Weekly Review #265 - Reflecting on the IFACTA ERM

I spent last week in Skopje, North Macedonia, where I attended the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations European Regional Meeting (IFATCA ERM). FoxATM has been an IFATCA partner for two years and we regularly take part in and support events. Why? Because it is a great way for us to stay in touch with what is going on in operational units. And, it also offers a great forum where we can get informed about and discuss current issues. As an industry partner, we can take part in most of the discussions, except for the closed sessions where each member association reports on their status and issues. And obviously, we can also enjoy the breaks and social activities.

 

 

What did I take home from the event this year? Some familiar issues and a few new ones. Let me summarise some of the discussion points for you. As always, understaffing is an issue and it has been for quite a long time. A new element of this, though, is the issues ANSPs face when it comes to recruiting new ATCO trainees. We touched on this a little in our newsletter last week and the issue is pretty acute. 

 

At a technology level, artificial intelligence (AI) is a growing concern, with some fearing that it will replace them. I think that AI will change the tasks that ATCOs perform, but not that it will replace them. As one participant said: "AI will come whether you like it or not so you'd better adjust." Additionally, ADS-B jamming and spoofing still cause real issues and are a serious reason to keep NAVAIDS installed on the ground.

 

Other topics included a view of the inner workings of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and how IFATCA participates in its work, a presentation of EUROCONTROL's performance review processes and network manager activities, and a panel discussion on the impact of weather on punctuality. The effects of ageing, menopause and andropause on air traffic controllers and their performance at work. This isn't always an easy conversation but an important one to have so that organisations can support their teams. 

 

As a coffee sponsor, I was able to give a brief address about what FoxATM is doing and I focused on the most valuable aspects of our work for this specific audience: our newsletter and podcast.

 

The most important lesson from events like these is often the same for me. Despite what many ATCOs might think, the grass is not always greener at other ANSPs. It is often just a different shade of green.

Vincent

• skeyes CEO discusses Remote Towers with EUROCONTROL - skeyes' CEO, Johan Decuyper, recently sat down with EUROCONTROL to discuss our innovative DITO (Digital Tower) project, focused on the future of Remote Tower operations. The interview highlights how this pioneering technology is transforming air traffic control, enhancing safety and efficiency for airports.
• dans enters strategic partnership with DFS Group of Germany- As per the agreement DFS Aviation Services will supply functional and administrative personnel related to air traffic management activities for a period of five years, starting from 1 January 2025.
• Intelligent Approach Customer Summit showcases product updates and new features - NATS Blog- This week saw our third annual Intelligent Approach Customer Summit, with representatives from NAV CANADA and LVNL – as well as from ANSPs in Europe and the Middle East – joining us in our UK head office.
• Airservices Australia collaborates with Wisk for airspace of the future - Airservices Australia has signed a memorandum of understanding with global aerospace manufacturer Wisk Aero which will help both organisations gain insights into the future airspace management needs of Advanced Air Mobility operations, such as air taxis.
• The A6 Alliance Steering Board Meeting in Brussels - The Board discussed the most important issues related to the relationship between the operational stakeholders and the Network Manager, the update of the ATM masterplan and required planning activities, the achievements of SESAR deployment and the future of SESAR beyond 2027. Particularly, the A6 partners identified areas of improvement for more efficient and resilient airspace network in summer 2025 and beyond.
• M-NAV, GOJSC Skopje and SMATSA LLC have signed the new Service Level Agreement for the shared use of radar sensor data- SMATSA LLC and M-NAV signed a new Service Level Agreement following Eurocontrol guidelines for SLA. The primary objective of this new SLA is to enhance mutual cooperation through bilateral data sharing. By improving radar coverage and the availability of radar data in the Flight Information Regions under the responsibility of both ANSPs, this new agreement elevates the quality and accessibility of surveillance data provided by both organizations. The new SLA agreement introduces functional enhancements that will expand surveillance coverage and provide additional sensor data, thereby improving situational awareness as a support tool for air traffic controllers.

Airport news

• New milestone for Poland’s planned mega hub project – Airport World- The company behind the plans for Poland’s new CPK mega hub, which will contain an airport, railway station and public transport interchange, has announced that the project has entered “the design acceptance process”. It has received the construction design for the project from the master architect and notes that the design acceptance process has begun and is expected to be completed by the end of the year, potentially paving the way for construction to start in 2026.
• London airport plans could add 'another Heathrow' to capital's aviation capacity- The article discusses the potential impact of airport expansion plans in London, highlighting the possibility of adding an equivalent of Heathrow in terms of aviation capacity. The plans are set to significantly increase the capital's air travel capabilities.

Market news

• Turkish firm develops software to improve efficiency in Kyrgyzstan aviation operations- Software developed by Haritaevi Aviation Engineering aims to manage physical obstacles for airports, air traffic control units, airlines, following International Civil Aviation Authority standards.
• FREQUENTIS and PCCW Global successfully showcase advanced air traffic management system in Hong Kong- Frequentis, in collaboration with PCCW Global, recently highlighted the benefits of advanced air traffic management technology for the Asia-Pacific region during an event in Hong Kong. The demonstration emphasised the practical advantages of utilising system-wide information management (SWIM) technology over the common regional virtual private network. This joint initiative is a significant step towards modernising air traffic management in the Asia-Pacific region.
• AAI signs MoU/ agreements with Government of Madhya Pradesh for development of Shivpuri Airport under Regional Connectivity Scheme - The article discusses the recent agreement signed between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Government of Madhya Pradesh for the development of Shivpuri Airport under the Regional Connectivity Scheme. The partnership aims to enhance connectivity and accessibility in the region, benefiting both travelers and the local economy.
• ERA a.s. - ERA´s system WAM West in Poland has gone operational- ERA company (a member of OMNIPOL group) celebrated the closure of its latest project in Poland, called WAM West. ERA, cooperating in the consortium with the ATC Branch of the local company GISS, delivered a Wide Area Multilateration/ADS-B system to cover the airspace above the western part of Poland, including the Terminal Manoeuvring Area of the Poznan airport. The system will be operated by PANSA.
• Lektor Aero and Skyguide Partner to Enhance ATC Training- Lektor Aero, a pioneering company in Air Traffic Control training solutions, and Skyguide, a leading Air Navigation Service Provider from Switzerland, are proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership to enhance Air Traffic Control education and ensure greater student success. This collaboration brings gamified ATC training as part of Skyguide’s air traffic control BASIC course at the Skyguide Academy, marking a significant step towards modernising ATC training.

Context information

• Testing to get underway in 2025 on low-orbit satellite communication technology - SESAR JU- Partners in the CINEA/SESAR JU ECHOES Digital Sky Demonstrator will begin trials of low-orbit satellite VHF data and voice communications technology in May 2025 in Cabo Verde. The Atlantic archipelago, strategically located along major Europe-South America air routes, will serve as the testing ground for these groundbreaking exercises. The trials will gather vital data to assess the performance of the use of low-orbit satellites for VHF communication and ADS-B surveillance in regions that lack ground-based infrastructure.
• A major step forward for European ATM: EUROCONTROL goes operational with the first release of iNM, our integrated Network Management programme- EUROCONTROL Network Manager took a major step forward in its digital transformation programme with the entry into operations of the first release (Wave O) of iNM, our integrated Network Management programme. This release marks the first wave of iNM deliverables following the opening of the new NM Operational Centre at the end of October 2023.

Research and innovation

• Engage 2 shines at the European Researchers’ Night 2024 in Trieste - SESAR JU- Engage 2 recently took part in the European Researchers’ Night 2024, held in Trieste, representing an important step in science communication and public engagement. The event, hosted in the heart of the city, in Piazza Unità, allowed participants to immerse themselves in the world of ATM through an interactive game developed by the University of Trieste. This game enabled attendees to explore data from a typical day at one of several European airports, dynamically selected by an algorithm.
• Making data access FAIR! - SESAR JU- The SESAR JU project, SynthAIr, is committed to promoting open science practices by adhering to the data principles, know a s FAIR: findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable.
• EUROCONTROL Think Paper #22 - Decarbonising long-haul flights by 2050: Is there a pathway through sustainable aviation fuel use, fleet renewal and green energy upscaling? - Long-haul flights, accounting for fewer than 10% of all departures, are responsible for over 50% of aviation's carbon emissions. While electric and hydrogen aircraft are progressing as solutions for short-haul travel, they remain unviable for long-haul operations. Utilising the new FlyingGreen platform’s FuellingDecarb module, we estimate the feasibility of producing sufficient sustainable aviation fuels to meet ReFuelEU’s blending mandate for long-haul flights, as well as the volume of electricity necessary to generate the required SAF.
• Progress made in tackling certification challenges for highly automated technologies in aviation - SESAR JU- The HUCAN project (Holistic Urban Airspace Network Certification), now entering its second year, has made significant progress in addressing the complex certification challenges posed by the increasing use of automation in aviation. As part of SESAR JU’s efforts to ensure the safe and efficient integration of advanced technologies into ATM, HUCAN is pioneering innovative methodologies for certifying both airborne and ground-based systems, many of which incorporate AI-powered automation.
• AI Flagship event - SESAR Joint Undertaking- Building on the AI Initial Coordination Workshop held in September, this session will focus on deepening our collective understanding of AI in ATM and advancing the regulatory debate in collaboration with EASA.
• Turning CNS infrastructure into a service - SESAR Joint Undertaking - If communication, navigation, and surveillance infrastructure is the backbone of air navigation services, then data services are its blood. Putting the two together is the CNS DSP project.
• Sector Traffic Balancing Using Tactical Demand Tailoring - Knowledge and Development Centre Mainport Schiphol- This article discusses the concept of sector traffic balancing by utilizing tactical demand tailoring. It highlights the importance of managing traffic demands strategically to achieve a smoother flow of traffic and minimize congestion.
• FSF Panel to Focus on AAM Safety Challenges - Flight Safety Foundation- A panel organized by Flights Safety Foundation (FSF) will delve into the safety challenges of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). The discussion will center around strategies to enhance safety in the rapidly evolving field of AAM.

Reports and data

• The number of flights managed by ENAIRE in September was 6.7% higher than in 2023, a record year- ENAIRE, Spain's air navigation service provider, managed over 220,000 flights (220,844) in September, 6.7% more than in the same month in 2023, a record year. International flights in September (131,333) were up by 8.8%, overflights (48,569), which do not land at or depart from a Spanish airport, 4.8%, and domestic flights (40,942) 2.4%.
• NAV CANADA reports September 2024 traffic figure- NAV CANADA announced today its traffic figure for the month of September 2024 as measured in weighted charging units for enroute, terminal and oceanic air navigation services, in comparison to the prior year. In September 2024 weighted charging units were higher on average by 4.4 percent compared to the same month in 2023.
• Good passenger growth in September - The Avinor Group- There were 57,078 commercial flight movements in September. This is 2 percent more than in September last year. There have been 1 percent fewer flight movements so far this year compared to the same period in 2023.

UAV and UTM

• PANSA supports UAS UTM research project for crisis management operations - Unmanned airspace- PANSA supported student scientific groups participating in the Droniada OBLot training and research project on September 27-29, 2024 in Przasnysz. The aim of the project was for students to develop a proposal for the use of uncrewed aerial vehicles for crisis management. The event took place at the airport of the Aviation and Space Research Center (OBLot) of the Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering of the Warsaw University of Technology.
• "Navigating U-space and USSP certification: a new era in drone airspace management" - Unmanned airspace- As the global drone industry grows and evolves, managing airspace for unmanned aircraft systems has become a key priority. In Europe, this effort is encapsulated in U-space, a set of services designed to ensure the safe, secure, and efficient integration of drones into shared airspace. Managed by EASA and National Aviation Authorities, U-space offers a framework for providing airspace services-much like ATM for manned aviation but tailored specifically to unmanned operations. Commentary by Amit Ganjoo, Founder and CEO of ANRA Technologies.