Replacement Period for 'Navigational Safety Facilities' at Honam Region Airports Has Passed

Installation Exceeding Service Life by 1-3 Years in Gwangju, Muan, Yeosu, and Others

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] While most regional airports have replaced their navigation safety facilities after meeting the appropriate service life, it has been revealed that only the Honam region airports?Gwangju, Muan, and Yeosu?have had their replacement schedules consistently delayed.

On the other hand, other regional airports such as Gimpo, Gimhae, Jeju, Cheongju, Daegu, and Ulsan have more navigation safety facilities than the Honam airports, but most of these are being upgraded or planned within the additional weighted service life range, highlighting the urgent need for navigation safety measures at Honam airports.

According to the National Assembly inspection data submitted by Representative Jo O-seop (Gwangju Buk-gu Gap, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee & Budget Committee) from Korea Airports Corporation on the 26th, the navigation safety facilities at Honam airports such as Gwangju, Muan, and Yeosu have been installed beyond the service life of 1 to 3 years, including weighted factors.

Navigation safety facilities include instrument landing systems (3 types), radio beacons (3 types), radars (4 types), and aeronautical information and communication systems (7 types), with a service life of 13 to 15 years depending on the facility.

However, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s directive, "Regulations on the Service Life of Aviation Equipment," operates a separate program applying weighted factors such as usage period, spare parts inventory, failure cycles based on actual operating hours, and domestic production level, allowing an additional 1 to 2 years beyond the standard service life.

Since navigation safety facilities significantly impact aircraft takeoff, landing, and route safety, timely replacement and upgrades are necessary to prevent major aviation accidents.

Gwangju Airport’s omnidirectional indicator and distance measuring equipment, installed in 2004, should have been replaced by 2020 after adding 2 years of weighted service life to the standard 14 years, but the upgrade is scheduled for this year.

Muan Airport’s instrument landing system and distance measuring equipment, installed in 2005 with a 14-year service life plus 1 year weighted allowance, should have been replaced in 2020, but the actual upgrade is expected two years later in 2022.

Yeosu Airport’s radar facility, installed in 2005 with a 14-year service life plus 1 year weighted allowance, was due for replacement in 2020 but is expected to be installed only in 2023, three years late.

In particular, Yeosu Airport’s replacement schedule has been delayed by three years due to failure to reach an agreement on the replacement timing with the Ministry of National Defense’s Sacheon military airport air traffic control automation system (ARTS), which affects the radar facility, passing the burden of aviation safety concerns directly onto the public.

Representative Jo stated, “Navigation safety facilities provide critical information for aircraft takeoff, landing, and routes, so replacement timing is determined by applying weighted factors through separate regulations and programs. There should be no situation where administrative issues such as consultations with the Ministry of National Defense or coordination between airport facilities are neglected, threatening public safety, except in unavoidable circumstances like natural disasters or infectious diseases.”