A study has been commissioned in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region for the creation of a single Upper Air Space Control Center, reported The Post on Wednesday.

The study will take into account the impact of lower airspace, the local newspaper reported.

In view of the development in the aviation industry, southern African countries have embarked on training their staff to meet the challenges of the soon-to-be-introduced reduced vertical separation from 2,000 to 1,000 feet in the upper airspace.

The findings of the study from the SADC countries will be harmonized with the Communication, Navigation, Surveillance Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) programs of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

An American contractor has been engaged to carry out the assessment and has already concluded his work in Zambia, reported The Post.

It quoted director in the Department for Civil Aviation of Zambia Chitalu Kabalika as saying that airspace restructuring should be undertaken to reduce prohibited, dangerous and restricted areas.

The lower airspace only earns about 20 percent of all air navigation revenues while the upper airspace earns 80 percent.

Source: Xinhua