The ATC We All Want !!

         I mentioned in my 1^st blog that my father used to be an ATC back in the 1970’s & 1980’s. The reason I am repeating this piece of info now is because I wanted to further add to it that, and unlike the other industry aspects, the ATC systems in most of the Arabian Gulf area countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE … etc are, till this moment, extensions to those systems originated, developed and used in Europe.  Those countries realized a while ago, as under-development countries that for them following the American ATC system and using it as a springboard and/or as a strategic partner for their future air traffic systems success was not a good decision to make! No offense here but what seemed to be wise back then was that they knew for sure that the European aviation school would be the leader sometime ahead in this technology and that’s what we all can say again nowadays. Therefore, for the sake of a good discussion, I will approach the topic from a different angle. However, I will be still talking about the costs involved in the US industry as we all live and professionally practice within its boundaries.

           As a primary objective of any ATC system in the world, ensuring flight safety has become #1 mission of all civil aviation authorities in the whole globe including the FAA. And after I briefly show my understanding of the current ATC in the US, today I’m going to focus my blog on European efforts on the 1000-miles-road of the implementation of the new ATC generation.

The ATC, in my eyes, is not more than two things:

Surveillance, where aircrafts in air are precisely determined from ground in terms of the latitudes and the longitudes. Controlling is the second pillar in the ATC system that enables ground professionals (air traffic controllers) to manage safety requirements and conditions of flights. Now when it comes to equipment used, explanation could take pages but the key here is to understand that these equipment and its respected technology has been around for decades and it is confirmed now that since the implementation of radars in the 70’s, the ATC has not evolved that much. Air traffic safety has relied on the controllers’ individual capabilities for all these years although the traffic is always in increment. Even current communications are still using the old voice-radio technology.

While the NextGen, on the other hand is a technological revelation that facilitates smart digital communications between all parties; pilots, aircraft, controllers and ground equipment synchronously. The new technology will help reduce safety air margins (distances) between aircrafts to minimums providing more freedom of movement plus higher levels of congested-air traffic handling.

                The bet today is on technology and how it would help minimizing safety risks associated with the mission and, at the same time, in maximizing the efficiency of it. In Europe, statistics indicate that air traffic will double or may even triple in the next two decades and the situation is not very unlike in the US. Experts believe that technological revelation is essential today in order to handle the incredibly increasing air traffic. In fact, ATC NextGen is already available now in its early stages taking place in Europe. Different parties are involved and in practice of the very first step of the NextGen systems that will remain under testing and development until 2015. After that, two other stages are added with an objective of expected full employment of the new system among all Europe by the end of 2020. The program SESAR started with the unification and merge of all European skies (member states in the EU) and has well-prepared future plans and strategies that are proven to result in the desired outcomes toward the industry.

                Economically speaking, in a particular nation like the United States, I always have a strong believe that a single party should not ever be held financially responsible for this infrastructural improvement. The American government, including all its legal arms such as the FAA, DOT, DHS … , the NTSB, users, operators and GA aircraft owners are all not excluded from the cost equation even the community itself must be part of these changes. A simple example of a possible community share in such a project costs is by funding researches and studies. In my point of view, the final success gained will be shared among all those generous parties. Of course a lot of determinants would be in the picture when charging the new system users, if this is going to be one of the solutions. However, heavy operators and wide-range users like the government and 135 carriers should be the most considered to pay more than any other sectors in the industry.

As a conclusion, no matter what will be the costs, the nation cannot stand behind in comparison to other nations. The United States is, with no doubt, a pioneer in the industry and should always maintain the leading role it plays globally. Besides, it is the change that is needed in order to enjoy a better aviation future for our beloved America.