Our air traffic services involve various tasks, such as air traffic control, providing flight information and issuing alerts.
Air traffic control involves managing air traffic by issuing clearances and instructions to pilots. This is divided into three sub-disciplines: area control, approach control, and aerodrome control.
Flight information is the information provided during a flight to ensure the safe and efficient operation of flights. This includes information about weather conditions along the flight route, changes in the usability of navigation aids, and changes in the condition of airfields and facilities.
The purpose of alerting is twofold: to warn the relevant authorities about aircraft that need assistance in the way of search and rescue, and to assist these authorities as may be required.
LVNL is responsible for managing civil airspace and everything this involves. We have been doing this since 1923, when we became an Independent Administrative Body (ZBO).
LVNL's statutory tasks are defined in the Aviation Act. These include:
providing air traffic services within the Amsterdam flight information region;
providing communication, navigation and positioning services;
providing aeronautical information services and issuing aeronautical publications and charts;
providing or arranging training in air traffic control and air navigation services;
We advise the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Minister of Defence on matters relating to air traffic control and air navigation services. Performing other tasks assigned by or pursuant to the Aviation Act.
The Airport Traffic Decree is a general administrative measure based on the Aviation Act which lays down rules for route and runway usage that LVNL must comply with.
The same decree also defines the responsibility to comply with limits on noise, external safety, and local air pollution. Managing air traffic within these limits is the joint responsibility of LVNL, the airlines, and Schiphol Airport.
At an airport with multiple runways facing different directions, such as Schiphol, operations on one runway can affect those on another. What are the rules?
High in Dutch airspace, there are five major international 'motorways', or corridors. Aircraft fly to these corridors from every runway at Schiphol. Read about routes.