History

The beginning

  • The first regulation valid for the territory of Austria-Hungary dates from 1912
  • During World War I, the intense technical development of air force led to the development of civil aviation as well. In 1919 the Ministry of Public Works of the Czechoslovak Republic established the Aeronautical Department, later changed to the Aviation Department.
  • In 1923 the Czechoslovak Republic became a member of CINA, the first international aviation commission and the air service on the route "Bratislava – Prague" commenced and later to other Slovak cities as well. The international transport started in 1930.
  • At that time the backup of flights consisted of information on the destination airport and weather conditions. During flights pilots could get information from the ground only if they had a visual contact by means of flags, information signs, marks in the landing area and the wind sleeve. In bad visibility signalling lights, searchlights, flares and rotating beacons were used. From 1930 the main air route "Prague – Brno – Bratislava" was marked with light beacons.
  • From 1929 ground radio direction finders were gradually built in airports. With the network it was possible to establish the aircraft location, to lead it along its route and to navigate it for landing even in bad meteorological conditions and at night. Apart from giving information on flights, meteorological situation and condition of the airport, the network also ensured radiotelegraphic connection among airports, and later also the direction finding service.
  • From 1933 aircraft were equipped with radiotelegraphy equipment and crews had another member – a radiotelegraph operator.
  • In the second half of the thirties firm air routes were created, aligned with non-directional radio beacons, working in long and medium wave bands. Direction finder and later a radio compass enabled following the route. Air traffic control used the so-called procedural control, based on report of the position by crews according to non-directional beacons or radio stations.
  • The second World War had a negative impact on development of Civil Aviation, but a new equipment- radar occured. After World War II   a rapid development of civil air transportation was commenced. The age of jet aeroplanes started, new technologies and procedures for a safe and orderly flow of traffic were implemented.

 

after 1993

  • The foundation of the independent Slovak Republic and the related foundation of the Air Navigation Services of the Slovak Republic (Riadenie letovej prevádzky - RLP SR) represented a major change in existing management, economic and logistic links. Soon after the declaration of independence (01.01.1993) the Slovak Republic became a member of the international organizations ICAO and ECAC.
  • The achievement of the desired capacity of airspace, its efficient organization and availability became subject-matters of European programs of the Central Flow Management Unit (CFMU) and the European Air Traffic Centralized Harmonization and Integration Program (EATCHIP), controlled by EUROCONTROL, which the Slovak Republic joined as a member on 01.01.1997 and in which it is represented by LPS SR, š. p.
  • In 1993 the Aeronautical Information Service of the Slovak Republic started to be built and since 1994 the service has been provided by the Air Navigation Services of the Slovak Republic. It was predominantly focused on handling the transfer to the provision of aeronautical information in the electronic form. The built automated systems rank among most advanced in Europe. Within EUROCONTROL, the Air Navigation Services of the Slovak Republic participate in the CEATS project together with other countries of Central Europe, which is a Central European program of air navigation services. The goal of CEATS is to create a uniform control of the Central European control of upper airspace.
  • In 1998 the construction of a new control tower (TWR) was completed in the Airport Bratislava, which became its new dominant.
  • The year 1999 meant a very tough test of the Air Navigation Services of the Slovak Republic. As a result of the escalation of the crisis in Kosovo and related air operations of NATO, the load of the Slovak airspace increased in a few days from 260 flights per day in March to approximately 800 flights. The Air Navigation Services of the Slovak Republic managed well the initial pressure from the increased number of movements that soared by three times more in comparison with the same period of the previous year.
  • In October 1999 one of most advanced systems for provision of air traffic services was launched - EUROCAT E2000. The system enabled to increase the capacity of slovak airspace from 78 flights per hour to 120 flights per hour, which is a 65-percent growth of the capacity in comparison with 1999. Thus in 2000 LPS SR, provided its clients the airspace capacity close to the zero value of delay.
  • Since January 2000 the Air Navigation Services of the Slovak Republic, was transformed to the state enterprise Letové prevádzkové služby Slovenskej republiky.