How Greece Shields Its Air Navigation and Air Traffic Management

For years, concerns have been raised about shortages in technical equipment and staff in relation to the management of Greece’s air traffic. However, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) have intensified and accelerated a structural reform over the last five months that:

• addresses long-standing issues,
• fills gaps that had left the country exposed to European observations and sanctions,
• and creates new conditions for safety and modernization of Greek airspace.

The Action Plan for Infringements and Compliance

On the initiative of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Dimas, an Action Plan has been drawn up and is already under implementation to address infringements and ensure compliance with EU law in the field of air traffic management.

The plan includes 364 individual actions, structured around six key pillars:

1. Upgrade of the Central Air Traffic Management System (ATM).
2. Installation of new radars with Mode S capability.
3. Full implementation of the Common Project 1 (CP1) Regulation.
4. Transformation of the HCAA.
5. Development of Data Link Services (DLS).
6. Full application of Performance Based Navigation (PBN).

A special Working Group, composed of Ministry, HCAA, and Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority of Greece (APA) experts, monitors progress daily and has already submitted the second Progress Report to the European Commission.

New Central ATM System

On August 20, 2025, the manufacturer submitted its final offer for the state-of-the-art TOP SKY ATC ONE system—among the most advanced worldwide.

At the same time, Greece aims to comply with the new CP1 regulatory framework, and to accelerate the upgrade of the supporting STCA functionality.

New Mode-S Radars

Final signatures are pending for the procurement of eight new radars worth €53.6 million (Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Attavyros, Rhodes Terminal, Corfu, Limnos, Karpathos, Andravida).

The addition of the Andravida radar is a strategic move to strengthen coverage in the Ionian Islands (Zakynthos, Kefalonia).

Modernization and System Availability

The HCAA is implementing 13 flagship projects with a total budget of €313 million to fully modernize its air navigation systems.

Key results so far:

• Significant improvement in radar availability (MSSR and PSR) in 2024 and H1 2025.
• Notably, the Merenda MSSR radar at Athens International Airport recorded 100% availability in H1 2025.
• Higher frequency availability at Athens & Macedonia Area Control Centers (KEPATHM) across all categories (main, backup, and co-broadcast frequencies).

New Staff Recruitment

The HCAA is applying the most modern recruitment procedures for air traffic controllers, using EUROCONTROL’s FEAST program.

• 97 new Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) were hired in 2025.
• 72 additional ATCOs will join in 2026, directly from the pool of successful candidates.
• Recruitment is underway for 43 new ATSEP engineers and 28 AFISO officers for regional airports.
• For 2026, 100 more hires across various specialties have been approved.

Greece is making a leap forward in air navigation modernization:

• with upgraded systems,
• with strengthened staffing,
• with a clear plan aligned with European standards.

The safety and reliability of Greek air traffic management are being shielded, finally closing decades-long gaps.

Source: pagenews.gr