The UK's first digital tower goes active at Cranfield

摘要

On December 13, the UK's aviation minister, Liz Sugg, formally opened the digital air traffic control center at Cranfield University airfield in Bedfordshire. In the early afternoon, the center handled its first live air traffic, marking the first time in the UK that an aircraft had been controlled from an all-digital "tower." Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions installed Cranfield's new tower in a jointly funded partnership with the university. Implementation has been swift: the contract was signed in October 2017, with construction beginning in March. Completion of the installation permitted air traffic control officers (ATCOs) to "shadow" the operations of the existing traditional visual tower for six weeks while Saab technicians fine-tuned the system. The "opening" of the control center was made possible under a temporary approval to gain live experience with limited traffic. Now the stakeholders are embarking on a phase of working closely with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to clear the system for unrestricted use. Cranfield hopes to complete the transition in around six months, at which time its aging visual tower can be closed.