Pilot CDM Project to Improve Air Traffic Management Between Bangkok and Singapore
On 29/07/2011, in CDM, by steve
CANSO, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation, has announced the launch of a pilot project which aims to improve the efficiency of air traffic management (ATM) between two major cities in the Asia-
Pacific region.
The project seeks to demonstrate the potential efficiency gains from the implementation of CDM at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok and Changi airport in Singapore, and the integration with en-route CDM for seamless ATM operations.
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When Titans speak
On 25/05/2011, in SESAR's Palace, by steve
Mid-March Aviation Week published a double interview in which Canso director general Graham Lake and Air Traffic Control Association president/CEO Peter F. Dumont spoke their minds about air traffic management developments on both sides of the Atlantic.
The interviews were refreshing and revealing. They both spoke about the prospects of SESAR and NextGen frankly and eschewing the usual bluster and we-have-won type of text so frustrating in the “formal” communications.
Mr. Lake tells us that it is not yet clear where the 4 billion euros implementation funding needed by SESAR will come from… With SESAR well into its 8-year life-span and 2.1 billion euros being burned through as you read this, such an uncertainty about the future is cause for concern to say the least.
He also makes the point that the new ATM system will still need people to operate it. He then goes on to say that some 70 % of the typical ANSPs costs are staff related, expressing surprise that parts of the ATM network face disruptions as a result of labor disputes and demands for unsustainable labor agreements. As an industry, we cannot allow this to continue he states. There is a strong message here and one is almost tempted to compare the number of pilots and other airline stuff who lost their jobs because of the economic crisis with the number of ATC staff who had been handed the pink slip for the same reason…
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Remember EATCHIP?
On 14/02/2011, in FAB News, by steve
And ATM2000+? You will be forgiven if you do not. After all, we live in the age of SESAR and the FAB… There is a whole new generation of experts laboring on the “things” these new acronyms signify and without a doubt they believe in what they are doing. As they should indeed. But may be, just may be, it is a worthwhile exercise to remind them (and ourselves) what EATCHIP was all about.
The acronym stands for European ATC Harmonization and Implementation Program. It was an ambitious initiative to improve air traffic management in Europe. As tangible results kept slipping ever farther into the future, EATCHIP II and then III were born, all characterized by endless meetings, promises and a lack of action on the part of most of the stakeholders. Clearly, something was very wrong though this was not said in so many words… But in time ATM2000+ was launched which was a new take on the old subject of ATM improvements. The agreements to make ATM2000+ reality were signed on the highest level. More working groups, more meetings while obfuscation and dodging of the issues continued. I remember well how some EUROCONTROL experts were pulling their hair out when for the nth time something that was the perfectly logical next step was once again blocked by one or the other of the stakeholders. Sometimes it was a ground service provider, some times the airlines, but the end result was the same: delay in the program and delays at the airports.
My favorite story of the time concerns the ECIP, the European Convergence and Implementation Plan (the forerunner of the ESSIP) which contained the implementation objectives and the deadlines for implementation. One would think that the date against an ECIP objective was to be taken seriously and a State failing to achieve the objective would come under enormous peer pressure… No way! I sat through many a frustrating meeting which did little else than change the dates of the ECIP objectives… always to a later date! It was enough for one or the other of the big States to announce that they would not meet the originally stipulated date and it was changed immediately. The result? The program was always on time and nobody ever missed a deadline. Cute and very impressive in political statements. This did not help aircraft stranded on the ground but looked very nice in reports and ministerial presentations.
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New clouds on the Mode-S/ADS-B horizon in Europe
On 18/01/2011, in SESAR's Palace, by steve
Most of those who took part in the epic battle over the introduction of Mode S Enhanced Surveillance (EHS) have either retired, moved to other activities or flew west to greener pastures but I guess there is still a hard core who will remember how the airspace users lost that one to the three big States in Europe and EUROCONTROL who was caught between a rock and a hard place… I was one of those doing the shouting, telling anyone who would listen that Mode S Enhanced Surveillance would cost the airlines an arm and a leg and would generate next to zero benefits. The majority of the airlines and some ANSPs agreed… This was back at the beginning of the previous decade and in the end, the three promoters of Mode S EHS, fed up with the indecision of the others and the opposition of the airlines, banded together and set up the Three State Program, in effect deciding that they would put in Mode S EHS regardless of the opposition. They did have the grace to announce clear time-frames (2003) to have everything on the ground ready and the benefits accruing for the airspace users. We are now in 2011 and very little of that grand promise has been realized, certainly if we look at things from the benefit point of view. If anyone out there has news about Mode S Enhanced Surveillance quantifiable benefits being available to anyone, please let us know…
But the story continues except that the stakes are even higher. This time the matter is on the level of the European Commission and its Single European Sky Implementing Rules (SES IR). Mind you, there is nothing wrong with the Commission wanting the jump start SES via implementing rules. On the contrary, this is a good thing. Except that the old specter of Mode S implementation is beckoning again in the Surveillance Performance and Interoperability IR.
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Shorter night routes in FABEC – is this an achievement?
On 03/12/2010, in FAB News, by cleo
Working in air traffic management on occasion one gets the impression that a lot of people have very short memories. Take for instance the proud announcement from FABEC (Functional Airspace Block Europe Central) to the effect that as part of the harmonization of European airspace, shorter night routes are being offered on 115 cross-border connections. FABEC as you may know is one of the elements in the new style European airspace fragmentation called FAB. Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, the Netherlands and Switzerland are working together to bring improvements in their “joint” airspace.
The announcement includes the usual claims about the airlines being able to save 800 thousand nautical miles per year translating to 4800 tonnes of fuel saved and 16000 tonnes less CO2 emissions. Nice… but what is wrong with this picture?
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CANSO joins ACI-Europe and EUROCONTROL to accelerate A-CDM roll-out
On 13/10/2010, in CDM, by steve
The threat of climate change, the global economic crisis and the resulting changes in the structure of the European aviation market have led to a renewed focus on efficiency and performance for Europe’s airports. In October 2008, ACI EUROPE and EUROCONTROL signed a collaboration to increase operational efficiencies at European airports.
This collaboration revolves around the implementation of an innovative operating practice called Airport Collaborative Decision-Making (A-CDM) which allows airports into the Air Traffic Management network and vice versa. This gives users access to a range of operational data allowing them to make their operations more efficient.
Successful implementation of A-CDM leads to significant reduction in CO2 emissions, which in turn helps airlines save fuel.
At the 5th Annual ACI EUROPE Airport Exchange, CANSO – the global trade body for Air Traffic Management – joined this partnership, giving the initiative even more momentum.
Over the last 2 years, the A-CDM program has made great progress with more than 30 airports so far engaged in implementing it.
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Interesting people, unusual flight plans…
On 22/01/2010, in Interesting people, by steve
Guenter Martis – The humanist among us
Guenter is Director of European Affairs at CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation)
What were you dreaming of becoming when you were a kid?
I wanted to become an inventor, like Marconi. I wanted to invent things with which I could contribute to the well being of mankind. In more concrete terms I wanted to be a communications officer on a big ocean liner. No ideas about airplanes back then.
So what made you become a member of the aviation family after all?
The actual trigger was a job opportunity at Austrian Airlines but the main driver was something else. I hated the idea of becoming electrical engineer number xyz in a big company. I wanted to be different and the airline job seemed to offer that chance.
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Air traffic service provision – business logic in reverse?
On 01/11/2009, in Viewpoint, by steve
The letter S in the abbreviation ATS stands for Services. Air traffic services are the essential commodity all but the simplest VFR flyers are obliged to purchase, at least for the foreseeable future. Air traffic control is one of these services. The price varies as does the value for money across the planet.
What happens if demand for a given service goes down? The price drops right? WRONG! In European air traffic service provision air navigation service providers are obliged to recover 100 % of their costs from the airspace users. When demand for the service diminishes, the price goes up. This is logical since the cost of the service is only loosely connected with the number of aircraft handled while reduced demand means there are fewer aircraft who will share the same overall cost.
So, those users who manage to survive the first onslaught of a crisis will be rewarded by the system with higher user charges… Taking this to an extreme, and admittedly hypothetical, scenario the last airline standing would not only need to switch off the lights but also take out a loan to pay for the passage of its last aircraft as it heads to the scrap yard.
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New directions for Airport Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) – a detailed example
On 13/10/2009, in CDM, by steve
If you have read my article on the New Directions for Airport Collaborative Decision Making (CDM), you will be interested in this narrative description of the envisaged working of the expanded CDM concept. I do strongly recommend that you read the New Directions article first!
The example used is that of a departing flight. It is not a formal use-case as such and it focuses on the most important new features only. The scenario does not aim to be all-encompassing but sufficient detail is provided to enable readers to get a better understanding of the novel applications of CDM. A number of new services are mentioned in this scenario which are in addition to those mentioned in the original article. Their role is self explanatory but if you have any question, please write a comment and I will explain things in more detail.
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Performance Based Navigation Workshop, Budapest 17-18 November 2009 – Reminder
On 13/10/2009, in Events, by steve
BluSky Services is organising a Performance Based Navigation (PBN) workshop, to be held in Budapest, Hungary on 17-18 November 2009. The event will be hosted by HungaroControl and will take place at their premises.
Participation in the workshop is free.
As is well known, both IATA and CANSO have expressed their support for PBN and this important evolutionary step is also part of ICAO’s ATM strategy.
Participants at the workshop will learn about the ICAO PBN concept and how it relates to Performance Based Navigation (RNP) and technologies like ADS-B, MLAT and GNSS landing systems.
The list of presenters include ICAO, IATA, Honeywell, ERA Corporation, APAC, Quo Vadis/Airbus and ZEBRAFISH International.
Interest from all areas of ATM is substantial. Register now to ensure your place at this unique event!
For more details, the Agenda and registration, click here
To learn more about BluSky Services, click here
Performance Based Navigation Workshop, Budapest 17-18 November 2009
On 10/08/2009, in Events, by steve
BluSky Services is organising a Performance Based Navigation (PBN) workshop, to be held in Budapest, Hungary on 17-18 November 2009. The event will be hosted by HungaroControl and will take place at their premises.
Participation in the workshop is free.
As is well known, both IATA and CANSO have expressed their support for PBN and this important evolutionary step is also part of ICAO’s ATM strategy.
Participants at the workshop will learn about the ICAO PBN concept and how it relates to Performance Based Navigation (RNP) and technologies like ADS-B, MLAT and GNSS landing systems.
The list of presenters include ICAO, IATA, Honeywell, ERA Corporation, APAC and ZEBRAFISH International.
For more details, the Agenda and registration, check out http://pbn.bluskyservices.com
To learn more about BluSky Services, go to www.bluskyservices.com
