Düsseldorf International Airport
Airport’s Real-Time Fleet Management System Optimizes Shuttle Bus Timetable and Improves Passenger Ground Transportation
“On the recommendation of our radio partner AEG Mobile communications, we contacted Psion Teklogix. The critical factors in our decision were rapid answer times of less than a second and the overall security and reliability of the system. Visits to some Psion Teklogix’ client sites convinced us it could deliver.” –Theo Georgens, Director of the Communication Systems Department for Düsseldorf International Airport
Like most airports Düsseldorf International sees millions of passengers pass through its terminals each year. However, unlike most other airports, Düsseldorf’s 74 docking bays are spread over a 723 square km area with only 50 shuttle buses to service them, and a new ICE railway station over 3.5 km away. The time pressures inherent in an airport set-up made providing a consistent and speedy service extremely challenging. Furthermore, with only radio telephones to convey orders to drivers across an airport apron filled with background noise, the airport needed a better way to keep in contact.
Time is an important commodity in short supply for most businesses. However, for an international airport it is critical to operations. Increasingly, as airline profit margins lower, pressure is being placed on airports to turn around their planes faster and faster. This means that passengers need to be taken to and from their docking bay as efficiently as possible.
The Challenge:
- The constant flux of airport life dictates that drivers need to be able to respond quickly to new situations and unplanned changes to routes.
- Before the Psion Teklogix solution, Düsseldorf International Airport relied upon radio telephones to coordinate its drivers in one of the noisiest environments on earth. With takeoffs, landings and the continual background noise of ongoing airport development, maintaining operational efficiency was proving increasingly difficult.
- What was needed was a system that could send information to drivers in a clear and quickly understandable form. In particular, a solution would need to be capable of transmitting assignments, takeoffs, destinations and information, as well as optimising the fleet usage through a system of assignment confirmations and plausibility checks – and all of this directly from the host system.
The Solution:
Theo Georgens, Director of the Communication Systems Department for Düsseldorf International Airport, explains the choice of a Psion Teklogix solution, “On the recommendation of our radio partner AEG Mobile communications, we contacted Psion Teklogix. The critical factors in our decision were rapid answer times of less than a second and the overall security and reliability of the system. Visits to some Psion Teklogix’ client sites convinced us it could deliver.”
- With the options clearly presented, Düsseldorf International Airport opted for a Psion Teklogix narrowband system, as it was the strength of the signal that mattered to the airport rather than data transfer rates. A broadband solution, by contrast, would have required as many as fifty different access points for the same sized area.
- However, as Theo Georgens points out, the lack of capacity is no problem, “The narrowband and broadband solutions from Psion Teklogix can be operated on the same system. So, the airport can introduce a parallel broadband system later if necessary for more data-rich applications such as baggage handling.”
- Furthermore, because maintaining a connection with drivers was so important at all times, the new radio data transmission system was laid out to offer full redundancy. This means that at every point on the airport’s apron, the Vehicle Mount Terminal could be recognized by at least two of the Wireless Gateways supporting the system. This is vital in circumstances where moving cranes and ongoing construction work alter radio coverage on a daily basis.
The Benefits:
- In contrast to the old radio telephone systems, the Psion Teklogix solution takes all relevant flight information for the transfers – including landings, takeoffs, passenger numbers, departure areas and the number of buses required – straight from the host system.
- All the manager now has to do is allocate assignments to buses as they become available on the system. In fact, the system already knows which buses are refuelling, in the garage or out-of-operation due to driver breaks and eliminates them from the active roster – making the job allocation a lot clearer. Furthermore, bus drivers confirm their assignment with its relevant information and the notes are displayed for him or her on the terminal screen.
- With the current status and movements of all buses permanently online with the host computer, fleet control has been dramatically transformed. The correct number of vehicles appear in the right place at the right time and passengers get to and from their plane via the best route available.
- It is also possible with the solution to synchronise refuelling, docking and rest times in accordance with the arrival and departure of planes. Obviously this is critical at peak times.
- The Psion Teklogix solution has been so successful that plans are already afoot for the integration of new functions into the wireless network. They include the management and coordination of refuelling vehicles, aircraft movers, the luggage transportation fleet and catering company vehicles.
