A new association has been formed by eight European institutions to promote efficient air traffic management (ATM) research and development, writes David Kaminski-Morrow.
The European Air Traffic Management Research and Development Association (EATRADA) has emerged from the increased need for co-operative aerospace research highlighted by the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE). Three European air navigation service providers - Germany's DFS, France's DNA and the UK's National Air Traffic Services (NATS) - are among the founding members.
Germany's DLR aerospace laboratory and its Dutch counterpart NLR, as well as French air navigation studies centre CENA, have joined the line-up along with French research group Sofreavia and the UK's Qinetiq. At last week's ATC Maastricht exhibition EATRADA unveiled its main principles, including harmonising and co-ordinating R&D capability, developing initiatives for inclusion in the European airspace management master plan and developing a wider technical and operational capability.
CENA's Alain Printemps says the new association is an "important step" for collaborative airspace management research.
Source: Flight International
