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Announced as “the avant -garde of efficiency and safety in the air sector”, Vigo airport has begun working with “the first digital tower of Spain.” Four days later, the work has stopped for a first problem. And, in the background, the doubts about its real effectiveness, the position of workers and the shadow of some layoffs.
Vigo, now with Digital Tower. It was announced by Oscar Puente, Minister of Transportation, with the words we collected above. In a tweeton June 17, the politician pointed out that Vigo received a strong change in his way of working.
The project started with a Vigo-Madrid flight and was qualified by bridge as “a technological milestone” that places the facilities of Vigo “at the forefront.” Four days later, the entire system has had to stop by a Error caused at 31 minutes to go into operation.
What is a digital tower? A Digital Tower For air control, it comes to replace traditional control towers. In the latter, controllers work at great height to control by computer systems and their own view air traffic. In this way, it is always about choosing the best option to manage the entry and exit of flights into the maximum safety conditions.
A digital tower uses all these computer systems but changes the “windows” of the screens control tower in which what the cameras see are recorded. In addition, it has a multitude of sensors and microphones to simulate with maximum precision the same sensations as an air controller has in a traditional tower.
Is it better? According to the words of the Minister of Transportation, yes. AND According to Aenaalso. They ensure that the videoWall that forms 13 55 -inch monitors represent a 360º image of what is seen in the tower. This allows them to have visibility of areas that are covered in the traditional tower.
The installation, as we say, has fixed cameras and two mobiles. As well as “speakers that reproduce the ambient sound of the microphones installed in the flight field.” In addition, AENA points out that “they provide a series of operational and security advantages” although it does not give examples of them.
And emphasize, because it is important, “maintaining the same number of controllers.”
War foot. That last part of the message is important. In social networks, numerous accounts that expose the feeling of aerial controllers have been radically opposed to the implementation of these “digital towers.” The well -known account @Controlerators in x He qualifies the digital tower of “basement with cameras designed to control several airports”.
And that is the great reset that has raised among the workers. In the environment, the feeling that operations of the Airport of A Coruña can be replaced with the air management of the Viguesa Digital Tower. Alvedro (A Coruña) and Peinador (Vigo) share a company managing air control services (Saerco) so A reduction in the number of workers is feared For a remote control of both airports.
In The voice of Galicia They even point out that AENA neither confirms or denies that A Coruña workers can be replaced by the new digital control tower. BNG and the Popular Party They are already working to paralyze the project.
“Quite obvious defects”. In addition to the works that may be in the air, the Union of Air Controllers (USCA) ensures that Aena has rejected its request for include “high definition cameras” And they emphasize that the system does not improve the traditional because “They are not clearly appreciated Small aircraft. “They are, in the words of the” quite evident defects “union.
They emphasize in words to Vigo lighthouse that the system presents operability restrictions in specific weather situations and that “would entail the imposition of time restrictions that would prevent the simultaneity of visual flights (VFR) and instrumental (IFR).” That is, for the union, a problem for “urgent health transport, customs surveillance, fire extinguishing services or maritime rescue, as well as schools or private flights.”
Many doubts. Although Aena points out that “currently, more than 30 European airports have implanted that technology and is operating from a digital control tower. Outside Europe, initiatives are being developed in Australia, Canada and the United States airports,” the truth is that the operation of these digital towers raises doubts.
In fact, tests in Spain are being carried out for years. In 2023 problems were already reported In the Vigo airport digital tower related to the imprecise detection of small aircraft. The project was approved in 2019, it was awarded in 2020 and until this year it has not been launched with the first flights.
Something similar has happened in Menorca, where it is also being tested with a digital tower that At the end of 2022 he also reported problems security This air control system It should be underway in 2021 But for now he has not exceeded the evidence and has ended up being Vigo the city that has been awarded the first “digital control” of a flight in Spain. Joy, yes, has lasted four days.
Photo | Enrique Dans and Aena
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