At ANSL we offer a variety of Air Traffic Management (ATM), engineering, training and data solutions to a range of UK airports and aviation businesses.
We are proud that today, our footprint spans right across the UK. From ATM at the busiest airport in Scotland, to Air Traffic Control Officer (ATCO) resourcing solutions at Redhill Aerodrome.
Edinburgh Airport
Air Traffic Management
We provide both aerodrome and radar Air Traffic Control (ATC) services, together with Air Traffic Engineering (ATE) services at Edinburgh Airport.
Since we took over operations in 2018, we have additionally managed complex replacements that upgrade the airport’s Air Traffic Services (ATS) Assets, as turn-key projects on behalf of Edinburgh Airport Ltd.
Edinburgh is also the home of one of our state-of-the-art ATC simulators, allowing us to provide comprehensive training support for our own team and others. This, for example, is where we delivered our greenfield validation programme for Carlisle Lake District Airport. The high-fidelity simulation environment combined with our comprehensive ATM regulatory and training expertise meant that we were able to effectively and efficiently assist Carlisle with its reopening, as it reintroduced its commercial operations after more than 20 years.
Business Intelligence – Gama Aviation
Data & Insights
Our Business Intelligence (BI) unit offers solutions as an extension of our internal Business Intelligence capability, using the Microsoft Power Platform, including Power BI. The team provides bespoke BI developments tailored to various scenarios, including project management, operations, and financial performance.
The data we process and tools we create provide businesses with actionable insights to drive informed conversations and intelligent decision-making. This streamlines processes and enables evidence-based actions to be taken, delivering efficiencies and financial savings to our customers.
An example of this involves the work we have been doing with Gama Aviation to create a unique, tailored dashboard that processes and visualises data to support their key business activities. We integrated multiple data sources in an automated model, giving our customer real-time, business-critical reports of key metrics and analysis of business performance.
Similarly, our BI team develops solutions for our own, internal requirements that help us improve the way we do things, be that the delivery of projects, the planning and management of resources or the effective completion of operational ATC training.
Gloucestershire Airport
Engineering
In April this year, we began work with Gloucestershire Airport to assist and support the local Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEP) engineering capability. Our engineers successfully deliver time-critical support to the airport, working closely with the team on site.
The need for support was requested and responded to quickly and the ANSL team has been on site regularly since April to support the operation of the ATS systems at Gloucestershire Airport.
Cambridge City Airport
Training and Management Support
We were asked by Marshall Aerospace to work with Cambridge City Airport to provide essential training support, as well as an ATC simulator to the unit.
Subsequently, to further support the management of the ATC unit, we deployed a Manager Air Traffic Services (MATS) and provided wider ATM compliance and engineering support. Today, three of ANSL’s Air Traffic Engineers are based at the Airport, forming the core of its local engineering capability.
Vicky Bhogal-Hunt was the MATS at Cambridge City Airport for over a year. Seconded from ANSL, she managed the day-to-day operation including the coordination of the training programme, as well as overseeing compliance activities across the unit. This allowed Marshall Aerospace to recruit a permanent MATS whilst Vicky helped manage the unit in the interim.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
ATC Solutions
We are currently working with the air traffic control team at Liverpool John Lennon Airport to gain approval for the implementation of Radar in The Tower (RiTT), including the Safety Case, and a CAA approved trial.
ANSL initially ran a technical assessment of the existing air traffic management equipment to determine its suitability for use in a RiTT operation. This review confirmed that RiTT can be managed through the current ATM equipment and the ANSL team led and delivered the implementation of RiTT in close collaboration with Matt Jackson, the Air Traffic Services Manager on site, and his team.
Once RiTT is implemented, the ATC team will be able to deliver both the approach and tower air traffic services from one controller working position. This is especially helpful in low-demand and low-complexity traffic scenarios, introducing flexibility to the operation.
The implementation of RiTT requires a range of capabilities which we have been able to bring to the project in support of the local team. In many cases, both the variety and the number of tasks required for a project like RiTT exceed a single ATC unit’s capability without draining too much of the local resources. This is how ANSL can complement teams across the UK to achieve the most efficient project delivery possible.
Drone Integration – West Scotland
Innovation & Airspace Change
Drone flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), meaning over a distance that prevents the drone operator from staying in visual contact with the drone throughout, have so far been carried out in segregated, protected airspace blocks. By preventing other airspace users from using the airspace at the same time, the drone can operate without any risk of conflict. However, this use of airspace can only be temporary and does not realistically cater for a long-term, scalable operation of drones across the country that are safely integrated with other airspace users.
By partnering with a leading operator of drones, Skyports, ANSL is using its expertise and experience as air traffic and airspace managers to provide integrated solutions for BVLOS drone operations.
Together with Skyports, we are working on implementing a flight trial in west Scotland, where a transponder mandatory zone (TMZ) will be introduced to allow drones and other airspace users to integrate safely. ANSL are following the CAA Airspace Change rocess (ACP) to deliver these requirements.
We plan to deliver the first TMZ in the UK for integrated drone operations in 2023, enabling many different use cases for drones.