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?

New ACAS II Bulleting from EUROCONTROL

The 12th issue of EUROCONTROL’s ACAS II Bulletin is now available for download from the SKYbrary here. This issue focuses on pilot training, featuring a number of events based on real-life incidents, and also presents a summary of the findings of  recent research into how pilots react to RAs.

CRDS Rising from the Ashes

Few of our readers will still remember the original goal of EUROCONTROL… It was to have been THE European air traffic control organization. Nice dream it was and we all know what happened. More recently there was CEATS, the Central European Air Traffic Services Program which was a bit like a Phoenix, the original EUROCONTROL… Continue reading CRDS Rising from the Ashes

Surviving SESAR and the economic crisis

BluSky Services (BSS) has been a recognized supplier to EUROCONTROL since the beginning. As one of the so-called Framework companies, we were able to respond to the Requests for Proposals and we were also lucky to win quite a few. We attributed our success to two factors: on the one hand, our professional pedigree was… Continue reading Surviving SESAR and the economic crisis

Do you really understand – Trajectory based operations (TBO)?

There is a misconception in some air traffic management circles that trajectory based operations is simply business as usual except that the current, notoriously imprecise ground generated trajectories are replaced by more accurate, 4 D trajectories and that is all there is to it. Some will add that parts of this 4D trajectory might be… Continue reading Do you really understand – Trajectory based operations (TBO)?

Goodies for the fight against runway incursions

Although we hear the word runway excursion more often these days than runway incursion, these latter remain a problem and constant efforts are required to maintain the awareness of the dangers involved in stumbling on an active runway without clearance. Training of pilots, air traffic controllers and vehicle drivers is essential of course. Additionally, posters… Continue reading Goodies for the fight against runway incursions

New clouds on the Mode-S/ADS-B horizon in Europe

Most of those who took part in the epic battle over the introduction of Mode S Enhanced Surveillance (EHS) have either retired, moved to other activities or flew west to greener pastures but I guess there is still a hard core who will remember how the airspace users lost that one to the three big… Continue reading New clouds on the Mode-S/ADS-B horizon in Europe

Trajectory based operations (TBO) – Still not properly understood in SESAR? Take 2.

You may recall that a while ago I had written an article with the same title, expressing concern that this all important element in the SESAR Concept of Operations was apparently still not properly understood by some of the “experts” working on the subject. Recently another paper dealing with trajectory management crossed my desk and… Continue reading Trajectory based operations (TBO) – Still not properly understood in SESAR? Take 2.