Finavia becomes first airport company to adopt NAVBLUE’s RunwaySense

The airport company Finavia has just signed a deal with NAVBLUE, becoming the first airport company to adopt RunwaySense, NAVBLUE’s collaborative web-based platform for runway condition reporting activities.

RunwaySense is an exclusive and unique NAVBLUE service, using unique data provided by Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft equipped with Braking Action Computation Function (BACF) software in order to accurately report the condition of the runway it has just landed on, against the FAA’s Take-off and Landing Performance Assessment (TALPA) Runway Condition Assessment Matrix (RCAM).

RunwaySense data is compliant with the ICAO Global Reporting Format (GRF) requirement, which comes into effect on November 4, and assists airports in monitoring runway conditions and targeting their runway clearing activities. It provides a unique data report reflecting the aircraft's actual braking action. The accuracy allows airport operators to target their runway clearing activities, especially important for runways subject to snowy conditions, for more efficiency and less disruption. RunwaySense takes advantage of continuous operations on the runway to collect real-time information on the runway condition.

Finavia will access RunwaySense data via SoftAvia’s Global Runway Reporter Alert (GRRA)
software.

6 of the 20 airports managed by Finavia will now benefit from the RunwaySense service: Helsinki AIRPORT (IATA: HEL, ICAO: EFHK), Oulu (IATA: OUL, ICAO: EFOU), Kittilä (IATA: KTT, ICAO: EFKT), Kuusamo (IATA: KAO, ICAO: EFKS), Ivalo (IATA: IVL, ICAO: EFIV), Rovaniemi (IATA: RVN, ICAO: EFRO).

Thomas Lagaillarde, Head of Product Portfolio & Programmes at NAVBLUE, said: “We are proud that Finavia has chosen NAVBLUE and RunwaySense to support their runway condition reporting activities. Using this service will enhance their airport activity, especially at Helsinki Airport, an important transfer hub in Northern Europe. ICAO’s GRF initiative is an important step for enhancing safe runway operations and we’re pleased to be able to contribute.

Henri HANSSON, Technical Director at Finavia, said: “We experience heavy seasonal weather variation at all our 20 airports and our highly developed winter maintenance is world-renowned. We are glad to start the upcoming winter season with NAVBLUE’s RunwaySense.”