delair Air Traffic Systems GmbH News - June 30, 2009

Braunschweig, 30. Juni 2009 – A top-class jury of 17 international experts has honoured the prototype of a tower human machine interface in the category product interfaces with the prestigious iF communication design award. This prototype was developed cooperatively in the frame of the project Competitive Airport (WFF) by the DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH (German Air Navigation Services), delair Air Traffic Systems GmbH and the Institute of Ergonomics of the Technical University Darmstadt. WFF is a cooperative project sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and coordinated by DFS.

The user interface for tower controllers combines planning information of arrivals and departures with the current traffic situation. The necessary information is shown in an appropriate, ergonomic and aesthetic way so that the controllers are supported optimally in their work. The control concept is tuned especially to the use of a pen-based touch screen.

The extreme fast development was carried through in an iterative design process by a very tight and effective cooperation between design, ergonomics, system development and future users. Concepts and prototypes were evaluated with the users at an early stage and regularly in the frame of real-time simulations, and the resulting modifications were integrated directly into the design.
Based on the awarded prototype a productive system is already realised in the DFS environment which will be deployed in the new tower buildings in Frankfurt and Berlin.

Since its introduction in 1953 the iF design award is a consistent, notable trademark in the field of distinguished design. Companies and design offices efficiently apply the iF label in their communication as visible indication for product and service quality, and the iF award helps each customer of design-oriented products to orientate himself in the market. The iF award proves the will to innovate and the courage to compete.

DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH is a company with 5.350 employees organised under private law and 100% owned by the Federal Republic of Germany. DFS cares for safety and punctuality in air traffic. Each day the employees coordinate up to 10,000 flight movements in the German airspace, yearly more than 3 Millions, with Germany as the most congested country in Europe. The company has control centers in Langen, Bremen, Karlsruhe and Munich. Furthermore, DFS is represented in the Eurocontrol-Center in Maastricht and in the control towers of 16 international airports. DFS provides consulting and training services worldwide and develops and sells air traffic control, detection and navigation systems as well as flight-relevant data, aeronautic publications and flight consulting. DFS includes the following business fields: Center, Tower, Aeronautical Solutions und Aeronautical Information Management.

delair Air Traffic Systems GmbH is a globally working company founded in 1997 at the research airport Braunschweig. With its Advanced Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) product suite delair offers a unique combination to optimise processes of air traffic control, airport operators, airlines, and handling agents. This product suite comprises the resource manager „sally“, the electronic flight strip system „focus“, the airport analysis system „arosa“ and the arrival, departure and surface manager „darts4D“ which was developed in cooperation with DFS. With reduced holdings, shorter flight times in the TMA (Terminal Maneuvering Area), shorter taxi times before take-off and optimised procedures these products help to reduce fuel consumption, noise and costs. Additionally, delair continually invests in research and development in order to advance its products and to offer the most innovative solutions to the customers.

The Institute of Ergonomics of the Technical University Darmstadt pursues the concept of a tight cooperation between science and economics. With its main research areas usability, product ergonomics, vehicle ergonomics, job design, work organisation and manufacturing ergonomics the institute provides a broad professional competence in development and application. Interdisciplinary and international teams are working on a wide range of ergonomic topics from various areas.

Contact for further information:

Martin Wiesner
Marketing & Sales Director
delair Air Traffic Systems
phone: +49-5 31-2 15 36-11
fax: +49-5 31-2 15 36-19
martin.wiesner@delair.de
www.delair.de