London City
Airport has announced it is to become the first UK
airport to build and operate a digital air traffic
control tower, with a multi-million pound investment
in the technology.
The innovative
plans are a flagship moment in the airport’s 30th
anniversary year, and mark the start of a
technological revolution in UK airport air traffic
management.
Working closely
with NATS, the UK’s leading provider of air traffic
control services, London City Airport has approved
plans for a new tower, at the top of which will be
14 High Definition cameras and two pan-tilt-zoom
cameras. The cameras will provide a full 360 degree
view of the airfield in a level of detail greater
than the human eye and with new viewing tools that
will modernise and improve air traffic management.
The images of the
airfield and data will be sent via independent and
secure super-fast fibre networks to a brand new
operations room at the NATS control centre in
Swanwick, Hampshire. From Swanwick, air traffic
controllers will perform their operational role,
using the live footage displayed on 14 HD screens
that form a seamless panoramic moving image,
alongside the audio feed from the airfield, and
radar readings from the skies above London, to
instruct aircraft and oversee movements.
Declan Collier,
CEO at London City Airport, said: “A pioneering new
digital air traffic control system will enhance
safety and improve resilience, setting a new
standard for the global aviation industry to follow.
With London City Airport’s plans to grow and an
existing tower which is reaching the end of its
operational lifespan, this cutting edge proven
technology future-proofs London City Airport’s air
traffic control for the next 30 years and beyond.”
Mike Stoller,
Director, Airports at NATS, added: “Digital towers
are going to transform the way air traffic services
are provided at airports by providing real safety,
operational and efficiency benefits, and we are
delighted that London City Airport has chosen to
work with us to deliver what will be the first of
its kind in the UK.”
The
state-of-the-art technology from Saab Digital Air
Traffic Solutions, which is tried and tested and
already in use at Örnsköldsvik and Sundsvall
airports in Sweden, offers several advantages for
efficient air traffic management at London City
Airport.
Controllers will
be able to utilise a range of viewing tools such as
high definition zoom and enhanced visuals, which
provide detailed views of activity on the airfield,
including close-up views of aircraft movements along
the 1500m runway, with pan-tilt-zoom cameras that
can magnify up to 30 times for close inspection.
They will also have real-time information, including
operational and sensory data, to build an augmented
reality live view of the airfield. For example, the
ability to overlay the images with weather
information, on-screen labels, radar data, aircraft
call signs, or to track moving objects.
The sophisticated
tools of a digital set-up significantly improve a
controller’s situational awareness, enabling quick
and informed decisions that thereby offer safety and
operational benefits for the airport.
Following a
record-breaking 4.5 million passengers in 2016,
London City Airport will become the first airport in
the UK to introduce a digital tower.
Johan Klintberg,
CEO of Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions, said:
“This decision by London City Airport is further
proof that Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions is the
world’s leading provider of remote and digital tower
technology. Having a key international airport such
as London City Airport trust in our solution
demonstrates that it is scalable, bringing the
benefits of digitalisation to airport operators,
unconstrained by their size or location.”
The 50-metre
digital tower was approved by the London Borough of
Newham in December 2016, and construction will begin
later this year, located in the airport’s long-stay
car park, in line with the mid-way point of the
runway, adjacent to King George V Dock.
Construction of
the tower is due to be completed in 2018, followed
by more than a year of rigorous testing and
training, during which the existing 30-year old
tower will continue to operate. The digital tower
will become fully operational in 2019.
This year London
City Airport, which is marking its 30th anniversary,
will also begin construction on its £350 million
City Airport Development Programme (CADP). The major
project will enable an additional 2 million
passengers per year to use the airport by 2025 and
add up to 30,000 permitted flights per year.
The plans for the
only airport actually in London include; 7 new
aircraft stands to accommodate next-generation
aircraft, a parallel taxiway to maximise runway
capacity, and a terminal extension to accommodate
increasing passenger numbers.
London City
Airport is partnering with NATS Services, the
commercial arm of the UK air traffic services
provider.
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