Future of air control is unveiled

AIRPORT operator Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (Hial) offered a look at the future this week with an insight into the £28 million air traffic management system it plans to bring to the region.

Hial’s two-day exhibition at the University of the Highlands and Islands’ Inverness campus brought together operators and developers who are already working on similar remote tower systems.

Hial will introduce the new system over the next 10 to 15 years, centralising air traffic responsibility for seven out of its 11 airports at a single location.

One of the seven affected airports – Inverness, Wick John O’Groats, Sumburgh, Dundee, Kirkwall, Stornoway and Benbecula – will be chosen as the location for the new control room, which will use a combination of radar and panoramic video screens to manage flights. An announcement on the site is expected in July.

Hial hoped the general public and stakeholder organisations would visit the exhibition to see the proposed technology for themselves.

"When we first introduced the system back in January, there were all sorts of rumours about robots in control towers, so it’s important that we make this as accessible as possible to show what you will see in reality," Hial managing director Inglis Lyon commented.

Mr Lyon said the new system will future proof the Hial network against several of the challenges it faces, including new demands on security, staff recruitment and rising costs. It will also put Hial at the forefront of air traffic control technology and allow Hial to create a centre of excellence providing training and expertise to airports across the world.

However, there will be no change to job numbers.

"We start the project with 75 staff members and we will finish with 75 staff members," he said.

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