Solar Powered NDB for Agalega Island

The Department of Civil Aviation in Mauritius has awarded Systems Interface a contract to provide a ground based navigational aid on Agalega North Island’s airfield. This exciting contract is for a Non Directional Beacon, completely powered by a Solar System.

Systems Interface will provide civil works, installation and commissioning of the Nautel VR250 Vector Dual Solid Sate 250W NDB system. Due to the lack of power and comms on the island Systems Interface has worked with partner company and solar expert, Aviation Renewables Corporation (ARC) and manufacturer Solar Electric Supply, to custom design the Solar Series MAPPS power system, a self-contained solar power system, to suit both the climate of the airfield, the power requirements of the NDB and to provide continuous 24 hour operation.

Operations Director, Paul Gurney said “Since 2009 SIL has successfully delivered three projects to the DCA in Mauritius and we are delighted to have received a fourth contract award and continue our on-going relationship with the DCA. SIL were chosen to deliver this complex and challenging project due to our proven high success rate.”

This remote Island is part of the outer island territory of the Republic of Mauritius and is run by the Outer Island Development Corporation. Lying some 1100km north of Mauritius it comprises two islands: North Island - 12.5 km long and 1.5 km wide, and the South Island – 7km long and 4.5km wide. The North Island has one landing strip used by light aircraft. With no harbour, visiting provisions ships have to anchor in the high sea at about 500m from the North Island’s jetty. The Agalega Islands will benefit greatly from the solar powered system in both ecological and financial terms.