The FlyAI forum is a two-day event organized by EUROCONTROL. This year, I’m lucky enough to attend it in person in Brussels. For those of you who know the Europa room at EUROCONTROL HQ, let me tell you that it was so packed that some participants had to be seated in the translator’s cabins (the photo below was taken before everybody was in the room). Thank you, EUROCONTROL, for giving access to small organizations like FoxATM!
AI has an impact on many aspects of our daily lives, and on many industries. ATM is no exception. A common first idea when thinking of AI in ATM is that it will replace ATCOs, and this triggers a lot of concerns. The next idea is often that it will be hard, if not impossible, to certify.
The first takeaway for me is that there are more use cases for AI than tactical separation. From tactical support to FMP, improved weather prediction, NOTAM analysis, and transcription of VHF communication to text.
My second takeaway is that the community also addresses several important side aspects of introducing AI in ATC. This includes the progress of the legal framework and its relation with the European Artificial Intelligence Act, the use of synthetic data for use cases where no real data is available, and trust building by users.
Stay tuned on FoxATM. We will soon post a more detailed report.
Vincent
ANSP news
- Launch of Digital Tower Test Centre by skeyes- Skeyes presented its latest innovation: the 'Digital Tower Test Centre' at their Steenokkerzeel site. This state-of-the-art centre acts as the prototype for the digital control centre currently being set up by skeyes and SOWAER (Société Wallonne des Aéroports) in Namur. This milestone marks a major step forward in the field of Air Traffic Management.
- Predictability and Flexibility Workshop by FABEC and FAB CE- Organised by FAB CE, FABEC and in partnership with University of Zagreb and the German Aviation Research society (G.A.R.S.) a research workshop on „Predictability and Flexibility in ATM“ was held in April 2024. It aimed at getting more grip on how predictability and flexibility in air traffic management and its infrastructure could be increased whilst understanding which factors are impacting them.
- Operating small planes, helicopters and drones around Tallinn became more flexible- On 18 April, Estonian Air Navigation Services introduced a renewed Control Zone in Tallinn that changes flight conditions for VFR and drone pilots. The decreased Control Zone has created additional areas for more flexible operation of small planes, helicopters and drones.
- ENAIRE managed nearly half a million flights in the first quarter: almost 10 per cent more than those operated between January and March 2023 - ENAIRE managed nearly half a million flights (474,291) in the first quarter of 2024, 9.6 per cent more than in the same period in 2023, a record year for flights, with nearly 2.2 million.
- FAA Requires Aviation Organizations to Detect, Address Safety Risks Early- The FAA is issuing new requirements for charter airlines, commuter airlines, air tour operators, and certain aircraft manufacturers to implement a Safety Management System. SMS provides a means for a structured, repeatable, systematic approach to proactively identify hazards and manage safety risk. By incorporating SMS, these aviation organizations will be better able to develop and implement mitigations that are appropriate to their specific environment and operations.
Airport news
- Warsaw Chopin Works To Alleviate Capacity Challenges - British Aviation Group- Seat capacity from Warsaw Chopin Airport, Poland’s main international gateway, is set to rise by about 10% during summer 2024 as owner Polish Airports works to address capacity constraints.
Market news
- ADB SAFEGATE awarded contracts for The New Terminal One at JFK Airport- ADB SAFEGATE has been awarded contracts that utilize the latest Airside 4.0 technology for The New Terminal One at New York JFK Airport, a new international terminal being built in partnership with The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's $19 billion transformation of JFK Airport. The first phase of The New Terminal One, including the arrivals and departures halls and the first 14 gates, is scheduled to open in June 2026.
Context information
- A4E Working On 'Optimum Trajectory' Flights Project - British Aviation Group- Airlines for Europe, which represents around 34 European airlines, is looking to “reboot” European air traffic management by its member airlines proposing optimum flight paths.
- EU Policy. Can Single European Sky slash aviation emissions by 10%? - British Aviation Group- Air traffic management measures can play a key role in decreasing emissions but the uptake of sustainable aviation fuels and a clear airspace design between civil and military space is crucial, according to aviation experts.
- IFATCA elects first female President and CEO- The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA), at its 63rd Annual Conference in Singapore, proudly heralds a new era with the election of Helena Sjöström as its first female President and CEO.
Research and innovation
- Automated airport operations explored at Charles de Gaulle workshop - SESAR JU- ASTAIR project coordinator, ENAC, together with Aéroports de Paris held a two-day workshop at Charles de Gaulle airport with the aim of identifying and exploring scenarios for the automation of ground operations.
- ACI-SESAR JU Digital Transformation Award – Apply now!- Calling all airports! Are you a pioneer in digital transformation? Have you adopted innovative tech to improve the safety, capacity, efficiency and environmental footprint of your airside operations?
- Trajectory Based Operations: A solution to rising aviation emissions? – Airtel ATN- The skies above the UK are witnessing a concerning trend – a resurgence in airline emissions that threatens to undermine the UK’s ambitious goals for carbon neutrality. Recent analysis reveals that CO2 pollution from aviation is on a trajectory to surpass pre-pandemic levels, posing a significant challenge to the government’s Jet Zero strategy aimed at achieving net-zero emissions from aviation by 2050. With the implementation of ATS-B2 by 2027, could the use of Trajectory Based Operations be a solution to tackling rising aviation emissions?
- Unlocking the potential of AI-based weather forecasts - SESAR JU- By providing more accurate digital weather forecasts with longer lead times, the KAIROS project aims to help aviation better manage how weather impacts operations.
Reports and data
- Airport Authority Hong Kong Records Significant Growth in Passenger and Cargo Traffic in March- Airport Authority Hong Kong today released the air traffic figures for Hong Kong International Airport for March 2024. During the month, HKIA handled 4.36 million passengers and 29,840 flight movements, representing year-on-year increases of 56.7% and 48.2%, respectively.
- Hong Kong enjoys strong traffic growth in March – Airport World- Hong Kong International Airport handled 4.36 million passengers and 29,840 flight movements in March, increases of 56.7% and 48.2% respectively on the same month a year ago.
- NAV CANADA reports March 2024 traffic figure- In March 2024 weighted charging units were higher on average by 4.1 percent compared to the same month in 2023.
UAV and UTM
- Aloft integrates SGI Waivers into its Air Control platform - Unmanned airspace- Aloft Technologies has integrated Automated Special Government Interest Waivers into its Aloft Air Control platform. This new feature is designed to improve how drone operators access restricted airspace and comply with federal regulations.
