DANS to seek bids for remote control service

Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS), the air navigation service provider for Dubai's two international airports and the airspace of the Northern Emirates, is to issue a requests for proposal (RFP) for the first version of a remote aerodrome control service (RACS), writes Barbara Saunders.

The company’s vice president strategy, Nils Svan, said the move followed a detailed study of requirements and the first RACS version would focus on providing business continuity.
The remote tower concept enables air traffic control services (ATS) and aerodrome flight information services (AFIS) to be provided at airfields where such services are either currently not available, or where it is difficult or too expensive to implement and staff a conventional manned facility.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Airport Leaders Forum in Dubai, Svan said four international companies – three European and one Canadian – would be asked to pitch. An appointment would be made “by the end of the year.” Implementation, said Svan, “will take a while” but would be “short and swift”.
“The regulator has been with us on this and has been very supportive,” he added.
The RCAS is expected to be the first civil application of its kind in the Middle East and, according to Svan, “the first application in a very busy environment”.
Addressing the forum he said: “We believe in RACS. If we want to service five runways at Al Maktoum International Airport we need this. Our business driver is to use it as a business continuity option and foremost for the future is utilising the digital images differently than we do today.”
Svan told delegates that DANS’ current focus is on throughput “so that capacity is not constrained” but said the focus would shift as more runways are built.
“We are moving the problems further out and are working collaboratively with the GCAA on solutions,” he added. 

Related content