Anyone who cares about the future of European air traffic control should be deeply worried about it.
Why? Because the depression in traffic figures is masking future capacity problems. Meanwhile, the uncomfortable fact remains that air traffic management in almost all the countries of the European Union and its neighbours is deeply dependent on political decisions.
ATM is never high on the political priorities list unless it is in crisis, and at present it is not. Under these circumstances, and with tax revenues hit in all countries, those many air navigation service providers that depend on government approval of investment in infrastructure will be deprived of it until the next ATM crisis. Meanwhile the SESAR programme, despite being approved and legislated at EU level, is in danger, because cash-strapped governments can mouth approval of the agreements that underpin SESAR, but delay implementation of each stage, if necessary by pressing for a review of requirements.
But last week there was one item of good European ATM news. Eurocontrol and the major ANSPs signed into reality the Pens (pan-European communications network service) programme. Until Pens becomes a reality, area control centres all over Europe have no modern way of communicating with each other - unless the telephone is defined as a modern form of communication.
The reason Pens is so important is that the future of the SESAR programme and the Single European Sky depends fundamentally on the presently fragmented system being able to operate as an integrated whole. The Pens prime contractor, communications company Sita, will be the architect of this internet-protocol-based network that will act as the Single European Sky's nervous system. Without it, the planned Swim (system-wide information management) system that will enable intelligent, second-by-second monitoring and therefore pro-active management of traffic flows, cannot operate.
The Single European Sky is going to get its neural network, but a neural system is dead without a brain. Swim will provide that. Creating Swim will be a complex, multinational exercise and, for it to work, governments must remain committed to SESAR. Meanwhile those who know how important the SESAR programme is to Europe's future prosperity - and its environment - have a duty to keep it highly visible. Otherwise ATM is in danger of dropping off the political radar.
Source: Flight International
