Brest: a plane disappears from the radar

It is about " a significant event " but without " major risk for the security ", however declared the General Direction of the civil aviation (DGAC) . The alert came from the crew of another Canadian plane, " who told us that he had just crossed an aircraft, for him estimated at two nautical miles (a little less than four kilometers, ed) , and that he did not find it normal ", said Stéphane Lesage, secretary of the local branch of the union Unsa-ICNA (3rd representative in the controllers).

" That may seem very much four kilometers "but" when flying at more than 800 km / h, it's a few seconds "only, he explained, calling this event" really serious . "

We pbaded close to a collision in flight

This is what the union writes in a statement.

On the night of 25 to 26 June, an update of the flight plan processing system (called STIP) resulted in " some malfunctions ", for its part said the DGAC. It was then decided to go back to the previous version. But " a succession of events, some of which consecutive to the technical problem STIP ", led, in the day of June 26, "to a lack of visualization of a flight through the spaces controlled by the center "control of Brest, and this during" ten minutes ", according to the DGAC.

" This incident has generated a decrease in the regulatory spacing between two aircraft, then separated by five kilometers, "or "60% of the usual standard of nine kilometers ", she explains. The Airborne Warning System (TCAS) " worked perfectly " and " following the alert postponed, the air controller forced his visualization on the radar screen ", adds -t it. It is " a significant event but which does not represent a major risk for aviation safety, given the spacing maintained ", says the DGAC, stating that a " Feedback from current experience " will provide" necessary corrective measures ".

A plane from Spain

This plane from Spain " crossed our spaces almost in full ", according to Mr. Lesage. " We lost it in the Bay of Biscay, to the middle of the Channel ," he said. The " electronic interface " control center " is based on a system that dates back to the 90s " and " not designed at all to last as long and process as much of traffic ", judged the union official. " The level of security in France has never been so good ", for its part reminded Loïc Parisi, for the SNCTA (majority), describing however this event as " serious . " "I There is a program of modernization of flight plan processing tools (…) which is behind the deployment forecasts, the SNCTA regrets ," he said.

The renewal of " technical air navigation systems, for a total cost of 2 billion euros " by 2025, is " mid-way ", according to the DGAC