ATCA Bulletin | February 2014

World ATM Congress Retrospective In This Issue:

A recap of the record-breaking second annual event

»» World ATM Congress: Breaking Attendance Reports, Photos, and Testimonials »» ATCA’s Young Aviation Professionals Blog: An Interview with skyguide’s Daniel Weder »» Business Deals Made in Madrid: STR-SpeechTech and Airbus »» And More

The Honorable Michael Hurta, FAA Administrator, speaks at World ATM Congress on “Delivering ATM Modernization”

President’s Message

Another Successful World ATM Congress

February 2014 Published for

By Peter F. Dumont, President & CEO, Air Traffic Control Association

W

elcome to our post-event issue of the ATCA Bulletin.

If you joined us in Madrid for World ATM Congress (WATMC), thank you for spending your time and resources to travel to Spain and attend the exhibition and conference. We have heard positive feedback from attendees – both individual and corporate. It was a valuable networking, educational, and business opportunity aimed at the entire ATM community.

If you were not able to join us at WATMC, this issue of the Bulletin – and many of the resources we have posted online – give a thorough recap of what transpired at the event.

WATMC was truly an international showcase – Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) from many countries were in attendance to meet with existing partners as well as prospective suppliers. Air traffic controllers – both experienced and still receiving their education – attended for training workshops. Free education opportunities were in such high demand that we added a fourth theater – the Congress Classroom – to the Exhibition Floor.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed strong support – with attendance from The Honorable Michael Huerta, FAA Administrator; Edward L. Bolton, Assistant Administrator for NextGen, and Teri Bristol, who just last week was named the FAA’s Chief Operating Officer.

I would like to congratulate Teri on her deserved success and the exceptional job she has done to date as deputy

chief operating officer. Teri has been a steadfast supporter of our association and creates a personal connection with our members while willingly providing input on important industry topics and in conference panels.

Also in this issue of the Bulletin (pg. 8), you will read the perspective and career path taken by Daniel Weder, chief executive officer of skyguide, Switzerland’s ANSP. The interview was conducted by one of ATCA’s Young Aviation Professionals (YAPs) – Antonio Cassandra of Harris Corporation. It is a great example of the YAP Interview Series: 100 Aviation Leaders of Today Interviewed by 100 Aviation Leaders of Tomorrow, where young professionals interview a broad range of aerospace leaders, encompassing entrepreneurs, heads of large and small organizations, and thought leaders in the community. If you’re interested in participating in the interview series, email YoungProfessionals@atca.org.

You can learn more about WATMC by asking any of ATCA’s staff or visiting www.worldatmcongress.org. This event is a valuable benefit to being a member of ATCA and you should consider attending next year.

On the immediate horizon, I look forward to Atlantic City, where I will be able to meet with many of you face to face. The Technical Symposium is always a highlight of ATCA’s year, and showcases the technical knowledge our members hold, while creating a neutral platform for exchange.

1101 King Street, Suite 300 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703-299-2430 Fax: 703-299-2437 info@atca.org www.atca.org President & CEO: Peter F. Dumont Director, Communications: Marion Brophy

Formed in 1956 as a non-profit, professional membership association, ATCA represents the interests of all professionals in the air traffic control industry. Dedicated to the advancement of professionalism and technology of air traffic control, ATCA has grown to represent several thousand individuals and organizations managing and providing ATC services and equipment around the world.

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ATCA Bulletin | February 2014

TRAFFIC JAM AHEAD. PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

Transforming the air traffic management (ATM) system is essential for improving safety, efficiency and the environment around the globe.

Boeing is fully committed and uniquely qualified to help make ATM transformation a reality. It’s the right time and Boeing is the right partner.

World ATM Congress retrospective

World ATM Congress

Breaks Attendee Record in Second Year Three-year extension for successful event confirmed

F

rom March 4-6, ATCA co-hosted, with the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), the second annual World ATM Congress in Madrid, Spain. Professionals of all levels of the aviation community – many of them individual and corporate ATCA members – were there, with a record-breaking registration number of 6,265 attendees.

Those numbers reinforce World ATM Congress’ status of being the largest global platform discussing the future of air traffic management (ATM).

“Annually, the two largest air traffic events are the ATCA Annual and World ATM Congress,” said ATCA’s President and CEO, Peter F. Dumont.

“This year’s World ATM Congress was a tremendous success. We have demonstrated that the strong ATCA and CANSO partnership is responsive to the needs of the global ATM community. This was further evidenced by the wide variety of attendees from around the world and from all aspects of the industry. Not only was the event larger than last year – it was better. With 190 exhibitors and visitors from 128 countries, the exhibition floor was rich for

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ATCA Bulletin | February 2014

business. There was clearly a demand for access to the ATM community in an environment that encourages innovation, and we have provided it.”

Business deals were negotiated and signed on the Exhibit Hall floor (see a few examples on pages eight and nine), and free education sessions were in such high demand that a fourth theater – the Congress Classroom – was added to the Exhibition. In addition, Eurocontrol and SESAR Joint Undertaking – two significant stakeholders in World ATM Congress since its inception – held free workshops and seminars throughout the week.

Featured decision-makers of the industry Headlining the conference portion of the Congress were Ana María Pastor Julián, Spain’s Minister of Transportation and Public Works, The Honorable Michael Huerta, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, and David McMillan of the Flight Safety Foundation, among other respected key decision-makers in the industry.

The event will continue to serve

as a meeting hub for the industry for the foreseeable future. While at IFEMA Feria de Madrid, World ATM Congress officials signed an agreement to extend the event’s contract for three additional years, citing satisfied attendees, the hospitality of the city of Madrid, and the accommodating nature of IFEMA. The next World ATM Congress will take place March 10-12, 2015.

Who goes to World ATM Congress?

All sectors of the air traffic community were in attendance – from senior executives, controllers, aviation manufacturers and suppliers, airline executives, military and government, young aviation professionals, and aviation trade associations – conducting real business and commercial and strategic discussions. Students from Madrid universities supported the conference and made their own presentations – sharing a new generation’s perspectives on the industry.

The event boasts 128 countries represented this week – both in attendance as delegates, hall visitors, and exhibiting companies – up from 104 countries in attendance last year.

Connect with World ATM Congress See and read more about what happened in Madrid View more photos from the event at www.flickr.com/worldatmcongress.org Review presentations, slides, and speeches, made by speakers in the Conference Programme. www.worldatmcongress.org/Conference2014 See the latest news about World ATM Congress. From eNewsletters to press releases – they’re all posted in www.worldatmcongress.or/Press-Releases-and-eNews

Join the Community!

Link up with World ATM Congress stakeholders through its social media platforms: Like the Facebook page for updates: www.facebook.com/worldatmcongress Follow #WorldATM on Twitter at www.twitter.com/worldatm_now Interact with other attendees and exhibitors in ongoing LinkedIn conversations at www.linkedin.com/ groups/World-ATM-Congress-4395622

Contact Us!

›› Interested in attending or getting involved at the event? ›› For Exhibition Information, email Rugger.Smith@worldatmcongress.org or Ken.Carlisle@worldatmcongress.org. ›› Want to raise your company’s visibility at the event? To be a sponsor at World ATM Congress, email Claire.Rusk@worldatmcongress.org. ›› Interested in advertising or distributing your company’s announcement? Email the communications team: Marion.Brophy@worldatmcongress.org or Jonathan.Fath@worldatmcongress.org.

Attendees Tell Us Why It Was Important to Attend World ATM Congress

“I came because this was put on by the industry, for the industry. To discuss current events and updates in our industry.

Also, of course, for the networking.”

- Patricia Bier, ATC, The Netherlands

“I am studying to be a pilot, and I felt that there was a lot of important information to know here.”

- Diego Hernandez Alvarez, Student, Technical University of Madrid, Spain

“To leap up with the latest events and technologies. Also, to connect with subjects and people from the ATM area.”

- Dario Grguric, Coratian Control Ltd., Croatia

ATCA Bulletin | February 2014

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World ATM Congress retrospective

Madrid

Made in

World ATM Congress was the place to network and get business done.

Below are only some of the relationships and advancements that came out of the three-day event.

SENEAM Selects Airbus ProSky to Launch Air Traffic Flow Management Initiative in Mexico WORLD ATM CONGRESS, Madrid – Metron Aviation, part of Airbus ProSky, will work with Servicios a la Navegaciôn en el Espacio Aereo Mexicano (SENEAM) to deploy its “Harmony” solution as a trial, to demonstrate the benefits air traffic flow management (ATFM) in Mexico.

SENEAM, whose vision is to engage all stakeholders and support airspace users and its end customers, not only wants to work on better flow management, it also wants to introduce the Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) concept.

Claudio Arellano, Director General of SENEAM highlighted that Airbus ProSky’s experience in ATM performance delivery and unique ATFM/CDM expertise was the natural partner to take care of this strategic project: “We know that Airbus 6

ATCA Bulletin | February 2014

ProSky is the leading company in flow management and we trust them to come up with the best solution for our national airspace. Our objective is to ensure that airlines and their passengers benefit from this initiative.”

Mexico air traffic experienced more than nine percent growth last year and will double by 2025. With such a forecast, ATFM is key to the ATM modernization needed and is recommended by ICAO (Block Upgrades B1-35 & B2-35).

Paul-Franck Bijou, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus ProSky commented: “We are delighted to support SENEAM for this challenging project. It is essential for Mexico aviation to take advantage of advanced technology to improve the management of arrivals and departures. Airlines will highly benefit from CDM with better operational predictability and reduction of airborne holding.”

The project will start in March and the objective is to validate the ATFM/CDM concept in 2014 with a final milestone and report early in 2015 following a nine-month proof-of-concept demonstration program.

STR-SpeechTech Develops D-ATIS Response Monitor VICTORIA, B.C., Canada – STR-SpeechTech has completed the development of a D-ATIS Response Monitor that will provide the ability to monitor and log Datalink requests made by aircraft.

Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) broadcasts inform pilots of non-control information including runways in use and conditions, notices to airmen, and weather information. The Digital ATIS (D-ATIS) is received digitally in text form on ACARS-equipped aircraft. This means that controllers and pilots do not have to rely strictly on voice frequencies, particularly when they are congested.

“STR is excited to announce the successful development of the D-ATIS Response Monitor,” said Steve Eady, Project

Media Release from C Speed

Manager of STR. “The new functionality will provide detailed information to air traffic control managers and will ultimately improve aviation safety and efficiency.”

The technology was developed for the new air traffic control facility at the Aeroporto Internacional de Rio Grande do Norte / São Gonçalo do Amarante in Natál, Brazil. STR is supplying a bilingual English/Portuguese StarCaster ATIS system.

The D-ATIS Response Monitor will be installed on the StarCaster servers that receive reports from a hosted D-ATIS server. The reports contain all requests for D-ATIS messages made by arriving and departing aircraft, and also include: • the aircraft identifier and/or name of the airline • the time of the request • the contents of each D-ATIS message • an indication that the message was successfully delivered or failed to deliver The hosted D-ATIS Server collects the required data and makes it available to be accessed by the D-ATIS Response Monitor on the StarCaster ATIS computers. Using secure HTTP over the public Internet, it accesses the information from the server, and creates a log of the received data for record-keeping purposes.

A separate application that resides on the StarCaster ATIS Operator Workstation (in the control tower cab) accesses the most recently collected D-ATIS request data from the data collection utility on the servers, making the data available for the air traffic controller to view.

THIS IS THE FOREFRONT OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. Technology developed on an open architecture. Flight data exchange automated and more intuitive. Controller workstations optimized for efficiency and safety. All of this is possible with NAVCANatm air traffic management solutions.

Experience the evolution of air traffic management with a system that controllers and airport operators trust.

A system that puts you at the forefront of air traffic control. www.NAVCANatm.ca

Visit us at the World ATM Congress, Stand 826.

ATCA Bulletin | February 2014

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ATCA/YAP Leadership Interview Series:

Moving Toward Integration Daniel Weder, Chief Executive Officer, skyguide

By Antonio Cassandra, Harris Corporation

ATCA’s Young Aviation Professionals has launched a Leadership Interview Series called the YAP 100 – featuring conversations with 100 industry leaders conducted by 100 up-andcoming young professionals in aviation and air traffic. The interview below was conducted at the 2013 World ATM Congress. More interviews have occurred since then, and will be posted at www.atca.org/YAPblog.

T

he aviation industry is one that often sparks excitement, enterprise, and innovation. For more than 50 years, the industry has also been a universal catalyst for growth and economic prosperity around the world. At 2013’s inaugural World ATM Congress in Madrid, I had the great pleasure to sit and speak with one of today’s leading minds in aviation – Daniel Weder.

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ATCA Bulletin | February 2014

Weder is the Chief Executive Officer at skyguide – the air navigation service provider (ANSP) for Switzerland. Weder has been closely involved in the aviation industry for more than 35 years and our meeting allowed me to delve and learn from a widely respected leader in ATM and global aviation.

Headquartered in Geneva, skyguide is one of the most influential organiza-

tions in Switzerland. Weder leads the company and its staff of more than 1,400, dispersed over 14 locations. Skyguide is responsible for providing safe and secure airways over Switzerland, monitoring nearly 3,500 civil and military flights per day through one of the busiest and most intricate airspaces in Europe. Over his remarkable career, Weder has led organizations spanning all sectors of the avia-

tion industry from an Air Force group in the Swiss military to prominent positions within Deutsche Flugsicherung Gmbh (DFS) and Swissair.

One of the first questions often asked of successful people everywhere is, was this something you always wanted to do? Ironically, Weder conceded that as a child he had no predisposed inclinations to ever be involved in aviation but quickly discovered his passion for the industry once he started in it – a passion he says he has maintained for the past 35 years and expects will still be there long after he retires.

Weder proudly stated that although the aviation industry has come a long way during his time, it still has a lot of work to do, referring to the relationship airlines have with ANSPs. He stated that one of his goals continues to be to further connect airlines and the ANSP in order to institute a more collaborative partnership whereby both sides can mutually advance the aviation industry. Currently, both sides establish goals and priorities independently of each other and that needs to change. ANSPs cannot manage airways on their own and need airlines to play a bigger role in helping to define how the industry operates. As a result, Weder founded several groups comprised of senior operating officials from various stakeholders that meet to discuss the challenges ANSPs face and empower airlines with the knowledge they need to become more engaged.

Another challenge the industry has faced stems from the lack of ATM system integration across European nations, Weder noted. Thus far, there hasn’t been any pressure to move in any given direc-

tion as the existing infrastructure is protected by various stakeholders including unions, airport managers, and system providers. Under Weder’s tutelage skyguide is seen as one of the more progressive ANSPs; it is eager to change but it needs support from its European neighbors. He insists change is possible, though at the moment the industry is currently eager for some incentives.

Looking to the future, Weder envisions the greatest advancements in European ATM coming from nations joining together, integrating their ATM systems and operating as a cohesive unit. Europe needs some organizing as they currently boast 63 independent control centers. However, Weder would like to see that number consolidated and transformed into four or five data centers.

From there, these data centers would monitor the skies, converting controllers into data managers who could share information across the region and break ANSPs free from its costly system engineering and IT-related costs.

As mentioned at the onset, the aviation industry has been universally accepted as a catalyst for economic activity. Today, aviation is considered a key component in globalization and bridging world economies. However, over the last few years, Europe’s financial hardships have been well documented, and something to which the aviation industry is not immune. Some growth projections indicated Europe would see flight traffic increase 50 percent over the past decade. Unfortunately, thus far the growth has been flat and in some regions has even exhibited modest decline. The question many ANSPs are asking is: has Europe entered into an era of stabilization or will this downward trend continue

for the next 10 or 20 years? To Weder the answer is not so clear. He sees a lot of air traffic in Europe being diverted to new more modern hubs in the Middle East – something he professes Europe needs to monitor closely or risk being left behind.

Although Weder has seen his share of successes and advancements over his illustrious aviation career there was no hesitation when I asked him what was the most significant moment in his career: the crash of Swissair Flight 111 in September 1998. As a member of the board at the time of the tragic event, he remembers having to ground all Swissair flights and lay off more than 3,000 people – a moment he said he would never forget. The crash served as a monumental event for him as well as for skyguide (known as Swisscontrol at the time) that changed the aviation industry in Europe forever.

To conclude, I asked Weder if he could impart any wisdom or provide some advice to the next generation of young aviation professionals set to make their mark in years to come. He recommended that people get out of their comfort zones and take an interest in all aspects of the aviation industry.

He stated fragmentation does not work; rather a broader knowledge of all the components that make an airport environment will help significantly in understanding how things operate and bring everyone closer towards achieving their goals.

Antonio Cassandra is an ATCA YAP with Harris Corporation; he can be reached at acassand@harris.com.

Interested in interviewing a professional in air traffic or have a suggested interview subject? Contact YoungProfessionals@atca.org with the subject line: Attention: Lisa Sullivan/Interview Series.

ATCA Bulletin | February 2014

PHOTOGRAPHER: ATCA; design36/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

He recommended that people get out of their comfort zones and take an interest in all aspects of the aviation industry. He stated fragmentation does not work; rather a broader knowledge of all the components that make an airport environment will help significantly in understanding how things operate and bring everyone closer towards achieving their goals.

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ATCA Bulletin | February 2014

www.worldatmcongress.org

See You Next Year.

10-12 March 2015 Madrid, Spain IFEMA, Feria de Madrid

ATCA Bulletin | February 2014

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The ATCA Bulletin (ISSN 0402-1977) is published monthly by the Air Traffic Control Association.

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