In aviation and air traffic management, this was already the case back in 2019 when Europe’s airspace management system hit its capacity limits. Now with post-COVID conditions, climate change and a war in Europe, the industry is dealing with a potent mixture of disruption, volatility and uncertainty combined with intense pressure to adapt and transform its operations for the better.
Where does innovation fit into all of this? Einstein was not the first and will surely not be the last to observe that in the midst of every crisis lies great opportunity. A chance to problem-solve, to do things differently, to unite around a common purpose, and above all, to drive meaningful change. In other words, innovate. Innovation and aviation are inseparable in my mind. Since the dawn of our industry, we have seen many leaps of faith, which have resulted in pioneering new developments. However, innovation can be the first to take a hit when financial and human resources are tight, as is the case for many aviation stakeholders right now.
Luckily, we have safeguarded these important resources through the SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) 3 Joint Undertaking (SESAR 3 JU), which started its operations in late 2021 as a European public-private partnership . With our 55 founding members covering the entire aviation value chain including drones, I believe we have the creative intelligence and collective commitment to rise to the challenges facing air traffic management and aviation. Between now and 2030, we will invest EUR 1.6 billion to accelerate, through research and innovation, the delivery of an inclusive, resilient and sustainable Digital European Sky. Building on the achievements of the preceding programmes, we want to drive an ambitious programme to make Europe’s aviation infrastructure fit for the digital age, while offering quick wins to contribute towards the sector's net zero ambitions.
Understanding the nature of, and then addressing, the challenges that loom over our industry demands action by multiple and diverse stakeholders across the aviation value chain. We have expanded the membership of the SESAR 3 JU to include, for the first time, operators of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), the direct membership of airspace users, as well as airports beyond the major hubs. In many ways, the membership reflects the diversity of today’s aviation landscape but also signals the growing will of stakeholders to join forces in order to deliver change.