What is ansp in aviation?
Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) fall into the following categories: Communication, Navigation, Surveillance (CNS) CNS service providers may provide one or more of the above services. Meteorological (MET)
These services are provided to air traffic during all phases of operations (approach, aerodrome and en-route).
Air navigation service providers are either government departments (like DHMI in Turkey, FAA in USA), state-owned companies, or privatised organisations (SERCO). The majority of the world’s Air Navigation Service Providers are members of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation located at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
Now let’s continue by describing these services.
ATM is an aviation abbreviation encompassing all systems that assist aircraft to depart from an aerodrome, transit airspace, and land at a destination aerodrome (Sections of a Flight) including Air Traffic Services (ATS), Airspace Management (ASM), and Air Traffic Flow and Capacity Management (ATFCM) (We will not go further details in this article to stay in topic).
CNS has the following three main functions.
Communication: Communication, i.e. aviation communication, refers to radio communication between two or more aircraft, or the exchange of data or verbal information between aircraft and air traffic control unit. For continental airspace, VHF (civil) and UHF (military) systems are used whereas for oceanic areas, high frequency systems and SATCOMs are used.
Navigation: Navigation, i.e. air navigation, refers to the process of planning, recording, and controlling the movement of an aircraft from one place to another by providing accurate, reliable and seamless position determination capability.
Surveillance: Surveillance systems are used for air traffic control to determine the position of an aircraft.
The Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) – Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) is a service established in support of international civil aviation, whose objective is to ensure the flow of information (e.g. flight plan details) necessary for the safety, regularity, and efficiency of international air navigation.
Search and Rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search is conducted over.
Aviation meteorology is the study of weather from the unique perspective of the aviation industry. The main objective is to contribute to the guarantee of safety standards, economy and efficiency of flights.
EUROCONTROL (in some parts of Europe)
FAA (USA)
AVINOR (Norway)
IAA (Ireland)
DHMI (Turkey)
NAV Canada (Canada)
GCAA (United Arab Emirates)
DFS (Germany)
Airservices Australia (Australia)
All organisations intending to provide an air navigational service must be in possession of a certificate issued by the CAA in accordance with UK Regulation (EU) 550/2004, (the service provision regulation), article 7.
ATS providers will also be required to be ‘designated’ to provide their services on an exclusive basis within a specific airspace block, at a specific location, in accordance with UK Regulation (EU) 550/2004, article 8.
Where the ATS provider provides an Air Traffic Control Service they must also be certified as a Training Organisation in accordance with the requirements of UK Regulation (EU) 2015/340.
See our guidance on ATCO training organisation certification.
To achieve certification as an ATS provider an organisation must demonstrate compliance with Annex III and Annex IV of UK Regulation (EU) No. 2017/373, (the common requirements for the provision of air traffic management/air navigation services).
To achieve certification as a CNS provider an organisation must demonstrate compliance with Annex III and Annex VIII of UK Regulation (EU) No. 2017/373.
To achieve certification as a MET provider an organisation must demonstrate compliance with Annex III and Annex V of UK Regulation (EU) No. 2017/373.
All applicants must demonstrate compliance with UK Regulation (EU) 376/2014 (the reporting of occurrences in civil aviation).
Noncomplex organisations may apply for ‘Limitation’ from some of the financial and business requirements of UK Regulation (EU) No. 2017/373. Further information on limited certificates will be provided on application.
Please refer to the related information below before making an application for certification or designation.
An Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) is an organization that operates aircraft in flight or in the maneuvering region of a plane and is the legal owner of that authority. An ANSP may provide one or more of the following services to airspace users, depending on the specific mandate.
A person who does not hold an Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP) certificate granted by the Authority is not permitted to perform air navigation services.
Airport Authority of India is responsible for providing ANSP certificates. The DGCA is the Government of India's official agency for formulating regulations, processes, and giving instructions concerning aeronautical telecommunication infrastructure. It is part of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), airlines, and airports are all required to follow their directions. The information about regulatory requirements like civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) etc. about the Aeronautical Telecommunication facilities i.e., CNS/ATM Automation facilities) in India’s available on DCGA website dg ca.nic.in.
In compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, it offers Air Traffic Services across Indian airspace and adjacent maritime areas. Airspace sectorization, upper airspace harmonization, and complete Air Traffic Management (ATM) automation of all airports with conflict management and decision-making tools for controllers have all been proposed and are in various phases of development. This will result in more flexible and dynamic airspace management, allowing for the safe and efficient flow of en-route traffic. According to the AAI's plan and the ICAO's Regional Plan, new CNS/ATM systems will be adopted on a priority basis in the near future. These will ensure that India's airspace is completely covered. For cooperative airspace monitoring in India, there will be more civil-military cooperation. To provide uniformity in air-traffic control services at civilian and defense airports, the integration of civil/military air traffic services will be established. In order to achieve the highest level of air safety, the unidirectional air corridor concept will be implemented in close coordination with the Defense authorities whenever traffic justifies it.
Radars and other navigational aids available to civil and military airport authorities will be used to their full potential, boosting overall route navigation and surveillance capabilities. A Central Control Unit will be established very soon to monitor all domestic flights from a security standpoint. Air traffic control equipment may be installed by AAI or the concerned airport operator in airports that are currently owned or operated by AAI. AAI will normally provide air traffic control (ATC) services, with the exception of approach and aerodrome control, which may be done by licensed ATCs hired by airport operators.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is authorized to give and renew various categories of Air Traffic Controller licenses and ratings, according to Rule 95 of the Aircraft Rules 1937. Part XII and Schedule III of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, specify the requirements for the issuance of Air Traffic Controller licenses and ratings. In general, a candidate for a license should meet the standards in terms of age, educational qualifications, and medical fitness, as well as passing the required examinations and having relevant Air Traffic Service experience.
The Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), through its ATCO Licensing Division, issues an Air Traffic Controller's License inappropriate category to applicants who meet the prerequisites. The requirements and procedures for obtaining an Air Traffic Controller's license and ratings are outlined in this Civil Aviation Requirement.
The provisions of Rule 133A and Rule 95 of the 1937 Aircraft Rules apply to this Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR).
The Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) who provide Air Traffic Services in India are governed by this CAR.
When the holder of an air traffic controller license and related ratings is aware of a reduction in their medical fitness that could render them unable to safely and correctly exercise these privileges, they must not exercise those rights. The ATS provider must ensure that no air traffic controller is allowed to exercise the privileges of any rating unless he meets the competency, regency, medical fitness, and English language standards. Language proficiency as defined by the Aircraft Rules of 1937 and subsequent regulations. A student air traffic controller's license is not necessary for an air traffic controller's license holder who is undertaking on-the-job training in an ATS unit in order to gain additional ratings. OJT for obtaining new ratings or revalidation of old ratings for an ATC unit for which he has successfully completed approved initial training from an Approved ATS Training Organization is permitted with a valid ATCO license, even if the rating has lapsed. The air traffic controller's license must be kept by the person to whom it was issued and made available for inspection by the DGCA.
All applications must be sent to the DGCA at the following address, fully completed in every manner:
Director-General of Civil Aviation
Kind attn: Director of Operations
ATCO Licensing Division,
