Avinor
Encyclopedia
Avinor AS is a state owned limited company
in that operates most of the civil airports in Norway
. The Norwegian state, via the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
controls 100 percent of the share capital. Avinor was created on 1 January 2003, by the privatization
of the Norwegian Civil Aviation Administration known as Luftfartsverket. Its head office is in an office building in Bjørvika
, Oslo
, located on the seaside of Oslo Central Station.
Avinor owns and operates 46 airport
s in Norway, fourteen in association with the Royal Norwegian Air Force
, and is responsible for air traffic control
services in Norway. In addition to the 46 airports, it operates three Area Control Center
s: Bodø Air Traffic Control Center
, Stavanger Air Traffic Control Center
and Oslo ATCC.
, the Chief Executive Officer was Sverre Quale
who has been in the job since 18 April 2006. He was the former head of the Norwegian Accident Investigation Board
. As of 2011, Sverre Quale has been employed as the Chief Executive at Multiconsult. His replacement, Dag Falk-Petersen, has served as CEO of CHC Helicopters. Avinor has about 2,400 employees, including air traffic control, air navigation services, rescue, maintenance, administration and other airport operations personnel.
who held responsibility for operating the airports, including the civilian sections. This responsibility had been delegated to the Aviation Council (Luftfartsrådet) within the ministry. The first director was Einar Bøe (1947–1964), followed by Erik Willoch
(1964–1989), Ove Liavaag
(1989–2000), Randi Flesland
(2000–2005), Sverre Quale
(2006–2010) and Dag Falk-Petersen (2011-).
The organisation changed name its to Luftfartsverket in 1967. In 1997, Oslo Airport, Fornebu
and the then under construction Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
, where merged into a separate subsidiary, Oslo Lufthavn AS. This company still operates Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. On 14 December 2005, CEO Randi Flesland resigned after an ongoing dispute with employees. She was temporarily replaced by Nic. Nilsen
until Sverre Quale took over.
Aksjeselskap
Aksjeselskap is the Norwegian term for a stock-based company. It is usually abbreviated AS or A/S, especially when used in company names. An AS is always a limited company, i.e. the owners cannot be held liable for any debt beyond the stock capital...
in that operates most of the civil airports in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The Norwegian state, via the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Transportation and Communications is a Norwegian ministry established in 1946, and is responsible for transportation and communication infrastructure in Norway. It is led by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa...
controls 100 percent of the share capital. Avinor was created on 1 January 2003, by the privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
of the Norwegian Civil Aviation Administration known as Luftfartsverket. Its head office is in an office building in Bjørvika
Bjørvika
Bjørvika is a neighborhood in the Sentrum borough of Oslo, Norway. The area is an inlet in the inner Oslofjord, situated between Gamlebyen and Akersness. It serves as an outlet for the river Akerselva. Since the 2000s, it has been undergoing urban redevelopment, being transformed from a container...
, Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, located on the seaside of Oslo Central Station.
Avinor owns and operates 46 airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s in Norway, fourteen in association with the Royal Norwegian Air Force
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
, and is responsible for air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
services in Norway. In addition to the 46 airports, it operates three Area Control Center
Area Control Center
In air traffic control, an Area Control Center , also known as a Center, is a facility responsible for controlling instrument flight rules aircraft en route in a particular volume of airspace at high altitudes between airport approaches and departures...
s: Bodø Air Traffic Control Center
Bodø Air Traffic Control Center
Bodø Air Traffic Control Center or Bodø ATCC en route air traffic control unit located at Bodø Airport in Bodø, in North Norway.The ATCC has a total of 36 airports under its area of responsibility - 13 controlled and 23 uncontrolled, regional airports - including Svalbard Airport, Longyear...
, Stavanger Air Traffic Control Center
Stavanger Air Traffic Control Center
Stavanger Air Traffic Control Center or Stavanger ATCC is responsible for the controlled airspace above Western Norway. The area control center is located at Stavanger Airport, Sola. The Control Center is owned and operated by the state enterprise Avinor. Avinor's board has decided to close Oslo...
and Oslo ATCC.
, the Chief Executive Officer was Sverre Quale
Sverre Quale
Sverre Quale is a Norwegian civil servant and businessperson.He grew up in Mo i Rana and currently lives in Billingstad. He is a siv. ing. by education, graduating from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1982....
who has been in the job since 18 April 2006. He was the former head of the Norwegian Accident Investigation Board
Norwegian Accident Investigation Board
Accident Investigation Board Norway is a Norwegian government agency responsible for investigating accidents and incidents within the transport sector, specificially aviation, railway , road transport and from 2008 ship transport. The agency is government funded and subordinate of the Norwegian...
. As of 2011, Sverre Quale has been employed as the Chief Executive at Multiconsult. His replacement, Dag Falk-Petersen, has served as CEO of CHC Helicopters. Avinor has about 2,400 employees, including air traffic control, air navigation services, rescue, maintenance, administration and other airport operations personnel.
History
On 1 July 1947, the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communication created the Aviation Directorate (Luftfartsdirektoratet) to take over the responsibility for the civilian airports in Norway. Until then it had been the Norwegian Ministry of DefenceNorwegian Ministry of Defence
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defence is a Norwegian government ministry in charge of the formation and implementation of national security and defence policy, and for the overall management and control of the activities of subordinate agencies. The ministry is located at Glacisgata 1, Oslo,...
who held responsibility for operating the airports, including the civilian sections. This responsibility had been delegated to the Aviation Council (Luftfartsrådet) within the ministry. The first director was Einar Bøe (1947–1964), followed by Erik Willoch
Erik Willoch
Erik Willoch was a Norwegian jurist and civil servant.Born in Oslo as a brother of Kåre Willoch, he graduated as cand.jur. in 1948. He worked at the University of Oslo from 1950 to 1956, and then in the Office of the Attorney General of Norway from 1957. He was the director of the Norwegian Civil...
(1964–1989), Ove Liavaag
Ove Liavaag
Ove Liavaag was a Norwegian civil servant.He was the director of the Norwegian Civil Aviation Administration from 1989 to 2000. Prior to this he was technical director of the same organization from 1981. He was a siv. ing. by education....
(1989–2000), Randi Flesland
Randi Flesland
Randi Runa Svenkerud Flesland is a Norwegian civil servant.Flesland was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, with education in business administration, psychology and pedagogy. She has had several leading positions in Norges Statsbaner, until 2000, when she became acting president...
(2000–2005), Sverre Quale
Sverre Quale
Sverre Quale is a Norwegian civil servant and businessperson.He grew up in Mo i Rana and currently lives in Billingstad. He is a siv. ing. by education, graduating from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1982....
(2006–2010) and Dag Falk-Petersen (2011-).
The organisation changed name its to Luftfartsverket in 1967. In 1997, Oslo Airport, Fornebu
Oslo Airport, Fornebu
Oslo Airport, Fornebu was the main airport serving Oslo and Eastern Norway from 1 June 1939 to 7 October 1998. It was then replaced by Oslo Airport, Gardermoen and the area has since been redeveloped. The airport was located at Fornebu in Bærum, from the city center. Fornebu had two runways, one...
and the then under construction Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving Oslo, Norway. It acts as the main domestic hub and international airport for Norway, and the second-busiest airport in the Nordic countries. A hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and a focus city for Widerøe, it is...
, where merged into a separate subsidiary, Oslo Lufthavn AS. This company still operates Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. On 14 December 2005, CEO Randi Flesland resigned after an ongoing dispute with employees. She was temporarily replaced by Nic. Nilsen
Nic. Nilsen
Nicolay William Nilsen is a Norwegian businessperson.He is the current CEO of Oslo Lufthavn AS, the company that manages the Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. He started working at Gardermoen in 1995, overseeing the airport's transition from being second in rank to Oslo Airport, Fornebu into becoming the...
until Sverre Quale took over.