Aircraft may continue to approach Runway 3 from the south for ten more years, until 2018. By then, there should be new navigation technology that will enable them to avoid flying over central Upplands Väsby, according to a ruling by the Environmental Court today, November 29.
“We are satisfied with the court’s decision. Ten years is a relatively long time, and technological development in this field looks promising. Runway 3 is important to the airport, enabling us to offer the capacity demanded in the region and the country,” says Claes Hagström, Operations Manager, LFV Stockholm-Arlanda Airport.
LFV, the state enterprise that owns and operates the airport, has already tested flights paths around the town of Upplands Väsby, about 15 kilometres south of the airport, for aircraft landing on Runway 3. These employ a curved approach, aided by modern RNP-RNAV navigation technology. The necessary equipment is still found only on some aircraft and requires special training of pilots.
If a curved approach path is to be used on a large scale, the method must be approved by aviation safety authorities at both the international level (International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO) and the national level (Swedish Civil Aviation Authority).
“Aviation safety always comes first, but we are very hopeful since Stockholm-Arlanda occupies a leading position in efforts to develop new and better technology that airports and airlines around the world can benefit from,” Mr Hagström says.
LFV is considering applying for a new environmental permit for the entire airport, in which case Condition 6 of the existing permit − which governs curved landing approaches − may also be re-assessed. Certain prerequisites for the airport’s permit will probably be changed because civil aviation is expected to be brought into the international emission trading system.
LFV Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
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