Simple Flying got behind-the-scenes access to the nerve center of the Emirate's network.

When looking at an airline's operations, most passengers don't see beyond the airport staff and flight crew. However, behind every successful airline, there is a team that monitors every single flight, ready to respond if anything unexpected happens.

For Emirates, this is called the Network Control Center (NCC). Emirates' NCC is run out of a room in the airline group's Dubai International Airport headquarters, overlooking the apron at Terminal 3. But what does the Network Contol Center do on a day-to-day basis? The airline invited Simple Flying to take a look.

A massive screen on the back wall of the NCC is the type you expect to see in a NASA control room. A third of the screen is taken up by a huge map showing the position of planes on the ground and in the skies around Dubai International Airport. The middle third of the screen offers a live view of FlightRadar24.com, filtered to only show Emirates flights.

Every flight is being watched in detail, and at any sign of delay, the team will look at all the passengers on the flight. If a connection becomes particularly tight, a team on the ground can be prepared to expedite passenger transfers. If it's clear that a significant number of passengers will miss a specific connection, the NCC may decide to delay the connecting flight.

Suppose this isn't possible, perhaps because a flight needs to depart to make a curfew at the arrival airport. In that case, the airline can already rebook the passengers onto the next available connections before they step foot in Dubai.

The final third is customized depending on any situations that the control center may be dealing with. While I was visiting, Sky News took up part of this section, but the team could post up anything from weather forecasts to live aircraft stats and everything in between there.

During our visit, Russ Fuller, Vice President of Network Control at Emirates, was on shift overseeing the NCC. He explained to Simple Flying that the NCC houses representatives from each key Emirates team in one room. This means that if a flight has a problem with maintenance, crewing, a medical emergency, or a high-value customer, there are always experts on hand to advise and help deal with the situation.

When a big decision needs to be made, such as whether a flight should be canceled or if an airborne flight should divert or continue to its destination, the duty manager can draw on all of these departments to make an informed decision as quickly as possible.

For example, if an aircraft goes tech at the gate in Dubai, the duty manager can ask the maintenance team how long it will take to fix the plane. If it's not a quick fix, they can then go to the fleet planning team to see whether another aircraft is available to take its place. If this isn't an option, they could go to another team to see if canceling another flight to free up an aircraft would impact operations less.

Sitting in the middle of the room is an engineering specialist. They have access to a range of systems that constantly talk to each Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 in the Emirates fleet while also having communication channels with pilots and crew.

If any faults are detected onboard any aircraft, an alert will pop up at the station, explaining the problem and which aircraft it has been detected on. Fuller remarked that the NCC could even be aware of an issue with a flight before it is picked up by or relayed to the pilots. Through these communications, flight attendants can also troubleshoot issues such as a malfunctioning IFE screen at 36,000 feet without bothering the pilots.

If a medical emergency unravels onboard a flight, the flight crew will contact the NCC to make them aware of the situation. One of the teams within the NCC includes an on-call doctor who can talk directly to the crew to determine what the patient is suffering from and how serious the situation is.

Suppose the crew and doctor are confident that a medical emergency isn't life-threatening. In that case, the NCC may make the call that the aircraft should continue to its destination as planned and contact the center again if the situation deteriorates. In more severe cases, a decision may be made that the aircraft should immediately land at the nearest suitable airport.

This can create another problem for the NCC to overcome, especially when the A380 is involved. While the pilot is in command of the aircraft and thus makes the final decision on where the plane goes, the NCC will advise on suitable diversion airports. They will also contact these airports to ensure they are ready to handle a diversion.

This may include checking whether fuel is available, whether ground handlers are on site, whether local hotels are available, if a night stop is required, etc... The airline wants to avoid a story like "282 Air France Passengers Stranded In Siberia For Nearly 3 Days".

Remember that Sky News was on the massive screen at the back of the NCC? This allows the control center team to stay updated with current events. Suppose an unpleasant situation rapidly develops on the ground at an outstation. In that case, the NCC team could direct aircraft en route to divert away from the case or to alert crew on a stop-over to the situation.

This also works with the weather as well as many other variables. Poor visibility in Dubai means that airport operations are reduced to increase safety margins. This can mean longer holds and sometimes even diversions for arriving aircraft. Suppose the NCC sees a poor visibility forecast for an aircraft's destination. In that case, they can instruct the crew to load additional fuel to allow for a potentially more extended hold before landing.

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During our visit to the NCC, things were relatively calm as the airlines' morning rush was just finishing. Fuller was briefly pulled away from us once for a quick question. However, he clarified that no two days at the facility are the same. For example, when Dubai has low visibility, multiple flights may need intervention from the NCC in quick succession.

While the center was understandably quiet at the height of the pandemic (Emirates was effectively grounded at one point), the airline once again operates a comprehensive network, with multiple A380 flights each day to some destinations.

Did you realize that the Network Control Center was the nerve center of Emirates' operations? Let us know what you think and why in the comments below!

Content Manager – Degree educated in Aerospace Technology, this certified pilot is a passionate specialist in European aviation. Working closely with British Airways, Lufthansa and others, Tom provides commentary on topical issues for outlets including the BBC. Based in Frankfurt, Germany.

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