Norwegian national airport operator providing real-world testbeds for ATM optimization, remote towers, and sustainable aviation across 43+ airports.
Avinor is Norway's national airport operator, managing the majority of civil airports across the country. Within H2020, they serve as a real-world testbed and operational partner for SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) programs, contributing airport operations data, validating air traffic management concepts, and demonstrating new technologies at their airports. Their work spans the full airport value chain — from airside runway throughput and remote tower operations to terminal-side passenger flow and sustainable fuel infrastructure. Most recently, they are positioning themselves as a leader in green airport operations, piloting hydrogen fuel systems and zero-emission ground logistics.
Core participant in SESAR ATM projects including PJ09 DCB (demand-capacity balancing), PJ24 NCM (network collaborative management), PJ01-W2 EAD (enhanced arrivals/departures), and PJ25 XSTREAM (cross-border arrival management).
Participated in both waves of PJ04 TAM and PJ37-W3 ITARO (integrated TMA/airport/runway operations), plus PJ03a SUMO for integrated surface management.
Contributed to PJ02 EARTH, PJ02-W2 AART (runway throughput and separation), and VLD3-W2 SORT (safely optimized runway throughput with wake-decay and pair-wise separation).
Participated in PJ05 (remote tower for multiple airports) and PJ05-W2 DTT (digital technologies for tower, remote tower centers), directly relevant to Avinor's operational deployment of remote towers across Norwegian regional airports.
Largest single project funding (EUR 1.1M) in TULIPS, demonstrating zero-emission operations, green hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, and circular economy practices at airports.
Participated in AWARD, focused on autonomous transport fleet management and real-world logistics demonstrations.
In the early period (2016–2019), Avinor focused on strategic ATM planning — master plan development, demand-capacity balancing, network operations planning, and foundational SESAR architecture (PJ20 AMPLE, PJ09 DCB, PJ24 NCM). The later period (2019–2023+) shows a clear shift toward operational optimization at the airport level — arrival/departure queue management, continuous climb/descent operations, extended AMAN/DMAN, and dynamic routing — plus a new emphasis on sustainability through TULIPS and autonomous logistics through AWARD. The trajectory moves from "planning the future ATM system" to "implementing and greening it on the ground."
Avinor is pivoting from pure ATM research participation toward sustainable airport demonstration, making them an increasingly relevant partner for green aviation and hydrogen infrastructure projects.
Avinor participates exclusively as a partner — never as coordinator — which is consistent with their role as an airport operator providing real operational environments rather than leading research design. With 179 unique partners across 30 countries, they are a high-connectivity node in the European aviation research network, primarily through the large SESAR Joint Undertaking consortia. This makes them easy to approach for consortium membership, especially when a project needs a credible airport operator for validation or demonstration activities.
Avinor has collaborated with 179 unique partners across 30 countries, making them one of the most broadly connected airport operators in European aviation research. Their network spans the full SESAR ecosystem — ANSPs, technology providers, research centers, and fellow airport operators across Europe.
Avinor operates 43+ airports across Norway, including challenging short-runway regional airports in Arctic conditions — an operational context few European partners can offer. They were early adopters of remote tower technology in real operations, giving them hands-on validation experience that goes beyond simulation. Their combination of extreme-weather operations, remote tower deployment, and new commitment to hydrogen-powered airports (TULIPS) makes them a uniquely credible demonstration partner for next-generation airport concepts.
