General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMI), responsible for the management of Turkish airports and the regulation and control of Turkish airspace, has initiated the Voice-ATIS service at Ercan Airport in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), marking the system’s first use outside of Türkiye’s airports.
The DHMI’s official website states that there are ongoing efforts to implement this service at all airports under its management.
In the past month, this service was introduced at ten additional airports, thereby increasing the tally of airports with Voice-ATIS to 38. By 2024, the DHMI envisions the Voice-ATIS service to be operational at all its airports.
Voice-ATIS, part of the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS), is essential for pilots to receive continuous, pre-recorded messages broadcasting vital airport information. This service is designed to diminish air traffic controllers’ workload and minimize the occupation of communication frequencies. It relays crucial updates such as weather conditions, active runways, approach types, and NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) to aircraft preparing to land or take off.
There are two ATIS types: D-ATIS (Data Link-Automatic Terminal Information Services), which integrates with the Flight Management System (FMS) to provide printed information to the cockpit, and the traditional Voice-ATIS, where pilots listen and manually note the details. The introduction of Voice-ATIS at Ercan Airport signifies an advancement in pilot-ground communications, offering real-time updates and reducing pilots’ workload by eliminating the need for manual note-taking.
