How often have you seen a quick fix or temporary solution turn into a long-term problem? I've seen a few throughout my career and they often turn out for the worst. While the issue isn't specific to Air Traffic Management (ATM), the industry's extremely long project lifecycles can certainly make it worse. After all, NOTAMS are still in all caps because of limitations presented by telecommunication systems used from the 1920s to the 1960s.
I've been in the position of having to choose between options before. Every now and then, a seemingly easy and cheap solution becomes available, claiming to solve the problem immediately. Deep down, you know that this low-cost, quick option won't be the right choice for the long term. But, operational pressure is high. You'll label the solution as 'temporary'. And you promise it will be updated, replaced or improved at a later date. But let us be honest, this 'later date' rarely comes, due to other pressures, a lack of resources, and new stressors that might arise.
Ultimately, the solution that claimed to be easy and cheap leads to more complexity, and problems in the longer term, and even becomes harder to maintain or replace. So, how then, can we avoid choosing the quick-fix in the first instance?
Engineers need to refrain from people-pleasing. And, operational people should not push too hard for an immediate perfect solution. But after all, both sides are humans and those biases are natural. In fact, they are even desired in engineering culture ,as well as in the selection processes for air traffic controllers.
So, this is where culture and management should play their role. Everyone working at an ANSP should develop sufficient self-knowledge but also knowledge of others to avoid such pitfalls and protect the organisation against bad, short-term decisions.
If this sounds familiar to you and you'd like to discuss more, just reply to this email and we can talk!
Vincent
ANSP news
- NATS announces Clarity, a new way for airports to balance sustainability and operational demands- Currently in development, Clarity will allow airports to analyse and compare the carbon impact of different aspects of their operation and to understand the relative effectiveness of any future sustainability initiatives or investments. NATS believes the tool will help airports to best plan their route to net zero by providing detailed evidence of the value of a whole range of environmental initiatives.
- AirNav Ireland Launches Sustainability Management Plan And Commits To Measures To Reduce Aviation Ca- Recent environmental initiative yielded an estimated 66,000 kilos of carbon savings following 30-day trial carried out by AirNav Ireland, Cork Airport, Aer Lingus and Ryanair.
- Airservices Australia seeks community feedback on Hobart Airport flightpath changes- Airservices Australia is inviting the community to have their say on proposed flightpath changes at Hobart Airport. This follows Airservices’ assessment of two community suggested recommendations from the Hobart Airspace Review Post Implementation Review.
- Morten Fruensgaard becomes new COO of Naviair- Naviair, the Danish air navigation service provider, announces the appointment of Morten Fruensgaard as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). Fruensgaard brings a wealth of experience in the aviation industry and is set to lead Naviair's operational functions. His strategic vision and leadership skills will contribute to the company's continued success in ensuring safe and efficient air traffic management in Denmark.
- 21st DANUBE FAB Social Consultation Forum- The 21st DANUBE FAB Social Consultation Forum took place online on 31 October 2024, bringing together representatives from BULATSA, ROMATSA, and their social partners. In light of the recent changes to the SES2+ legislation, DANUBE FAB and its social partners reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation, focusing on enhancing operational efficiency and resilience. Participants discussed current challenges, reviewed strategic initiatives, and emphasized their shared social priorities. This highlighted DANUBE FAB's dedication to an adaptive and collaborative approach in managing airspace in Eastern Europe.
- Oro Navigacija Presents Lithuanian UTM System Ahead of Implementation- Oro Navigacija has showcased the Lithuanian UTM system in preparation for its upcoming implementation. The unveiling of this advanced technology marks a significant milestone in the field of unmanned traffic management. The Lithuanian UTM system promises to revolutionize the way drones navigate airspace, ensuring safety and efficiency in operations. With this groundbreaking development, Oro Navigacija is at the forefront of UTM innovation.
Airport news
- Airservices Australia calls for community feedback on preferred Ballina airspace and flightpath design changes- Airservices Australia is inviting the community to have its say on preferred airspace and flightpath design changes around Ballina Byron Gateway Airport aimed at safely accommodating the continued growth of air traffic in the region. Ballina’s enhanced air traffic services will take effect in 2025, following a 2022 airspace review by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which included extensive industry feedback. The region will soon transition from the current uncontrolled airspace – where pilots self-separate using information provided by Airservices’ air traffic control – to controlled airspace.
- Target commissioning date of three-runway system at Hong Kong International Airport - The Three-runway System (3RS) at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is targeted to be commissioned on 28 November 2024. After the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has acquired the aerodrome licence and the 3RS has been commissioned, all three runways will be operating under the 3RS.
- Birmingham Airport chooses NATS as new air traffic service provider - Birmingham Airport has reappointed NATS as its air traffic service provider on a 10-year contract.
- Africa's Largest Airport Construction Started in Ethiopia- Ethiopia is implementing a major transformation project in its aviation sector, aiming to become a leading player in global aviation, the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority announced in September. Ethiopia has started the construction of Africa's largest airport, capable of handling 100-130 million passengers annually.
- London Heathrow's Proposed Third Runway: What Are The Latest Developments?- Stay up-to-date on the proposed third runway at London Heathrow Airport with the most recent developments discussed in this article.
Market news
- New project in Malaysia - ICZ Group- ALES, as part of the T7 Kemuncak, Malaysia consortium, has won a contract for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) in Kuantan. The signing of the contract for the ATM system and consoles is being finalized these days. The aim of the project is to replace the existing ATM system with a new one. Our task will be delivery of the ICZ LETVIS ATM system, its installation and integration on site, including the operators and technicians training.
- Indra wins a major contract in the United States to renew the air-ground communications system key to the country’s Air Traffic Management - Resulting from a competitive solicitation issued, under which three companies competed, the FAA has awarded Indra a contract with a total contract value of $244.3M, if all options are exercised, to renew its ground-air communications system, key to air traffic management in the country, by replacing its analog radio systems (UHF and VHF) with digital radio equipment capable of analog and VoIP operation. This contract positions Indra as the global leader in radio communications for ATM with roughly 50% market share.
- Indra strengthens its position as a global player in the Air Traffic Control market with the acquisition of Micro Nav and Global ATS from the Quadrant Group- Indra expands its leadership of the global Air Traffic Management after its Board of Directors approved the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of the companies Micro Nav and Global ATS, from UK-based Quadrant Group. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.
- ATAC acquires the I-SIM (Integrated Simulation) software suite from Kongsberg Geospatial - ATAC has recently acquired the I-SIM integrated simulation software suite from Kongsberg Geospatial. This acquisition aims to enhance ATAC's simulation software capabilities, providing customers with a more comprehensive and advanced solution.
Context information
- Understanding Resilience and Human Differences in Aviation Safety- This article discusses the importance of evaluating resilience and human variability in the context of aviation safety. It explores how understanding these factors can lead to improved safety measures and more effective risk management strategies within the aviation industry.
Research and innovation
- SESAR partners advance dynamic airspace reconfiguration for safer, more efficient air mobility- SESAR JU partners recently conducted a series of technology validations focused on advancing dynamic airspace reconfiguration within the framework the ENSURE project. From November 6 to November 8, 2024, these tests took place at the CRIDA premises in Madrid, concentrating on developing DAR processes that will improve airspace management, particularly in complex airport environments.
- Blockchain in Aviation- Aviation is a critical industry that forms the backbone of the global economy and transports millions of people safely every day. The industry’s top priority is to maintain the highest standards of flight safety and security at all times. However, with increasing digitalization and data flows, ensuring security poses a major challenge, especially in terms of information sharing and ensuring the accuracy of data. This is where blockchain technology stands out as an innovative solution that could revolutionize aviation safety.
- White Paper: Enhancing E-AMAN with Space-Based ADS-B - Aireon - The aviation community is facing complex challenges: surging air traffic, the imperative for efficiency, sustainability, and safety. ICAO, SESAR, and other initiatives drive modernization, having yielded many practical solutions ready for deployment. At major airports, tools like the Arrival Manager are enhancing operations, yet traditional AMAN systems encounter limitations for example, if input data is insufficiently available to enable extended planning. Enter the Frequentis Extended Arrival Manager leveraging AireonFLOW — a global, high-fidelity, low-latency position data source.
- EASA grants STC to Aerodata for anti-jamming anti-spoofing system - Unmanned airspace- Aerodata AG has been granted a Supplemental Type Certificate by EASA for its GPS anti-jamming and anti-spoofing system. This certification applies to installations integrated with Garmin 5000 avionics in a Cessna Citation Latitude jet.
Reports and data
- UK’s two millionth flight arrives earlier - NATS- This points to UK air traffic levels being very close to pre-pandemic levels, with every likelihood that next year will set new records. NATS safely handled 222,567 flights over the month of October, an increase of 0.8 per cent on October 2023.
- Mangaluru International Airport Achieves Record Passenger & Air Traffic Movement in October 2024- Mangaluru International Airport has set a new milestone by handling the highest ever passenger and air traffic movements (ATMs) for FY2024-25 in October 2024. The airport recorded a total of 1,538 air traffic movements, which includes 1,091 domestic, 403 international, and 44 general aviation flights. The Airport handled 1,433 air traffic movements in September 2024.
- European Aviation Trends paper on Summer 2024 performance - EUROCONTROL- Summer 2024 was a very complex and difficult summer. Traffic was up 5% on 2023 and passengers experienced extensive delays, with over a third of flights delayed by more than 15 minutes on arrival. Air Traffic Management contributed to this, with en-route delays of 4.6 minutes per flight, up 52% on 2023 and the second worst year ever.
- Morocco’s Airports Soar to New Record with Over 24 Million Passengers by September- Aircraft movements saw an increase, with 179,863 flights recorded - a 15.44% rise from the same period last year.
UAV and UTM
- BIRDS to use High Lander UTM system in Brazilian airspace management project - Unmanned airspace- High Lander’s São Paulo-based subsidiary BIRDS will use the company’s Vega uncrewed traffic management (UTM) system to manage airspace as part of Brazil’s BR-UTM project. Following acceptance into the project by the Brazilian Department of Airspace Control (DECEA), BIRDS will demonstrate the system to the authority as it investigates the implementation of UTM technology throughout the country.
- Is Europe ready for U-space? Yes – but…. - Unmanned airspace- Commentary by Philip Butterworth-Hayes.Last week’s Innovative Air Mobility Implementation Forum organised by EASA took stock of progress towards developing U-space airspace areas in Europe.
