COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT IT NETWORKS TOWER UPGRADING DONE RIGHT In a modern airport tower update it is essential that the most efficient and effective technology is selected and implemented to maintain future operations Michael Spatny, managing director, IHSE The rapid pace of technological development in the ATC sector brings with it the requirement to regularly upgrade airport towers. However, due to the disruption to services that can ensue, these projects are only undertaken on an infrequent basis and require the highest level of planning, preparation and efficiency in execution. It is also essential that systems and infrastructure are chosen and integrated to deliver the maximum usable lifecycle so that the next tower upgrade can be held off to the latest possible date. The recent refurbishment and upgrading of the main airport tower at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol offers a great example of how this process can be achieved and the manner in which technology delivers efficient services and the best ergonomic design. By 2016, when Dutch ANSP LVNL embarked on the project, some of the tower systems had been in operation for 10 to 15 years and a complete refurbishment and upgrade was due. The increase in air traffic over the years to a level of 500,000 movements annually also dictated an expansion in working positions from nine to fifteen within the same space. The ensuing refurbishment and upgrading program took over three years to plan and then execute. The project has resulted in one of the most modern and efficient air traffic control towers in the world. The major goals of the upgrade program were to improve operational safety even further above the high level already being achieved, to maximise flight handling capability and to enhance the working environment for the air traffic controllers. These goals were delivered through a combination of technological and infrastructure enhancements. The system upgrade with the greatest impact was in the changeover from paper to Frequentis electronic flight strips, whilst the greatest infrastructure and ergonomic returns came through the deployment of a customised KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switching system for the controller information displays. To create space for the additional controllers and to radically improve the working environment all system processing equipment is located in a data centre. Interconnection between the hardware and 96 AIR TRAFFIC TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 2022