DFS sets a new course: German ANSP bundles its commercial business in a new subsidiary, DFS Aviation Services

DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung has laid the foundation needed to grow its commercial business by launching a new wholly-owned subsidiary, DFS Aviation Services. DFS Aviation Services markets and sells products and services related to air navigation services. Until now, the commercial business was handled either by DFS itself or its subsidiary, The Tower Company, which has now been incorporated into DFS Aviation Services. With this step, DFS has decided to bundle together all commercial activities into one entity.

One focal point of DFS Aviation Services is the provision of air traffic control. Its air traffic controllers today control air traffic at eight regional airports in Germany, about 60 percent of all regional air traffic in Germany. DFS Aviation Services also has a British subsidiary, Air Navigation Solutions Ltd. (ANS). ANS provides air traffic control service at London Gatwick Airport, the busiest single-runway airport in the world. As of 2018, ANS will also be responsible for air traffic control at Edinburgh Airport in Scotland.

The second focal point of the company is to market and sell products and services related to air navigation services. Until the creation of the new subsidiary, the DFS division Aeronautical Solutions was in charge of this. DFS has been active on the worldwide market for years. For example, a radar data processing system developed by DFS is in use in many countries around the world including Brazil, Canada and the Netherlands. Around the world, customers continue to express interest in high-quality German consulting, training and simulations. In 2016, total revenues from DFS commercial business amounted to around EUR 50 million.

DFS Aviation Services currently has 110 employees and plans to raise that number to 130 by the end of the year. The company's headquarters are located in Langen, near Frankfurt. DFS has established local offices in Singapore and Beijing to make itself better known on the Asian market. Preparations are also underway to open a local office in the Middle East. The Managing Directors of DFS Aviation Services are Dirk Mahns and Oliver P. Cristinetti.

"With DFS Aviation Services, we are laying the foundation for our commercial business to grow and become a thriving business of its own right in addition to our core business financed by air navigation charges. Our goal is to double revenues in the long term," explained Klaus-Dieter Scheurle, Chairman and CEO of DFS. "DFS Aviation Services combines the best of both worlds: the expertise and quality standards of DFS, one of the world's largest and most progressive air navigation service providers, and a young, dynamic company with a lean structure."