London City is first major airport controlled by remote digital tower

[HAL9000]

London City is first major airport controlled by remote digital tower - NATS

London City Airport has become the first major international airport in the world to be fully controlled by a remote digital air traffic control tower, following intensive testing and live trials of the revolutionary technology during lockdown.

www.nats.aero

 

[cupid_stunt]

Since when did London City become a major airport?

 

[tim]

Since when did London City become a major airport?

I live in Newham and it is certainly the borough's major international destination. The only potential rival in those stakes is Stratford International, but the fact that international trains don't bother stopping limits its appeal to most inbound continental passengers.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

The only potential rival in those stakes is Stratford International, but the fact that international trains don't bother stopping limits its appeal to most inbound continental passengers.

I'm sure Stratford in the south east has its charms but probably isn't a major tourist draw.

 

[tim]

I'm sure Stratford in the south east has its charms but probably isn't a major tourist draw.

Birthplace of Gerald Manley Hopkins. Perhaps, if they changed the name to Manley Hopkins International Station, Eurostar might agree to stop a couple of trains a day there.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I live in Newham and it is certainly the borough's major international destination. The only potential rival in those stakes is Stratford International, but the fact that international trains don't bother stopping limits its appeal to most inbound continental passengers.

Well how could Stratford hope to compete with the world-renowned Ebbsfleet International.

 

[weltweit]

I wonder how many times it has to be rebooted in its first year

 

[skyscraper101]

Interesting. I wonder what contingencies they have for the inevitable bird on the camera, or snow etc

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I wonder how many times it has to be rebooted in its first year

Or when Windows forces an update that takes four hours?

 

[T & P]

The thing is, in the era of electronic transponders, GPS and whatnot else, surely you no longer need to have a commanding view of the airfield’s runways and taxiways to manage the movement of aircraft? Indeed, in foggy conditions the airport’s controllers must rely solely on non-visual aids and it wouldn’t make a difference if they were working in a windowless basement rather than in the tower’s observation room?

 

[pogofish]

London City Airport has become the first major international airport in the world to be fully controlled by a remote digital air traffic control tower,

When did Germany, Sweden, Norway, Spain and Australia leave the world..?

They have all been using/pioneering remote towers at various airports since @2009/2012. Sweden has the most developed network with several airports using remote operations.

And Thales is a major player in this business - A company heavily criticised for "critical data failures" in other aspects of its work. Or Saab.

 

[paolo]

The thing is, in the era of electronic transponders, GPS and whatnot else, surely you no longer need to have a commanding view of the airfield’s runways and taxiways to manage the movement of aircraft? Indeed, in foggy conditions the airport’s controllers must rely solely on non-visual aids and it wouldn’t make a difference if they were working in a windowless basement rather than in the tower’s observation room?

Redundancy, I expect. Also, for smaller things airside like vehicles (tower controlled like aircraft are), visual gives you more info than a simple dot on the map. I’ve been up in the tower at Gatwick when controllers had a fit about a vehicle they saw cutting in front of a 777. Two minutes later, blue flashing lights headed to the offender.

 

[HAL9000]

The thing is, in the era of electronic transponders, GPS and whatnot else, surely you no longer need to have a commanding view of the airfield’s runways and taxiways to manage the movement of aircraft? Indeed, in foggy conditions the airport’s controllers must rely solely on non-visual aids and it wouldn’t make a difference if they were working in a windowless basement rather than in the tower’s observation room?

Generally that's true, but GPS is not a 100% it could stop working

• Sometimes things go wrong, example The RISKS Digest, Volume 31 Issue 18
• gps jamming, always a risk that some miscreant will try to mess up the navigation around an airport.
• Peak solar activity is due to happen 2025, Solar Cycle Progression | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center. That might cause problems.