Nice Côte d’Azur reinforces its aircraft parking safety and its ground-handling operation performance

Year after year, despite the consequences of the health crisis, the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport continues to upgrade and affirm its role of co-managing European airspace. After implementing, at the end of 2020, its Airport-Collaboration Decision Making (A-CDM), and then its Airport Operations Centre (APOC), it is starting 2022 by commissioning guidance systems on all in-contact aircraft stand in both of its terminals. This major step is part of its policy to achieve the highest standards of airport operation management.

This equipment, developed by ADB Safegate with its SafeControle Apron Management (SAM) monitoring tool, secures the plane parking phase and streamlines ground-handling service operations. There are two main focuses: airside safety and punctuality.

Practically speaking, this means that, before allowing the pilot to enter their parking area, the system scans the whole surface to check that there are no obstacles and to ensure that the space is allocated to the incoming plane. It then guides the manoeuvre by indicating whether they are in the axis and whether the speed is appropriate. Finally, the system accurately indicates where to stop to ensure the safest positioning and walkway landing.

For the ground-handling agents in charge of the plane, the guidance system helps with safely parking the plane that they are responsible for.

The guidance system is also a key partner in their operational performance. Using all the interconnected information in the airport information system and in the guidance systems, 20 minutes before the plane’s arrival, the system indicates the expected flight in its aircraft stand as well as the estimated time of arrival.

Once the plane is detected in its stand, the system sends information to the pilots and all those in charge of ground service operations, which allows them to keep to the plane’s ground turnaround times. In particular, it shares information, such as the target off-block time, target starting time, and steps of the departure procedure, between the pilot and the control tower, as well as a countdown to unify everyone involved, which guarantees efficiency, service quality, and punctuality.

Henceforth, airside workers will have access to a complete shared information at every moment, as well as a safety tool during plane parking.

It is an extra step towards collaborative work and a keystone in the performance of airport operation managements

“As manager of France’s second-largest airport and only French airport group labelled as ACA 4+ Transition, we have a responsibility to embrace all innovations that improve safety and runway operation performance, all while reducing emissions of grounded aircraft. The guidance systems, which are an invaluable addition to runway security, are fully part of this dynamic, with the dual benefits of streamlining European airspace and preserving our region,” explains Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Board of Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur.

The implementation of this equipment has benefitted from financial support from the European Union.