Members of the SESAR Deployment Alliance, which includes airspace users, airports and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) – and the EUROCONTROL Network Manager have submitted a joint letter to the European Commission proposing to form a new partnership to manage the modernisation and digitalisation of a sustainable European Air Traffic management (ATM) system.
Commenting on the new partnership, Eamonn Brennan, director general of EUROCONTROL, stated: “With an ongoing capacity crunch causing air traffic flow management delays that are 53% above those of 2017, it is crucial to accelerate the deployment of new technologies that can modernise and digitalise air traffic management. This partnership is the right way forward to enable us to do that.”
The European Commission is expected to launch a Call for Proposal in the first half of 2020 to put in place a new partnership for Deployment as of 1 January 2021.
“While progress monitoring shows that 72% of what is required by the Commission Implementing Regulation on Pilot Common Projects is already completed or ongoing, further significant investments are needed to accelerate the air traffic management modernisation and digitalisation. This the new partnership will ensure stakeholders buy-in and strong programme management to timely deliver a sustainable European ATM ,” said Roberta Neri, CEO of ENAV and Chairperson of the A6 Steering Board.
Airports Council International (ACI) Europe’s director, Olivier Jankovec, also expressed his support, saying: “I am thrilled that ACI EUROPE will continue to coordinate the engagement and participation of Europe’s airports to the deployment of SESAR. Over the past five years, airports have invested several hundred millions of euros to get better integrated in the ATM network through innovative digital processes & technologies. Going forward with the next stage of the SESAR Deployment Manager is crucial to keep modernising the European aviation system. This is about achieving the efficiency gains that will allow us to improve the passengers experience and the sustainability of our operations.”
Key challenges for the new Deployment Manager will include an agreed, synchronised and co-ordinated deployment (incl. infrastructure) across the European ATM network to deliver the network-wide performance improvements required now and for the future.
