a hangar; the coverage loss moves to a more westerly and narrower azimuth. The furthest modelled location from the PSR and SSR presented a desirable location to develop a hangar. With an apex height of 25m, the minimal loss in surveillance coverage could be accepted by Airport ATC. 

Sagentia Aviation suggested other potential means available to mitigate this loss in surveillance coverage: 

• Onward Routed Radar Data (ORRD): Adjacent surveillance services were available to the Airport and could provide additional and supportive radar data (subject to commercial agreement). If used in conjunction with the PSR and SSR, as a mosaic picture, it may provide the surveillance coverage lost due to hangar construction.  

• New Radar / location: A new radar, sited at a different location at the airport may allow the construction of hangers in to continue, without any significant loss in surveillance coverage.  An initial review by Sagentia Aviation has identified potential sites that could be explored further. 

Outcome 

This work informed the Airports decision making to allow the commercial development in the proposed site.