Partners in the SESAR European Airports Consortium (SEAC) used the opportunity of a recent open day at Munich Airport to present the results of “Follow-The-Greens”^[1], a new concept and technology using an advanced lighting system to optimise aircraft taxiing to and from the runway.

A real-time simulation performed in spring 2015 in Munich airport environment showed that the use of the lighting system can help to significantly reduce overall taxi times, meaning the amount and duration of stops during taxi. This in turn may lead to a smoother traffic flow and reduced fuel burn and CO2 emissions.

The validation exercise involved the participation of seven controllers and five pilots from different European airlines, who provided positive feedback regarding the use of the system. Specifically the controllers noted that fewer radio transmissions were required thanks to the lighting system, which resulted in fewer disruptions for controllers, allowing them to efficiently manage their workload.

The validation results also showed that an integrated controller working position, a single lamp control with an unlit area between aircraft (known as “floating separation”) and Advanced Surface Management Control and Guidance System (A-SMGCS) routing, planning and guidance functions are key to the successful deployment of “Follow-The-Greens”.

[1] VP-759