The European State-of-the Art ATM System Also Launched in Croatia Control

A final step towards harmonization of five air navigation service providers has been taken with setting in operations the new air traffic management (ATM) system worth 30 million EUR in Croatia Control Ltd (CCL) on 13 February 2014.
CCL has become the fifth COOPANS (Cooperation between Air Navigation Service Providers) ANSP besides Austro Control, Irish Aviation Authority, Naviair and LFV, equipped with one of the most advanced ATM systems in Europe.

Mr Dragan Bila

ć

, Director General of CCL, presented a new ATM system, described as state of the art and one of the safest ATM systems in Europe.

The following officials attended the ceremony at the CCL’s headquarters on 13 March:

• Mr Branko Grčić, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister,

• Mr Siniša Hajdaš Dončić, Croatian Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure,
• CEOs/Directors of all five COOPANS ANSPs: Mr Morten Dambaek (COOPANS Steering Group Chairman and Naviar CEO), Mr Olle Sundin (LFV DG), Mr Thomas Hoffmann (Austro Control COO), Mr Eamon Brennan (IAA Chief Executive), Mr Dragan Bilać (CCL DG),
• Mr Guy Delevacque, CEO of Thales Air Systems, as well as other Thales representatives,
• Ambassadors of Sweden, Denmark and Ireland to Croatia, Deputy Ambassador of France to Croatia, as well as representative of the Austrian Embassy to Croatia,
• Representatives of the European Commission and EBRD, Director of the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency, Chairman of CCL’s Supervisory Board and his deputy, IFATCA Vice President and other representatives of the Croatian government and five embassies.

CCL's new ATM system, installed in Zagreb ATCC and at four remote terminals (Dubrovnik, Pula, Split and Zadar), comprises 69 working positions in total, including the latest simulator training facility with 20 positions and two testing platforms.

The new system enables the application of higher quality tools in the work of air traffic controllers whilst ensuring increased level of safety with a focus on meeting airspace users’ demands and conformance to the latest implementing rules. The harmonised ATM system used by the COOPANS members will result in safe operation, shorter distances and flying time for the benefit of ATC cost reduction to airlines, and contribute to the protection of the environment by reducing fuel consumption and gases emission.

The successful commissioning is considered as a major achievement for the five COOPANS ANSPs and Thales as the system supplier. At this point the same ATM system based on the Thales Top Sky is running at seven control centres in five European countries, as a result of the unique ANSP collaboration (COOPANS).

Although most of the 63 control centers in Europe have built different customized systems, the COOPANS partnership is established to bring consistency to ATM systems in Europe by delivering a high level of standardization of ATC operations and being in line with the Single European Sky (SES) objectives.

This ceremony, attended and supported by high officials from six EU states, has sent a clear and sound message that the Single European Sky (SES) is attainable, with COOPANS as one of its greatest achievements.



Ceremony in Croatia Control Limited.



Mr Dragan Bilać, CCL DG (left) and Mr Morten Dambaek, Naviair CEO and COOPANS Steering Group Chairman (right) in Zagreb ATCC



New ATM system installed in Zagreb ATCC



Mr Thomas Hoffmann, Austro Control COO, Mr Morten Dambaek and Mr Dragan Bilać at the ceremony in CCL.