Pioneering System to Allow Paragliding and Flights at Andorra-La Seu Airport to Operate Side by Side

Aeroports de Catalunya has begun testing a pioneering system in Spain in Organyà this week that aims to make paragliding activity compatible with operations at Andorra-La Seu Airport.

The new system will allow the real-time monitoring of paragliders through a mobile application and facilitate the operation of aircraft conducting instrument flight rules (IFR) flights.

The main objective is to reduce the periods during which paragliding schools and companies in the area are currently forced to suspend their activities.

Until now, when an aircraft was expected to arrive or depart, paragliding flights could be suspended for up to two and a half hours. With the new system, this period could be reduced to between 15 and 30 minutes.

A System Based on Geolocation

The system uses technology based on the SafeSky platform, allowing the airport control tower to see the location of paragliders connected to the network.

Pilots will have to use the application on their mobile phones, which will share their position and altitude in real time.

In addition, Aeroports de Catalunya has installed a receiver antenna at the Organyà launch site capable of detecting air traffic signals such as ADS-B and transmitting them to the platform's servers.

When an aircraft operating an instrumental flight needs to enter the area, the control tower will be able to notify the paragliding coordinator so that pilots can temporarily leave the affected airspace.

They will be able to move to designated safe areas or land and take off again once the aircraft has passed.

The director of Andorra-La Seu Airport, Òscar Madrid, explained that the new protocol will allow for more precise coordination.

“There will be a window of between 15 and 30 minutes during which they will be notified by the control tower.”

Paragliding Sector Hopes to Recover Activity

Paragliding is one of Organyà’s economic drivers, generating revenue for accommodation providers, restaurants and flying schools.

However, the increase in air traffic at the airport has made it more difficult for operators to plan flights.

Last July, Andorra-La Seu Airport recorded a record 1,063 aircraft movements, an increase of 83% compared with the same month the previous year. A significant proportion of these movements involved public services such as firefighters and emergency operations.

The paragliding sector has welcomed the introduction of the new system but warns that it has suffered a significant economic impact in recent years.

Fernando Martínez, director of Parapent Barcelona, said the company has had to limit bookings and activities because it could not guarantee stable scheduling.

Once the testing phase is complete, Aeroports de Catalunya will prepare a report that must be validated by Spain’s State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA).

If the system receives approval, Catalonia could become a pioneer in Spain in the use of this technology, potentially paving the way for its implementation at other airports.