Athens FIR: Cables for VCRS installation stolen from Civil Aviation Authority

Unknown suspects broke into the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority’s facilities in Elliniko and stole cable reels intended for the installation of the critical Voice Communication and Recording System

According to information obtained by NEWS 24/7, on Friday afternoon, shortly after 7 p.m., unknown suspects broke through the fence surrounding the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) facilities in Elliniko, entered the site and stole cable reels intended for the installation of the Voice Communication & Recording System (VCRS).

The suspects reportedly loaded the material into their vehicle and left the area without being stopped.

The theft comes at a critical juncture, as the installation of the VCRS, a system considered vital to aviation safety, remains pending.

Athens FIR radars still at a standstill

NEWS 24/7 reported on August 15 that the radars serving the Athens FIR were still at a standstill.

Despite the blackout that hit Athens airspace in January and once again exposed shortcomings related to aviation safety, the relevant tender had effectively stalled following complaints of overpricing and preferential treatment of a company.

At the same time, the VCRS had still not been installed at Greece’s Athens and Macedonia Area Control Centres, meaning the risk of another communications failure remains.

The issue is all the more serious at a time when Greece handles thousands of flights every day.

Questions over security at HCAA facilities

The break-in at the HCAA facilities also raises serious questions about security measures at a site of critical importance to the operation of air transport.

Security at the facilities is handled by a private security company, operating according to instructions drawn up by the HCAA security officer.

However, private security companies do not have powers equivalent to those of the Greek Police. Their role is limited to prevention, surveillance and notifying the competent authorities, rather than directly pursuing or arresting suspects.

The break-in and theft therefore highlight potential gaps in the protection of the facilities, which the relevant authorities will now have to address.

At the same time, the immediate replacement of the stolen cables is considered crucial, as they are necessary for the installation of a system whose deployment has already been delayed for years.

The long-delayed VCRS installation

The history of the VCRS is a characteristic example of the delays caused by bureaucracy.

Although the equipment had already been procured, it remained in storage for an extended period without installation, due to coordination problems between different agencies, internal shortcomings and bureaucratic procedures.

The relevant contract subsequently had to be amended, as technological developments between the initial order and the selection of the contractor and procurement of the system required corresponding changes to its architecture.

The situation reached a critical point following the blackout in the Athens FIR, which was linked to an inability to communicate between pilots and air traffic control because of interference.

The VCRS installation issue was subsequently referred to the Plenary of the Hellenic Court of Audit in an effort to resolve the matter and speed up the process.

What the expert committee recommended

The expert committee tasked with carrying out an urgent preliminary investigation into the blackout had recommended accelerating the transition to Voice over IP (VoIP) technology.

As part of that process, it called for the completion of procedures for the procurement, installation and operational deployment of the new VCS/RCS (Voice Communication System / Radio Communication System), as well as 495 new transceivers.

Despite those recommendations, the situation remains problematic.

As of August 29, neither the new transceivers have been installed nor is the VCRS operational.

And now, following the theft of the cables from the HCAA facilities, the process appears to have suffered yet another setback.