Warsaw International Airport
Building a new terminal and expanding your IT system at the same time is a huge task at any time. But couple that with continuous growth of passenger traffic and you have a task that will challenge the best of airports. In 2005, Warsaw's Frederic Chopin International Airport and Polish Airports' State Enterprise (PPL) faced just such a challenge. And they turned to their reliable partner -- UFIS Airport Solutions (UFIS-AS) -- to help them with the expansion of their IT system.
The IT expansion project included three phases: migration of the system to Sun Microsystems hardware, upgrade of the existing UFIS® installation to UFIS 4.5, and adaptation of the existing system to meet the requirements for the new terminal including interfaces to three new systems and the installation and configuration of hundreds of additional Flight Information Display (FIDS) monitors.
During phase one, new server hardware was installed along with an upgrade to Oracle® 10g and the migration of the UFIS® installation from Unixware to Solaris 9. The second phase saw the upgrade of the UFIS® Airport Operational Database (AODB) and client modules to UFIS 4.5. This upgrade, performed with the cooperation of the airport operations and IT staff, occurred without any affect on airport operations.
The final phase of the project integrated new interfaces for the baggage handling system, the docking guidance system, and the building automation system within the UFIS® AODB. The baggage handling interface supplies the BHS with flight plans, actual schedules, delays, and aircraft-related information so that loaders can see chute allocations and aircraft information. The docking guidance system also relies on information from UFIS® such as flight schedules and aircraft type information. The building automation system sends information to the AODB concerning the use of ground power units and air conditioning units. This information is then passed on to the billing system through a separate interface.
An essential part of this final phase was the installation and configuration of hundreds of new flight information displays and large-scale information boards in Terminal 2. The UFIS® Flight Information Display System (FIDS) was extended to the second terminal without disturbing the live operations in Terminal 1. Now, approximately 800 monitors/TFT displays and main LCD information boards are distributed throughout the two terminals providing up-to-the-minute information as required by PPL operations.
"As a world leader in airport IT services," said Robert Zgieb, head of IT & Telecommunications Service at PPL, "UFIS-AS once again proved to be a reliable and experienced partner. They provided a tailored solution to meet the challenges Warsaw Airport are facing in its process of continuous growth and development."
In 2008, UFIS-AS also added some additional functionality to the FIDS and Flight Information Processing System (FIPS) to help the operations team in their daily work and to track additional information related to passenger traffic. The UFIS® Data Changes module, a tool to track and audit changes to the data, was also installed.
The UFIS® installation at Warsaw includes the UFIS® AODB, FIDS, and FIPS. It also includes, in addition to the ones mentioned above, interfaces to the SITA, AFTN, radar, and TMS lighting systems.
The UFIS® AODB is the heart of the IT system. The AODB provides a state-of-the-art, fully scalable solution, combining the highest amount of security with real-time performance. The most important function of the AODB is to provide a data integration platform for all IT systems at the airport as well as off-airport systems. Information from UFIS® and other systems is stored in the AODB and is made available to authorized applications and systems.
The UFIS® FIPS supports airport operations by enabling the user to manage their flight schedules and to process incoming flight information changes in a real-time setting. As a part of the FIPS module, telex processing also allows for the interpretation of incoming telexes, updating the appropriate data in the AODB and making it accessible to the users. The apron management application is a rule-based system which enables planners and dispatchers to produce an up-to-the-minute plan for gate, stand, check-in counter and baggage belt assignment to individual aircraft. An easy-to-use rule generator is provided for the operators to develop new rules or edit existing ones to cater for changes in operational procedures and agreements with the airlines.
In addition to the public displays, the FlDS system also include a web-based counter application running on the CUTE workstations and a web-based staff information application providing information throughout the whole airport intranet. This staff information application enables staff to call up flight and airport-related information relevant to their particular tasks.
Warsaw airport has 9.4 million passengers passing through its doors each year, averaging 26,000 passengers per day. They have 151,533 aircraft movements in a year with 129,728 of those being passenger flights.
PPL was established in 1987 as the successor to the Air Traffic and Commercial Airports Administration. In addition to Warsaw, it operates the Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport and the Zielona Góra-Babimost Airports in Poland.
To see the pictures in more detail - please click on them.
- Success Story Warsaw
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