Marta Dimitrova speaks to Christian Onselaere, CEO ADB SAFEGATE, as the company expands its portfolio of intelligent solutions at Hamburg Airport.
ADB SAFEGATE’s OneControl solution introduces new user interface concepts by combining functions that traditionally reside in separate systems into a single screen application and is capable of controlling the lighting infrastructure of the advanced Follow the Greens concept to enable smoother, safer and more efficient operations.
As part of Hamburg Airport’s €120 million investment to renovate its 33,000sqm Apron 1, the airport has chosen ADB SAFEGATE to install Europe’s first-ever Follow the Greens operations, where individually controlled green lights guide the pilots safely towards the runway or parking positions.
Christian Onselaere, CEO ADB SAFEGATE: “With OneControl, Hamburg Airport is ready for future traffic growth. The project will run in several phases, supporting the airport in its development plans and facilitating a smooth transition in the individual refurbishment steps.”
OneControl, the integrated controller working position from ADB SAFEGATE, will help the airport achieve this. The solution introduces new user interface concepts by combining functions that traditionally reside in separate systems into a single screen application. Additionally, the system is capable of controlling the lighting infrastructure of the advanced Follow the Greens concept to enable smoother, safer and more efficient operations.
“Our partnership with Hamburg Airport began in 2016, introducing Safedock, our Advanced Visual Docking Guidance System (A-VDGS), and SafeControl Apron Management (SAM),” says Christian Onselaere, CEO ADB SAFEGATE. “The integrated controller working position now adds apron control solutions to our portfolio offer in Hamburg. The upcoming terminal extension, as well as the refurbishment of the apron surface, will lead to a changing environment, hence support for apron controllers is needed.”
The solution incorporates important Air Traffic Control systems into one consistent and user-friendly interface. It combines multiple functions, starting with surveillance and airport safety support, as well as routing and guidance service, adding workflow support, displaying meteorological data and allowing AGL monitoring and control. Showing this information on a single screen eliminates the need to keep track of multiple screens, therefore reducing apron controller workload and lowering the risk of incursions and safety incidents.
By integrating traditional ATC systems into a single solution, ADB SAFEGATE can provide additional functionality and safety features, which would not be possible if systems are separated. For example, combining surveillance systems and clearance data with routing and guidance via Follow the Greens makes it possible to track the aircraft or vehicle movements and detect route deviations early on to alert controllers before accidents occur. The solution is also a vital data generator for the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) platform and helps to increase predictability and efficiency.
“With OneControl, Hamburg Airport is ready for future traffic growth,” Onselaere comments. “The project will run in several phases, supporting the airport in its development plans and facilitating a smooth transition in the individual refurbishment steps.”
The first stage allows Hamburg Airport to manually control lights via dedicated buttons in OneControl, while the second phase will enable automatic control via Follow the Greens.
“Our customers have the option to extend the solution by additional functionality using the same technological infrastructure. This means that the customers invest in a future-proof solution that is very flexible, and it can be expanded to fit customer needs,” Onselaere concludes.
