LFV subsidiary to provide air traffic management for Sweden’s new airport in Sälen
Today is the inauguration of Sweden’s first new airport in 20 years, Scandinavian Mountains Airport in Sälen. It will make Sweden’s biggest skiing region more easily accessible for Swedish and foreign skiing tourists. SDATS, a joint venture by LFV and Saab, will supply remote tower services, RTS, to the airport.
”We congratulate the airport, its owners and the region on having Sweden’s newest airport. They have invested in a modern airport that will create opportunities for more people to experience the mountains of Sälen and Trysil. Establishing a new airport is a major undertaking, but here we see the result – an airport with smart solutions – of efficient and close collaboration between all the stakeholders. Thanks to all who have contributed to our deliveries”, says Ann Persson Grivas, Director General of LFV.
LFV has supplied the airport with infrastructure while SDATS, Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions, will establish air traffic management. Scandinavian Mountains Airport will be remotely controlled from SDATS’ control centre in Sundsvall.
”The airport will be the fourth in Sweden to be controlled from the control centre in Sundsvall. This is an airport dominated by charter flights, and it will initially receive traffic three days a week. We deliver a new concept, ’RTS on demand’, which allows the airport to choose for itself when and to what extent it needs our services,” says Per Ahl, CEO of SDATS.
”Digitisation of air traffic control is a concept that is spreading across the world. Germany, the United Kingdom and Norway have all got on board after Sweden. This way of making air traffic services more efficient has generated a great deal of interest throughout the airline industry,” Per Ahl notes.
How remote air traffic control works
A mast with cameras and sensors is set up at the airport where traffic is going to be remotely controlled. All the registered images and other data are transferred in real time via a live feed to the Remote Tower Centre (RTC), where they are displayed on a screen. Air traffic control is carried out via the RTC in Sundsvall, where air traffic controllers manage the traffic as they would in a traditional tower.
Remote tower services were pioneered by LFV at Örnsköldsvik Airport, which in 2015 became the first airport in the world to use remote air traffic control, from Sundsvall. At the end of 2017 Sundsvall-Timrå Airport also adopted the system, and in June 2019 it was installed at Linköping/Saab Airport.
Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions is a joint venture between Saab and LFV (Luftfartsverket). By combining LFV’s unique operational experience with Saab’s world-class technology solutions, SDATS can manage the entire process from planning to implementation and operation of remote air traffic services.
For more information, please contact LFV’s press service at +46 11 19 20 50.
LFV is Sweden's leading provider of air traffic control and associated services for civil and military aviation. Our air traffic controllers manage around 2,000 aircraft within Swedish airspace every day. LFV pioneered remote air traffic control and is a driver of digitisation in several areas. By participating in various collaboration efforts we help make the use of European airspace more efficient. LFV has 1,100 employees and has an annual turnover of SEK 3.2 billion.
Facts about LFV
- LFV is the air traffic controller at 20 airports and operates from three air traffic control centres in Sweden.
- LFV has more than 70 years’ experience and knowledge of air traffic control services and aviation safety.
- 40 years’ experience of integrating civil and military air traffic control services.
- LFV is a state-owned enterprise.
- 785,000 flight movements in Swedish airspace in 2018.
- 99.9 per cent punctuality.
- 100 per cent achieved aviation safety goals.
