Is SESAR Doomed to Fail?

As some of us will remember, SESAR is not the first attempt to remedy the sad state of air traffic management in Europe. Think EATCHIP and ATM2000+… This latter was especially significant, since the ministers of transport of all ECAC States had signed off on it, promising to implement what was required to make the… Continue reading Is SESAR Doomed to Fail?

The FAB Saga. 2012 Edition.

2012 is a significant year for the European Functional Airspace Blocks (FAB). Namely, they must all be fully operational by December this year. All nine of them. Let’s have a quick look at these things to get a good overview of their status and impact. First and foremost I think one needs to clarify that if… Continue reading The FAB Saga. 2012 Edition.

Outdated Mentality Slows ATM Progress

I am sure Jane’s Airport Review will forgive me for picking the title of one of their articles but it was so stunning, I could not resist the temptation. It looks like October was a month of bad news from the world of ATM and I am starting to get a terrible feeling of déjà vu…… Continue reading Outdated Mentality Slows ATM Progress

Functional Airspace Blocks (FAB) – The best thing since sliced bread!

It is definitive now, FABs are the greatest invention since sliced bread! I mean, what other construct would give European Air Navigation Service Providers the chance to boast about doing things now that they should have done decades ago but failed to because of parochial thinking? It is hard to understand why they were so… Continue reading Functional Airspace Blocks (FAB) – The best thing since sliced bread!

European ATM failing… again?

It is almost boring these days how every possible forum, from LinkedIn to Air Traffic Management Magazine, is full of awe-struck articles about the Functional Airspace Blocks (FAB) and ANSP alliances. Subtly or not so subtly they all seem to suggest that this is now what ATM needs and this is how problems will be… Continue reading European ATM failing… again?

SESAR at ATC Global 2011 – Connecting vision with reality

Roger-Wilco was given a special opportunity to interview SESAR’s Chief Program Officer on the occasion of ATC Global 2011 and in particular in connection with SESAR Release 1, being presented as the most important SESAR deliverable for the year. Florian Guillermet talks to editor Steve Zerkowitz. Roger-Wilco: Looking at the details of SESAR Release 1,… Continue reading SESAR at ATC Global 2011 – Connecting vision with reality

Air Traffic Management déjà vu

Reading Henning’s article and with my up-close-and-intimate involvement in the SESAR definition phase (and the 20 or so years leading up to it) I could not escape a terrible feeling of déjà vu. This was only strengthened when I read the news about ANSP CEOs rumbling that the performance targets of the EU’s Single Sky… Continue reading Air Traffic Management déjà vu

Volcano kicks European ATM cooperation into high gear

In the past, programs to improve European air traffic management went under the name EATCHIP (1 to many) and the results were meager at best. More recently we got the Single European Sky (SES 1 and now 2) and of course SESAR. Introduction of SES was a major problem even for the European Commission powerhouse… Continue reading Volcano kicks European ATM cooperation into high gear