Editorial

Digitalisation: at the heart of ATM transformation

This covers
Raúl Medina

Raúl Medina, Director General of EUROCONTROL

Air Traffic Management, as it exists now, will not be able to handle the traffic in Europe in 2050. By then we are expecting 50% more flights and many new entrants, such as drones, aircraft with new propulsion systems and very high altitude traffic. We also will have to be much more efficient if we are to contribute our share in the drive to Net Zero.

So change is vital – and a big part of the coming change will encompass digitalisation. The move to Trajectory Based Operations (TBO) is central to this; it will depend on the real- time exchange of data on the aircraft’s trajectory, including intentions. TBO will enable major improvements in capacity – and also in-flight efficiency. As one article in this edition describes, just allowing aircraft to stay at cruise altitude until the last moment and then descend at the most efficient rate, can save 50-110 kg of CO2 emissions per flight. With 16 million flights a year by 2050, the benefits of letting the aircraft set the optimum trajectory are clear.

The SESAR programme sets out the roadmap to achieving the changes. Its vision is based on much more digitalisation, with more automated and integrated ATM, data-enriched flight plans and dynamic airspace configuration.

The human aspect here is vital. We need to make sure that technology works to support and enhance the role of people – both on the ground and in the air. Performance, and in particular safety, is optimised when we team up – to make the best use of the strengths of both humans and machines. Humans are also vital in making sure that the systems are secure. There are real concerns that increased automation and digitalisation will make us more vulnerable to cyber- attack. No ATM system can ever be totally secure, but we can minimise the threat by working together now to build in cyber resilience.

I am very encouraged by the amount of work now going on to prepare for the transformation of ATM in Europe. There are a lot of challenges to overcome but I am convinced  that we do have a clear way forward. What we have to do is to anticipate the future, to work together on achieving a common, network-centric approach and to invest in change. This needs to happen now – in addition to working to overcome the challenges that we are already encountering (as this summer has highlighted).

EUROCONTROL has long been a catalyst for change, acting as a central focal point for European ATM – indeed for European aviation. We are committed to making this future a reality and this edition will, I hope, describe how change will affect you and how all of us can contribute to achieving the levels of aviation performance that society demands.

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