United Airlines Operations Center Power Protection and AV Infrastructure

Level-1 delivered mission-critical power and AV infrastructure for United Airlines’ Network Operations Center, safeguarding global flight operations.

Headquartered in Chicago, United Airlines and United Express average over 5,600 flights per day, connecting 376 destinations across six continents. At the center of this global orchestration is United’s Network Operations Center inside the Willis Tower, a mission-critical command hub responsible for real-time fleet tracking, pilot communications, and coordinated decision-making across the airline’s entire route network. 

To safeguard these operations against power failure, United turned to Level-1 Global Solutions to engineer and implement a redundant power architecture for their World-Wide Flight Operations Center. Our task being to deliver an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and backup generator system powerful enough to keep critical flight systems online even in the event of a citywide outage. 

When the original AV contractor’s minority certification expired, United turned to Level-1 once again. We were asked to take over and went on to design and implement the AV infrastructure for all conference rooms and executive offices, including a Cisco VoIP video conferencing system deployed firm-wide throughout the Willis Tower. 

What We Delivered 

• Design and installation of an advanced power protection infrastructure, anchored by a Liebert dual UPS unit and a 7,000-pound twin-turbo V12 Cummins diesel generator 
• Full UPS integration for all telecommunications closets serving the Operations Center’s control and support spaces 
• Installation of generator switchgear and transfer systems, enabling seamless switchover during a power loss 
• Precision logistics and coordination, including disassembly and elevator transport of the UPS unit and overnight crane lifts of the generator into a Lower Wacker sub-basement 
• Audiovisual infrastructure design and implementation for conference rooms and operational “war rooms,” supporting real-time presentations, system monitoring, and flight status coordination 
• Commissioning and quality assurance oversight, ensuring all systems met engineering specifications, manufacturer standards, and operational readiness for global air traffic support 

This was not a typical power upgrade. Due to size constraints, the generator and UPS equipment had to be dismantled and carefully delivered through narrow vertical shafts, involving overnight closures of downtown Chicago streets and high-stakes equipment reassembly below street level. Level-1 managed the entire operation, navigating architectural, structural, and logistical complexities to ensure flawless execution. 

Today, every United Airlines flight worldwide is backed by Level-1’s mission-critical power infrastructure, a system designed to sustain real-time decision-making and protect one of the world’s most complex operational environments.