IAA successfully completes operational trials on remote tower technology

TIN news:   The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has successfully completed operational trials on remote tower technology in the country, marking a step ahead in a project to manage its airspace through digitally controlled, remotely located control towers.
Last year, the IAA, in collaboration with a consortium of stakeholders, supported the single European sky ATM research (SESAR) joint undertaking (JU) concept of remote tower technology through a wide range of operational trials, which are based on more than 50 demonstrations.
Operational trials at airports in Cork, Shannon, and Dublin have successfully validated that a single air traffic controller operation can control multiple remote towers at different airports.
IAA air traffic management (ATM) Operations and Strategy director Peter Kearney said: “Following these trials, we firmly believe that tower services at multiple airports can be safely provided by a single air traffic controller remotely.
“With carefully designed procedures, it will almost certainly be possible to allow one controller to simultaneously provide ATM services for more than one low volume aerodrome.

"Following these trials, we firmly believe that tower services at multiple airports can be safely provided by a single air traffic controller remotely."

“This would be subject of course to successful completion of safety assessments, regulatory approval and appropriate stakeholder consultation.”
In March, IAA completed the system installation that was delivered by Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab.
Between June and August 2016, the IAA worked to validate the system through operational trials, which demonstrated single controller operation of multiple remote towers in a live air traffic environment.
The trials also highlighted major safety benefits from the enhanced visual displays provided by the remote tower centre.
Kearney added: “There are many critical areas to be addressed and these trials are a significant milestone in proving the reliability and integrity of these systems.
“Remote tower technology will play a vital role in the future of air traffic service provision for aerodromes across the world including Ireland.”
The remote tower technology is capable of supporting air navigation service providers (ANSPs) to reduce and control their costs in line with the expectations of airline and European Commission (EC), without affecting safety or service delivery.
The technology can be best used at smaller and less busy regional airports, while it can also assist busier airports in terms of effectively managing operations at night time and other periods of low traffic.