In the night of 16-17 December, Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) directed aircraft to and from Schiphol Airport from the new radar room in the Polaris building at Schiphol-East for the very first time.
Published on
In the night of 16-17 December, Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) directed aircraft to and from Schiphol Airport from the new radar room in the Polaris building at Schiphol-East for the very first time. With this "Night live operation", LVNL has taken an important step towards commissioning its new air traffic control system. Over the next few years, LVNL will continue to develop, test and expand the system before implementing it.
Mark van Knippenberg, director of operations at LVNL, said: "LVNL works every day to provide the safe, responsible and expeditious flow of air traffic through Dutch airspace. To continue doing so in the future, we will need a new air traffic control system. Given that we oversee one of the most complex pieces of European airspace, building such a system is a formidable challenge. As an added layer of complexity, we will have to replace the system while providing the same high-quality air traffic control services. The fact that we have now safely guided aircraft from our new radar room is an important milestone.”
As an added layer of complexity, we will have to replace the system while providing the same high-quality air traffic control services.
Mark van Knippenberg Directeur Operations at LVNL
The current air traffic control (AAA) system has been safe and reliable for almost 30 years, but is approaching the end of its lifespan and in need of replacement. The new system will help lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions and improve efficiency by optimising flight paths.
Moreover, LVNL's new air traffic control system is aligned with developments in European laws and regulations towards a Single European Sky.
LVNL is developing the system in collaboration with air traffic control organisations from other countries in order to improve flight paths and share development costs.
Although Dutch airspace is relatively small, it is home to a large number of different flight movements, both civil and military. With its frequent runway changes, Schiphol is also a complex environment that cannot be compared to other airports. The new system therefore has to be tailored specifically to the new Dutch context, which is an arduous and time-consuming process, given the high level of safety expected by LVNL and airspace users. After development, the system must be validated and tested before training programmes can start to teach air traffic controllers how to use the system safely. During the development process, LVNL’s daily operations will continue as usual, akin to rebuilding a cockpit while in flight.
LVNL spent the past few years developing hardware and building and testing the software for the new system. The newly built data centre has now been fitted with all the necessary hardware, so we can start linking various national and international systems. Moreover, a brand-new air traffic control room has been set up in the new Polaris building. According to the current timeline, LVNL expects to fully commission the new system between the end of 2026 and 2028.
Until then, LVNL will continue to use the current air traffic control systems to safely direct air traffic.
