In a press conference held during the Paris Airshow, Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission and Victor M. Aguado…
In a press conference held during the Paris Airshow, Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission and Victor M. Aguado, Director General of Eurocontrol, announced the imminent launch of the Definition Phase for SESAME, the modernisation programme for European air traffic control infrastructure, which is one of the key elements in the development of the Single European Sky.
SESAME is a programme of strategic importance for Europe and its Single European Sky. We need new technologies and procedures to accommodate air traffic growth and to increase safety. It is also a major industrial initiative which will boost growth and create new high added-value jobs in Europe. The Commission appreciates the fruitful partnership which has been built with Eurocontrol, and looks forward to an imminent launch of the work said Jacques Barrot. There is a lot of work still to be done, but the impressive level of commitment and expectations of the industry in this project is a guarantee for success concluded the Vice-President.
The Definition phase of SESAME will produce the ATM (Air Traffic Management) Master Plan for Europe that will formulate operational concepts and propose new systems, as well as define the road map for their implementation, said Victor M. Aguado. The ATM Master Plan requires a collective effort bringing together the full range of stakeholders including the manufacturing industry, airports, airlines and air navigation service providers. The synergy between Eurocontrol and the European Commission will be a guarantee for the success of the implementation phase of SESAME.
The press conference was held in the presence of top management of major air transport industry and associations.
The SESAME Definition Phase, which will start in a few months` time and run until 2007, is a first step towards the kick-off of the actual implementation phase. It is a 400 man-years effort, relying on contributions by Eurocontrol and an industry consortium, which over a two years period defines and validates the way the Air Traffic Management system will operate in Europe. Its € 60 million cost is jointly funded by the European Commission and Eurocontrol under a Trans-European Network – Transport (TEN-T) scheme. The study outcomes will include a European ATM Master Plan with a path towards new technologies such as satellite navigation and datalink communications.
The implementation of the Master Plan will start in 2007 and will organise the introduction of new technologies in three steps, resulting in a safe and efficient high-performance air transport system with minimum environmental impact by 2020.
CONSORTIUM PARTNERS:
Airspace Users:
Air France, Iberia, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, AEA (Association of European Airlines), IAOPA (International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Association), ERA (European Regions Airline Association), IATA (International Air Transport Association).
Airports:
AENA, Amsterdam Airport SCHIPHOL, BAA (UK airport group), FRAPORT, LFV (Luftfartsverket, Sweden).
Air Navigation Services Providers:
AENA (Aeropuertos Espanoles y Navegacion Aerea, Spain), Austro Control (Austria), Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH (DFS, Germany), DSNA (Direction des Services de Navigation Aerienne, France), ENAV (Italy), LFV (Luftfartsverket, Sweden), LVNL (Air Traffic Control The Netherlands), NATS (National Air Traffic Services, UK), NAV Portugal.
Industry:
AIRBUS (France), Selex Sistemi Integrati (Italy), BAE Systems (UK), EADS (Germany, France, UK), INDRA (Spain), THALES ATM (France), THALES AVIONICS (France).
Project Directorate:
Air Traffic Alliance E.I.G./G.I.E. (France), a grouping of EADS, Airbus and Thales.
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