Avinor Partners with SITA for Sustainable Airspace optimization

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Avinor, wholly owned by the Norwegian Government, oversees 43 airports and air traffic control throughout Norway, covering areas including the North Sea and the Arctic Ocean. This operation ensures safe and efficient travel for approximately 50 million passengers annually.

In pursuit of optimizing Norwegian airspace to cut costs, fuel usage, and greenhouse gas emissions, Avinor has embarked on a strategic initiative. Central to this endeavor are SITA’s Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN) and VHF Data Link Mode 2 (VDLm2) services. By refining trajectories in upper airspace, Avinor aims to achieve these objectives.

SITA will enhance its VHF Digital Link Mode 2 (VDLm2) infrastructure in southern Norway by installing four additional VHF stations. This expansion will ensure comprehensive and efficient coverage of the airspace.

Commencing in 2023, this five-year project is set to commence service in early 2025.

The adoption of SITA’s technology by Avinor promises several key benefits:

1. Automation of procedures through CPDLC (ATN-B1), which is currently a principal capacity enhancer for European airspace. As air traffic continues to grow, CPDLC becomes increasingly vital for communication between controllers and pilots.
2. Modernization of air traffic management through the ATN/CPDLC service, enabling:

• Implementation of new ATC concepts like Trajectory Based Operations, promoting efficiency and coordination with ground actors.
• Reduction of voice congestion by offloading routine tasks to digital channels, enhancing communication speed and airspace management.
• Enhancement of situational awareness by exchanging digital data, reducing misunderstandings and improving clarity.
• Optimization of flight paths and reduction of fuel consumption through precise clearances and instructions.
• Minimization of communication errors via standardized messaging, bolstering safety.
• Robust data encryption, ensuring secure communication between pilots and controllers.
• Reduction of workload for controllers by automating routine tasks, allowing focus on complex situations.
• Facilitation of two-way communication between controllers and pilots, fostering collaboration and situational awareness.

Overall, the adoption of CPDLC technology by Avinor aligns with sustainability goals, enabling the implementation of new ATC concepts to optimize trajectories and mitigate emissions.

Strategic Steps: Navigating the Path to Success

Commenting on the adoption of SITA’s ATN/CPDLC technology, Ellen Lystad, Director ANS Technology Development at Avinor, said: “As part of our commitment to the Single European Sky programme (SESAR), are  replacing the core system for en-route services, approach control services and tower services. We are also contributing to efficiency improvements in the European network through an increased scope of data sharing. Data sharing between the ground and air and systems on the ground will lay the foundation of this digitalization – and SITA is making a decisive contribution to that process through its ATN and CPDLC services”.

Yann Cabaret, CEO of SITA FOR AIRCRAFT, welcomed Avinor’s decision to contract SITA to provide the complete air traffic management chain across Norwegian airspace. “With the important inclusion of Norway, SITA can now provide complete airspace coverage across the European Union and adjacent countries – all part of the Single European Sky initiative. SITA operates a European-wide ATN backbone, the primary means of connection to the ANSPs. That places us as a critical reference point in the task of delivering a greener European sky.”

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