First Digital Air Traffic Control in Asia: ISO-Gruppe Supports Implementation of the Remote Digital Virtual Tower at Penang Airport, Malaysia

With the deployment of the advanced SKYcontrol Software Suite, the German IT specialist is making a key contribution to modernizing and end-to-end digitalizing air traffic control workflows in Malaysia. As part of the project, the ISO-Gruppe’s software solution was fully installed and integrated into the existing infrastructure. The implementation centers on several core modules, including SKYcontrol EFS, SKYcontrol Ground Track, and SKYcontrol RCMS, as essential components of the solution. These are complemented by numerous interfaces, for example to the camera-based virtual situational display, flight data from the wider air traffic management system, and the airport’s stand allocation planning.

A Leap in Efficiency: Digital Workflow Replaces Paper

The newly integrated Electronic Flight Strip System (EFS) completely replaces traditional paper-based flight strips. Air traffic controllers now benefit from a highly precise digital interface for the structured tracking and sharing of relevant flight data, such as estimated arrival and departure times, routes, and clearances. Automated data processing and the integration of additional supporting data – including weather conditions, active NOTAMs, and the airfield lighting status enable an efficient coordination of approach and taxi movements across the airport.

SKYcontrol Ground Track, the ground and approach surveillance system, also replaces the existing approach radar display. It provides the flight strip system with second-by-second landing tracking and departure detection as well as information on taxiing and parking maneuvers. For air traffic control, this means enhanced operational safety and situational awareness of surface traffic and the airspace in the vicinity of the airport, along with the capture of numerous data points for future planning optimization.

Safe Transition Through Structured Parallel Operations (ORAT)

The project is currently in the final ORAT phase (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer). To ensure a smooth transition to live operations, the new Remote Digital Virtual Tower Penang (RDVT Penang) will operate in parallel with the existing tower system for about two months. During this period, air traffic controllers will be gradually trained on the new digital processes. All other third-party systems – including video walls and voice communication systems – have already been successfully accepted.
Thanks to its flexible system architecture, the project will transition seamlessly into the maintenance and warranty phase once testing is complete. During this phase, the maintenance team can continuously and proactively monitor system status through the integrated RCMS module.

Strategic Milestone for the Asian Market

“The total project duration of just 14 months demonstrates the maturity of our SKYcontrol platform and its ability to integrate into complex systems,” explains Stephan Schaer, Project Manager and Authorized Signatory at ISO Software Systeme GmbH. “This successful major project in Penang underscores our ATC expertise and serves as an important springboard for further expansion in the rapidly growing Asian aviation market.”

“Penang Airport’s air traffic control is our second major customer, alongside our long-standing air traffic control client KLIA, which is now among the airports with the highest number of aircraft movements in Southeast Asia. In addition to adapting the software to Penang Airport’s requirements, the ISO-Gruppe provided consulting support for changes to operational processes, including ATC clearance procedures,” explains Marcel Bender, Technical Project Manager at ISO Software Systeme GmbH.

About Penang International Airport

Penang International Airport (PIA) is the international airport serving the Malaysian island of Penang and a key transportation hub for northern Malaysia. It connects Penang with numerous domestic and international destinations, supporting both passenger and cargo traffic.

The airport is located in the Bayan Lepas district in the south of the island, approximately 16 kilometers from George Town. Through its ongoing development and modernization, Penang International Airport contributes to the economic and tourism significance of the region.