Boeing's attempt to kick-start a global initiative on developing the next generation air traffic management system (ATM) has come to Asia-Pacific with the opening of an office in Hong-Kong.
Next year should see the start of a report by interested parties into ATM needs specific to the region, spokesmen said at the show yesterday. It is part of a "work in progress" that has seen a United States-based report just completed and a European group start work.
Boeing ATM believes that unless the world moves toward a satellite-based system with global scope, the airline business will hit a "capacity crunch" within a few years, says Ben Sandzer-Bell, managing director of Strategy and New Business, Air Traffic Management.
"The capacity issue is very much with us," he says, dismissing the idea that the sharp fall in airline traffic after 11 September had changed the picture. "The message we are trying to send is that you should not be lulled by this idea. The long-term trend is that there will be a capacity crisis.
"There is an ATM system constraint that we believe will not allow us to satisfy future travel demand."
Boeing's essential interest in promoting future ATM is to protect its $35 billion a year commercial aircraft business, he says. Although there are many useful ATM initiatives around the world, even taken together they do not add up to the kind of solution Boeing believes is needed, he adds.
Radical
A radical change in both the technology deployed in a future system, and in the relationships with governments, will be needed. Elements of the Boeing suggestion include a true common information network whereby the same data would be available everywhere from the ATC centre to the cockpit, and trajectory-based flow-planning, traffic planning and separation management.
Inherent in the proposal is better aircraft security, says Sandzer-Bell. Referring to the deviation of the aircraft from their routes on 11 September, he says: "Our layered approach to security would mean flight path deviation monitoring could be done much earlier if you have the right information available."
The first piece of work carried out was in conjunction with 40 organisations, including airlines, ATM authorities and even competitor Airbus. It has resulted in a "systems performance requirement document" now about to become available.
A similar exercise is under way for Europe and, with the opening of the first Asia-Pacific office, headed up by Beth Keck, this region is expected to identify its own specific needs starting next year.
Source: Flight Daily News
