Press Release
Avinor and NATS sign agreement for new common AIM solution
27-05-2014
NATS and Avinor announce plans for a shared AIM system
NATS and Avinor, the UK and Norwegian air navigation service providers (ANSPs), have signed a ground breaking deal for a single common Aeronautical Information Management system.
In what will be a first for Europe, NATS and Avinor – as part of the Borealis alliance of ANSPs – will share a single platform to provide vital airspace and procedural information to airlines and airports.
Designed by Indra subsidiary Avitech GmbH, the system will allow both organisations to make significant cost savings, while the option for other ANSPs to easily join or adopt the technology offers significant potential economies of scale across Europe in support of a Single European Sky.
The system will be remotely hosted, with access provided via a SWIM compliant secure web portal. It will provide a common set of tools, applications and workflows that support all of the core AIS functions, thereby providing much more than just a common database.
“Our joint procurement has already saved both Avinor and NATS, as members of the Borealis Alliance, considerable resource and capital investment. It clearly signals the desire for ANSPs to collaborate as partners– motivated by business drivers - and achieve the aims of the European Single Sky.” said Andrew Sage, Head of NATS Information.
“From the beginnings of this project, we have been determined to secure a solution that can be readily expanded to meet the needs of other service providers as co-investors or customers. Having achieved that, we therefore welcome other ANSPs – from both within the Borealis Alliance and beyond – to join with us and benefit from this low risk, low cost route towards achieving compliance with ADQ regulations and deliver further economies of scale across Europe.”
Torunn Carlsson, Head of Technical and Aeronautical Information Management at Avinor, added: “The new system will help us improve efficiency in the IAIP production chain, and give us the opportunity to provide more and better value added Information Management services. The Aurora project will enable further cross-border cooperation and also help us to get ready for a future with more efficient information publication cycles.”
“By working together with NATS in this procurement with Avitech and by welcoming other ANSPs to use the same solution in a partnership approach, our intention is to ensure stable and robust AIM-services for many years to come.”
Aeronautical Information Management systems are at the heart of air traffic management, providing vital information which enables the safe and efficient management of aircraft in a given airspace.
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Note to editors:
For more information contact the NATS Press Office on 01489 615945, email press.office@nats.co.uk or tweet @natspressoffice
or Torunn Carlsson, Avinor on +47 952 31 040, email Torunn.carlsson@avinor.no
About NATS
NATS is the UK’s leading provider of Air Traffic Management (ATM) services, handling 2.1 million flights in 2012/13, covering the UK and eastern North Atlantic. NATS provides air traffic control from centres at Swanwick, Hampshire and Prestwick, Ayrshire. NATS also provides air traffic control services at 15 UK airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow; at Gibraltar Airport and, in a joint venture with Ferrovial, at a number of airport towers in Spain.
Building on its well-established reputation for expertise and innovation, NATS is growing its business worldwide, and now has contracts in more than 30 countries. NATS offers aerodrome, data and consultancy solutions to customers including airports, air traffic service providers and Governments. There is more information on the NATS website at www.nats.co.uk
About Avinor
Avinor was established as a limited company, wholly owned by the state of Norway, on 1 January 2003. Avinor is responsible for planning, developing and operating the Norwegian airport network.
Avinor operates 46 airports in Norway, thereof 12 in cooperation with the armed forces. Avinor is also the ANSP of Norway, operating air traffic control towers, control centres and technical infrastructure for aircraft navigation.
Safety has the highest priority, and Avinor is responsible for maintaining the correct security level at all airports. The company works continuously towards limiting environmentally harmful emissions to air and ground and towards reducing aircraft noise.
In 2013 the Avinor group operating income was NOK 9.997 mill, with an EBIT of NOK 1.624 mill. Avinor corporate information is available online at www.avinor.no.
