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Helsinki Airport's new CDM system merges with the European air traffic regulation system

Press release
Article published
14.2.2013 at 07:25
Archived
Airplanes at Helsinki-Vantaa airport.
People & Aviation
The CDM (collaborative decision making) system, introduced at Helsinki Airport in October 2012, has been integrated with the European air traffic regulation system. Starting from the end of January 2013, Finavia – responsible for Helsinki Airport's maintenance and air navigation services – will supply aeroplane take-off preparation information in more detail between the airport and Eurocontrol, the coordinator of European air traffic flows. This will enable a more effective use of European airspace.

The CDM procedure improves communications between the various operators at the airport and provides closer cooperation between landing and take-off. Its goal is to reduce delays in air traffic, make for more accurate operations and use of resources, and to increase the level of cost-efficiency. "The average aircraft taxiing time has started to decrease at Helsinki Airport. Lower fuel consumption due to shorter taxiing times will cut the carbon dioxide emissions of aircraft, which will also have a positive effect on local air quality. Improved predictability means that different operators can plan their operations better," says Timo Suorto, CDM Project Manager, Finavia. The results are expected to improve further as the CDM approach is established and people become accustomed to the centralised coordination of aircraft de-icing and anti-icing. The first in Northern Europe Finavia and the Helsinki Airport are pioneers in the development and deployment of the CDM procedure. Helsinki Airport is the seventh European and first North European airport to adopt the procedure. CDM is planned to be made a compulsory procedure for all European airports with more than 50,000 flights per year.