Airbus has tried to reignite a long-running bid to spur the development of a new generation of more efficient air traffic management systems with the launch of a subsidiary company dedicated to ATM projects.
Airbus ProSky, headed by Eric Stefanello, the airframer's senior vice-president and head of ATM since 2007, describes itself as an "integrator of services and expertise" and neither a supplier of hardware or software, nor a competitor to ATM manufacturers, national air navigation service providers or avionics makers.
A deal signed in December 2010 will see the unit help China implement new ATM technologies.
The big prize is clearly to facilitate introduction of the US NextGen and European SESAR Single Sky 21st century ATM programmes. These schemes - in the pipeline for a decade but no closer to reality - are seen as key to cutting fuel burn and freeing airspace by allowing more direct routing.
ProSky echoes Boeing's bid of 10 years ago to diversify into ATM. Boeing Air Traffic Management worked on the NextGen and SESAR projects, but was eventually folded into the company's Phantom Works research organisation.
Airbus, EADS and Thales collaborated with Boeing through their own "Air Traffic Alliance", a partnership that has apparently not been active in recent years.
Source: Flight International
