ATM transformation flagships : continuing the journey

Abstract

The Performance Review Commission (PRC) is an independent body supported by EUROCONTROL with a remit to review and report on European air traffic management (ATM) performance. While performance has improved over time, this has not always been consistent and the PRC believes that future improvements will require transformation rather than just evolution. With the aim of identifying, reviewing and championing successful transformation projects based on the ATM masterplan and the European Green Deal, the PRC produced a Transformation Support Strategy in 2022. This enabled assessment of the contribution of new technologies and concepts to the future performance of the ATM system. During the process, the PRC aims to identify so-called flagship projects, monitor their performance over time, help stakeholders understand the challenges involved in implementing them and in doing so stimulate and encourage improvements in ATM. In order to involve key stakeholders in this process, in February 2023 the PRC, together with the Florence School of Regulation Transport Area, hosted a first workshop entitled ‘In search of flagships for ATM transformation.’ In this workshop a series of disruptive, innovative and potentially scalable flagships were identified pertaining to virtual centres, optimal routing, time- and distance-based separation, remote towers and airport operation centres. Furthering and strengthening this process, the PRC, again together with the Florence School of Regulation Transport Area, hosted another workshop entitled ‘In search of flagships for ATM transformation: continuing the journey,’ which took place in Brussels on 21 November 2023. This second workshop aimed to determine more precisely the impact of each flagship on performance, pinpoint the factors preventing flagships from delivering their full results and identify new possible flagships. We summarise here the main takeaways from the second workshop.