Norwegian air navigation service Avinor has commenced trial remote-tower operations covering multiple airports.

The operations are being co-ordinated through a single remote-tower centre located at Bodo, which has digital links to 14 airports.

Four airport pairs are participating in the trial: Rorvik and Namsos, Mehamn and Hasvik, Vardo and Berlevag, plus Rost and Svolvaer.

They are small airports featuring on the network of Norwegian regional carrier Wideroe.

Avinor’s trial means a single aerodrome flight information service officer can manage more than one airport from the same workstation when traffic volume is low.

“Multiple operations give us increased flexibility, improved contingency capabilities, and a more efficient service without compromising safety,” says Avinor executive vice-president of air navigation Jan Gunnar Pedersen.

Avinor stresses that “clear criteria and procedures” are in place for initiating – and ceasing – multiple operations, and both Wideroe and the Norwegian civil aviation regulator will monitor the trials.

“The goal is always to maintain the same high level of safety as in traditional control towers,” says Pedersen.

He says the trial will enable the service provider to examine, through real-world operations, the interaction between people, procedures and technology.

If the trial is successful, Avinor plans a phased implementation of the multiple-airport procedures.