Remarks of Paul Riemens, CEO LVNL and Chairman of the Executive - - PDF document

Remarks of Paul Riemens, CEO LVNL and Chairman of the Executive Board, CANSO, at the World ATM Congress 12 February 2013 Global air traffic will continue to grow despite the current recession. In recent forecasts by Boeing, Airbus and Bombardier the global fleet of airlines will almost double in the next coming 20 years from 24,000 aircraft in 2010 to 45,000 in 2030. Market analysis in the air transport industry concludes that there are considerable regional differences in economic development. On one side of the spectrum, the Asian Pacific region accounted for 34% of the world's passenger traffic with an annual growth of 6.9% projected for the next coming

• years. On the other side of the spectrum, we see Europe with 27% of the

worldʼs passenger traffic in 2010, with the latest traffic forecast to grow further at a slower rate of only 3.5%. We all know that airlines, airports and ANSPs around the world face major challenges to cope with this growth. Every player should take its responsibility share for finding solutions, where expectations for the ATM industry are high. The Air Transport Action Group calculated that five million hours of flight time and nine million tons of fuel per year could be saved if air traffic management systems and technology on board aircraft were optimised. Higher ATM capacity to meet market demand will need to go hand-in-hand with even bigger improvements in safety, while sustainability will play an ever greater role. The current ATM landscape comprises however:

• Fragmented FIRs based on national borders
• Different and inconsistent ATM concepts
• Different performances
• Different and inconsistent technical infrastructures
• Different legal set-ups of ANSPs
• Different regional political priorities

With this ATM global landscape we can conclude that we are far from coping with these challenges and that a paradigm shift is necessary to meet future demand in the different parts of the world. CANSO, as a relatively young trade association, recognises these shortcomings and is keen on taking responsibility as an industry. CANSO, with ANSPs and the industry suppliers, is ready to take its share and transform the

• industry. CANSO is aware that aviation is no longer a product or service

provided by a single player or government which can be treated in isolation. ATM should be considered as a vital component of the global aviation system

that comprises airports, airlines and ANSPs, which delivers global air transport

• f passengers and cargo. Underlying processes in this global aviation system

are highly complex and can only deliver an efficient and effective product if all parties collaborate and cooperate. When problems are so significant however, words like collaboration and cooperation between partners are like mantras and are easily said when we donʼt know how to achieve our collective goals. According British Business Dictionary cooperation and/or collaboration stands for: “The voluntary arrangement in which two or more equal parties engage in a mutually beneficial exchange instead of competing and work jointly towards a common goal. Cooperation and collaboration can happen where resources adequate for all parties exist or are created by their interaction.” In this definition the words voluntary, equal, mutually beneficial, competition, jointly and common goal are important criteria for good collaboration and

• cooperation. I see this clearly with todayʼs panel with speakers from ICAO,

IATA, ACI, CANSO and our customers as proof of our intention to work on an equal basis towards a common goal. We should and will therefore work towards a global vision where individual responsibilities and accountabilities are clear and can be translated into tangible goals, initiatives, projects and programmes on a regional level that fill a global and regional roadmap. Setting common safety, operational and technical standards with IATA, ACI and ICAO is of paramount importance to this development of the regions. New ways need to be invented in the regions to implement these standards. ʻOne size fits allʼ is not the way forward. This is precisely why CANSO supports the ICAO Block Upgrades that give room to think globally and implement

• regionally. In the next coming years ICAO, IATA, ACI and CANSO shall

integrate and harmonise their initiatives all around the globe and make use of each otherʼs strengths. Collaboration and cooperation based on equality, without competition and which is beneficial to all parties concerned are of vital importance to face our

• challenges. The complexity of our challenges has multiple dimensions and

cannot be underestimated. As stated before, technical, operational, political, financial, legal and cultural differences and hurdles throughout the world of aviation exist and need to be overcome. Due to this complexity and the limited amount of resources this can only be achieved with solid collaboration and cooperation. The before mentioned criteria are more focussed on “how” we achieve our common goals than “what” is needed. Good collaboration and cooperation is:

• Understanding each other
• Investing in each other
• Looking for an acceptable solution and not the perfect solution
• Having faith in each other
• Respecting individual positions and responsibilities
• Finding opportunities where others see roadblocks
• Having no excuses
• Taking ownership
• Listening to each other
• Taking small steps to achieve large distances

But, having said all this, where is CANSO and what do we see as our role? When CANSO was founded, as a group of corporatized/privatised ANSPs, the initial goal was to grow into a globally recognised organisation. Being the global voice of ATM is still our motto but this is not enough for the challenges that lie ahead in a rapidly changing environment! IATA, ACI and ICAO now recognise this global voice but seek a pro-active role

• f taking responsibility and delivering. The ATM industry needs to come up

with solutions to meet demand in the different regions of the world. The aviation community is looking to CANSO to show leadership in the ATM industry and lead the transformation in a coherent way with the aviation

• community. The aviation community is not asking for a global voice but for a

global partner. Whereas global organisations such as IATA, ICAO and ACI have been around for many decades and formed alliances as global players, CANSO is still an

• rganisation in development. However, when I listen to your wish list and

requirements we need to mature and fast. An often heard complaint is that airlines are now flying jets produced in the 21st century along routes that were, in some cases, defined by the implementation of radar stations in the 1940s and 50s. Only yesterday at the CANSO CEO Conference, we were discussing our draft Vision 2020 which is based on the delivery of value not just for our members but for all ATM stakeholders. Our commitment is to deliver that value by strengthening CANSO as an efficient and effective organisation that works in partnership with other stakeholders in a credible and result-oriented way. Do we have to start from scratch? Our tripartite agreement, signed during the CANSO Rome AGM in June 2012 to strengthen our advocacy and messaging, improve runway safety and

collaborate on our respective work programmes, illustrates our resolve. ACI and IATA intend to commit to a collaborative action plan during June, and will agree specific actions and deliverables. IATA and CANSO agree on:

• Working towards an optimised ATM system that is safe, efficient and

cost-effective

• Harmonised and standardised ATM system
• Implement technology that is available in the current global fleet
• Involvement of airspace users in ATM decision making

All this seems entirely aligned with where we are now! For developing a global aviation system that meets future demand, however, a global vision by all parties concerned is necessary. In this vision all subsystems (airlines, airports and ATM) form an integral part of the system as a whole. This vision should lead to clear responsibilities, roles and accountabilities of all parties

• concerned. CANSO therefore invites ICAO, IATA and ACI to work in 2013 on

this global vision based on a new way of cooperation and collaboration.