HungaroControl was the first in Europe to introduce unrestricted free use of airspace for aircraft.Continue reading
HungaroControl, the Hungarian air traffic control service provider, presented its new remote control system for airports on Tuesday, a development that, in the view of the Minister for Economy Márton Nagy, is one of a kind.
At the ceremonial handover of the investment worth 8 billion forints (approx. 20 million euros), the Minister emphasized the importance of this unprecedented development for future air traffic control. He also assured that his ministry, HungaroControl, and Budapest Airport would do everything in their power to ensure that this year’s summer air traffic would run smoothly.
The modular integrated remote tower control system (mirTWR) now presented not only supports the safe and efficient operation of Liszt Ferenc International Airport in Budapest, but also opens up the possibility of serving other, smaller regional airports in the future.
The Minister for Economy emphasized the slow recovery of the Hungarian economy, in which tourism plays an important role with its record annual figures. He highlighted the increase in air travelers in the business and tourism sectors as well as the growth in cargo traffic. Last year, Budapest Airport had 17.6 million passengers, three million more than in the previous year. In the same period, cargo volume rose by an impressive 50 percent to 300,000 tons.
HungaroControl also manages overflights: last year, 1,143,937 aircraft passed over Hungary’s airspace. According to Minister Nagy, highly qualified air traffic controllers and efficient software support are essential for these complex tasks.
In view of the ambitious goal of increasing the number of passengers at Budapest Airport to 20 million before 2030, this investment is an important step into the future,
he added.
Minister Márton Nagy at the event (on the left). Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
Ferenc Turi, the Managing Director of HungaroControl, explained that
with this development, his company is the first air traffic control service provider in the world that is able to control terminal traffic at an airport from any location.
The system is even suitable for the complex traffic management of a major airport of the size of Budapest Airport. Another significant advantage of the investment is the guaranteed operational continuity, as the system also functions as a fully-fledged reserve system.
Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
The investment was realized in several phases with co-financing from the European Union. Norwegian company Indra Navia acted as an important technology partner. Its managing director, Andrew Paul Fiamingo, described the new system as an innovative solution that was developed in close cooperation with HungaroControl’s management and technical staff.
HungaroControl Zrt., a state-owned company with over 800 employees, provides air traffic control services in Hungarian airspace and on behalf of NATO in the upper airspace over Kosovo. The sole shareholder is N7 Holding Nemzeti Védelmi Ipari Innovációs Zrt., and the indirect ownership rights are held by the Hungarian Ministry for National Economy.
Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd