Can efficiency be improved even further?
The control tower at Schiphol-Centre (TWR) is a hive of activity: runway controllers, ground controllers, assistants, AAS gate planners, AAS bus coordinators and many others constantly strive to ensure that traffic flows smoothly at the airport. But how does this work in practice? How do these individuals cooperate with one another, and do they do so efficiently? Are we prepared for the future? To answer these questions, a study was needed.
Analyze this!
MovingDot has conducted an analysis of air traffic handling at the LVNL control tower at Schiphol. They gathered information to build up a picture of all the work done by employees on the 10th and 12th floors. By combining data from operational documentation, observations made at the tower itself and interviews with operational staff, they established a clear picture of all the work done at the tower.
What did the analysis reveal?
The analysis sets out the duties of each staff member and the people with whom they cooperate. It also gives an idea of how close that cooperation is. The results of the analysis could therefore be used, for instance, to help reduce the workload of staff members, and to determine whether all staff are stationed in the most logical places. Part of the analysis is set out in the diagram below.
It shows how each staff member communicates: by intercom, face to face or by radiotelephone. The thickness of the lines illustrates the intensity of the communication. The analysis also includes descriptions of systems and how they mesh together, for instance the camera system for the aircraft stands and the radiotelephone communication system. The report contains higher resolution versions of both the diagram set out above and an illustration depicting the system relationships.
Prepared for the future Schiphol has ambitious plans for the future, and the control tower will have to adapt if those plans are to be realised. MovingDot’s analysis provides information for all tower users such as Schiphol’s sector partners KLM, AAS and LVNL, to ensure that staff are able to do their work in the most logical physical locations. This will ensure that the towers have room for growth while continuing to operate safely.