Air traffic control for northern German airspace under new leadership 

Steffen Liebig is replacing Andre Biestmann at the helm of the Bremen branch of DFS, the German air navigation service provider. The former head of the Karlsruhe branch of DFS has made it his mission to support the Bremen Control Centre in the transition to a new era of air traffic management. As one of four control centres in Germany, the Bremen-based air traffic controllers coordinate up to 1,700 flight movements in northern German airspace every day. 

Steffen Liebig (58) arrives in eventful times. In March, the branch will implement the largest airspace reorganisation in recent decades. The aim of this project is to reduce complexity and free up even more capacity for military and civil users in the future. Most importantly, the DFS project will pave the way for the introduction of the new trajectory-based air traffic management system known as iCAS in the first quarter of 2028. Using 4D trajectories, the system very precisely calculates the further flight path in three-dimensional space for each aircraft, supplemented by the fourth dimension, time, to ensure the efficient flow of traffic. Air traffic controllers are alerted to potential conflicts between aircraft at an early stage. 

Liebig has the necessary experience for this: "I know that this change-over is a big step for air traffic controllers. In Karlsruhe, this change has already been made for upper airspace (from 8,500 metres). The big difference to lower airspace is that air traffic controllers need to be able to work with a trajectory-based system that can cope with multiple, and sometimes much more complex, traffic situations."  

Liebig himself worked as an air traffic controller for 19 years before taking on management responsibility, leading the tower at Frankfurt Airport for four years before moving to Karlsruhe as head of branch in 2013.  

The father of four grown children welcomes the move to the north: "It was my wish to come to Bremen. I have been warmly welcomed and have a committed team at my side with whom I can look forward to the work ahead with confidence. At the DFS Bremen control centre, around 500 staff members are responsible for safety in the airspace of northern Germany. This airspace covers 180,000 square kilometres and stretches from west to east from the Dutch to the Polish border and from north to south from the Danish and Swedish borders to the German cities of Kassel and Cottbus. Within this airspace, the air traffic controllers also provide approach and departure control for Bremen, Hannover, Hamburg and Berlin airports, as well as for 25 regional and military aerodromes. Last year, the Bremen Control Centre controlled 513,897 flight movements (+6.4 percent over 2023). 

Media contact: 
Anja Naumann 
Telephone +49 (0)421 5372 -116 
E-mail: presse@dfs.de 

 

DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH (DFS), the German air navigation service provider, is a State-owned company under private law with 5,800 employees as at 31 December 2024. DFS ensures the safe and punctual flow of air traffic over Germany. Around 2,200 air traffic controllers guide more than three million flights through German airspace in peak years, up to 10,000 every day. The company operates control centres in Bremen, Karlsruhe, Langen and Munich as well as control towers at the 15 designated international airports in Germany. The subsidiary, DFS Aviation Services GmbH, markets and sells products and services related to air navigation services, and provides air traffic control at nine regional airports in Germany and at Edinburgh Airport in the United Kingdom. DFS is working on the integration of drones into air traffic and has set up a joint venture, Droniq GmbH, with Deutsche Telekom. Other subsidiaries include R. Eisenschmidt GmbH, which markets publications and products for general aviation, and Kaufbeuren ATM Training GmbH (KAT), which provides training for military air traffic services personnel. The joint venture FCS Flight Calibration Services GmbH offers flight inspection services.