“Following the transfer of Molde, Leknes, and Sandnessjøen, we are now operating 14 towers from the Remote Tower Centre in Bodø,” says Jan Gunnar Pedersen, Executive Vice President of Air Navigation Services at Avinor.
Molde and Leknes were transferred on Tuesday, April 8, and Sandnessjøen followed on Wednesday, April 9.
Pedersen states that this marks another step forward in the development of the tower centre, which is the largest of its kind in the world.
“From Molde, Leknes, and Sandnessjøen, several AFIS officers are joining the centre. They’ve worked hard to ensure safe and stable operations at the towers and have completed all necessary training ahead of the transfer to Bodø. Their efforts over the past years are greatly appreciated,” says Pedersen.
The towers at these three airports have been operated locally since the 1960s and 70s. The transfer to the Bodø tower centre marks a new era for the AFIS units (Aerodrome Flight Information Service).
“At the same time, this marks the end of a long process that has at times been challenging for those affected. A big thank-you goes to the staff at the towers in Molde, Leknes, and Sandnessjøen. They quickly adapted to short-notice changes and ensured the continued delivery of a well-functioning local service. That deserves great respect. I am deeply grateful for their flexibility, professionalism, and their ability to maintain safe and stable operations locally,” says Pedersen.
World-Leading Technology Developed in Norway
Avinor Air Navigation Services introduced remote tower operations at Røst Airport on October 19, 2019, in collaboration with suppliers Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Indra.
“We’re pleased to celebrate another important milestone achieved by the team. At Kongsberg, we are proud to be part of this key project with Avinor, now operating 14 airports as part of what remains the world’s largest remote tower operation. We greatly appreciate the efforts made to ensure a smooth transition, and we look forward to collaborating with Avinor on the future digitalization of Norway’s airports,” says Kjetil Reiten Myhra, Division Director at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
“Avinor is a global leader in the use of remote towers, and the centre in Bodø is attracting considerable attention in the aviation industry. We are proud to contribute to a fully Norwegian technology platform, in close collaboration with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace,” says Andrew Fiamingo, CEO of Indra Navia.
Solid Effort
The three towers were originally scheduled for transfer at the end of March but were delayed due to technical challenges following a planned system upgrade.
“The system has consistently supported operations at the eleven towers already within the centre, but we wanted to further improve its stability before transferring the last three. Many people have made great efforts to resolve the issues, and after thorough work involving analysis and system optimization with the supplier, the system was robust enough to support a successful transfer,” says CTO Lars Vågsdal.
21 Towers by 2027
The plan is to operate 21 towers from the Bodø centre by 2027.
“The investment in remote towers is important for Avinor. It is a forward-looking technology project that delivers significant cost savings while enhancing air navigation services. This investment becomes even more important in light of Avinor’s challenging financial situation, with a need to close the gap between income and expenditure. We have already achieved savings, and further savings are ahead. These benefits will extend to passengers, airlines, and society as a whole,” says Pedersen.
Fact Box:
- Avinor introduced remote tower operations for the first time in 2019, at Røst Airport.
- Today, the following airports are part of the Remote Tower Centre in Bodø: Røst, Vardø, Hasvik, Berlevåg, Mehamn, Røros, Rørvik, Namsos, Svolvær, Sogndal, Førde, Molde, Leknes, and Sandnessjøen.
- Aviation operates with extremely high safety standards, and remote towers are required to be as safe or safer than traditional towers. Avinor has operated remote towers for five years, with well-documented safety results.
- Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace is the main technology supplier for the Remote Towers Centre. This includes advanced camera technology that allows for night vision and object detection on the airfield and in the surrounding airspace—technology originally developed for military use.
- The new technology enables Avinor to provide more efficient services by consolidating expertise at the new centre in Bodø. Currently, around 60 employees work at the Remote Tower Centre.
- Indra Navia has supplied the ATM system and communication solution.
- AFIS stands for “Aerodrome Flight Information Service.” An AFIS officer’s main task is to provide traffic information to aircraft on the ground at the airport and within a designated traffic information zone in the airspace surrounding the individual airport.
