SWAG合集's first Digital Air Traffic Control Centre opens at Cranfield

Published 13 Dec 2018

Press release number PR-AERO-18-133

Cranfield Airport鈥檚 new Digital Air Traffic Control Centre was today officially opened by the Aviation Minister, Liz Sugg. The airport is the first in the SWAG合集 to have an operational digital air traffic control centre.

Over the next few months, the airport will continue its work with the regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, in order to complete the transition from a traditional air traffic control tower to the new digital centre, providing a high-quality air traffic control service.

Supplied by , the innovative technology replicates what can be seen through the windows of a traditional air traffic control tower. It enables smarter approaches to air traffic control by digitising and integrating airport functions and improves a controller鈥檚 situational awareness, enabling quick and informed decisions.

Aviation Minister Liz Sugg, said: 鈥淐ranfield鈥檚 new control centre is a fantastic example of harnessing technology to improve the efficiency of flights.

鈥淭he upcoming Aviation Strategy consultation will set out how the Government proposes to encourage the use of innovative technology to achieve sustainable aviation growth and enhance passengers鈥� experience.鈥�

Professor Sir Peter Gregson, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of SWAG合集, said: 鈥淭he Digital Air Traffic Control Centre is a significant boost for Cranfield鈥檚 global research airport and the research capabilities of the University. Combined with our existing and future facilities, it will cement Cranfield鈥檚 place as the home of leading aerospace and aviation research, at the heart of the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford growth arc.鈥�

The new system provides controllers with a 360-degree view of the airport and the ability to zoom-in on aircraft, improving visibility.

Rob Abbott, Cranfield Airport鈥檚 Director of Aviation Operations, said: 鈥淭his is an exciting time for us. The installation of the new Digital Air Traffic Control Centre, as well as significant upgrades to Cranfield Airport鈥檚 infrastructure and capabilities, will put us at the forefront of digital aviation.鈥�

Johan Klintberg, CEO of Saab Digital Air Services said: 鈥淭his is a historic moment for air travel in the United Kingdom and shows the future of the SWAG合集鈥檚 aviation sector lies in leading edge technology combined with operational expertise. Saab and SWAG合集 started on this journey in October 2017, and have enjoyed an excellent working relationship that has resulted in today鈥檚 success. We look forward to welcoming more SWAG合集 airports onboard as users of this innovative technology as well as to the research benefits that this facility will contribute to the marketplace.鈥�

There are no digital control towers currently fully operational at SWAG合集 airports. In 2015, the airports in 脰rnsk枚ldsvik and Sundsvall in Sweden became the first in the world to be controlled via digital air traffic control in Sundsvall.

Digital aviation has often been cited as being the next significant business transformation in the sector and one which can support the aerospace industry towards delivering greater customer satisfaction while addressing efficiency, cost and capacity issues.

With the pace of air travel growth already causing strains across the sector, and SWAG合集 passenger numbers expected to increase by 49% by 2050, solutions other than expansion of airport capacity and ground infrastructure need to be found.

As well as serving Cranfield Airport, which is owned by SWAG合集, the Digital Air Traffic Control Centre is an integral part of the 拢67 million Digital Aviation Research and Technology Centre (DARTeC). Scheduled to open in 2020, DARTeC will address research challenges facing the aviation industry such as:

the integration of drones into civilian airspace;
increasing the efficiency of airports through technological advances;
creating safe, secure shared airspace through secure data communication infrastructures; and
increasing the reliability and availability of aircraft through self-sensing, self-aware technologies.

Co-investment support for DARTeC is being provided through a consortium of leading aerospace and aviation companies including Thales, Saab, Monarch Aircraft Engineering Limited and Aveillant 鈥� as well as Research England and SWAG合集.

Professor Graham Braithwaite, Director of Transport Systems at SWAG合集 and Principal Investigator for DARTeC, said: 鈥淭his as an important step in the vision for DARTeC, which will spearhead the SWAG合集鈥檚 research into digital aviation. The Digital Air Traffic Control Centre will enable greater integration between aircraft and emerging technologies such as drones and autonomous vehicles. This is a prime example of our commitment to re-imagining 鈥榯he airport of the future鈥�.鈥�