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Celine develops the tower system of the future
When she sat in the cockpit during a flight, and listened to the communication between air traffic controller and pilot, Celine Haugan Lia really felt that she was working on something that matters.
"Being able to develop a critical system from A to Z is incredibly rewarding
Celine Haugan Lia is a systems engineer at Avinor. On a daily basis, she works at the Oslo control center in Røyken, but with the development of tower systems as a field of work, there are many trips to Oslo Airport Gardermoen (OSL). She is part of the team that is developing the future system for the control tower at OSL.
"Being able to help create such a large and critical system from A to Z is clearly the main reason why I applied for the job. Here I get to work with so many talented people, and the system is developed together with the end users. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the needs to be met.
The new system will support air traffic controllers in their work to make critical decisions for all aircraft that are to land and take off at the airport. In addition, Celine is involved in developing the future system for Norwegian airspace, which is a collaboration with several other European countries. Testing software is an important part of the job, and much of the testing takes place in simulators.
Does the interface work optimally on the air traffic controllers' radar screens, when a fictitious plane from Gardermoen is to land in Stavanger? Is the message flow as it should?
"These are systems that must be operational 24/7, and that must work. Of course, it is motivating to work with it.
Interested in complex systems
As a child, Celine dreamed of becoming an inventor. The urge to understand how things really fit together has always been a strong driving force. And with the job she has today, she feels that she is in the right place.
"I've always had ambitions, without knowing exactly which path to take. During my studies, I became more and more interested in developing new, complex systems. So when I finished my master's thesis, it became important for me to work in a large company that develops its own technology.
In that area, Celine has hit the mark. The systems she is working on today are part of a solid number of projects that in various ways will develop the systems of the future for Norwegian airspace.
Already in 2021, Bodø Remote Tower Center, the world's largest center for remote control of towers, opened. Here, air navigation services are managed for 11 of Avinor's regional airports, without anyone sitting in the tower locally. In the coming years, the number of airports in the scheme will be increased to 21. A new system for handling drone traffic is also underway – another area where Norway is an early adopter.
“I am very much rooting for us in Norway to stay at the forefront and develop new technology. This is something we are good at in this country, and aviation is at the forefront. At Avinor, there are really great opportunities for us technologists.”
Celine Haugan Lia, systemingeniør i Avinor
The years to come will be a critical phase, where old and new technology will work in parallel.
"The interfaces between the systems are demanding to develop, but important as temporary solutions. When you then switch to a new technological platform, it provides room for exciting new functionality and further development.
Facing professional challenges
Celine was not particularly interested in the airline industry before she applied for the position. But since the start in June last year, interest has increased sharply.
"Did you know, for example, that the entire airspace is organized with a number of points, which are used to navigate the aircraft?" she asks enthusiastically.
The 25-year-old admits that flying has become even more exciting, now that she knows more about everything that goes on in the background. She had no experience with airspace and tower systems before she started working at Avinor, but the close collaboration with air traffic controllers, specialists, developers and colleagues from the Airport Operation Center has meant that both her knowledge and circle of acquaintances have increased very quickly.
It has not been a problem to get into the social environment, says Celine. The onboarding she received as a new employee was well adapted for new employees in technology, with lectures by professionals in various roles, gatherings and visits to different places in the company.
" My experience is that it is useful to work in interdisciplinary teams, where everyone has different backgrounds and experiences. Here there is a good mix of women and men, with different specialties, and I feel that we can discuss freely and openly, while everyone has respect for each other. I get to face professional challenges, while at the same time I have a lot of flexibility to organize my everyday life.