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SESAR Deployment Manager creates ATM modernisation COVID-19 measures

In order to support its partners in the deployment of SESAR ATM modernisation projects amidst COVID-19, the SESAR Deployment Manager has introduced a range of measures.

SESAR Deployment Manager creates ATM modernisation COVID-19 measures

At the beginning of the year, the COVID-19 crisis swept the world and severely impacted many industries, including the air transport sector, with ongoing repercussions that could drastically change the aviation landscape for years to come.

In response to this escalating international crisis, the SESAR Deployment Manager (SESAR DM) launched a survey measuring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all stakeholders in order to draw up the SESAR Deployment Recovery Plan – a portfolio of viable solutions to mitigate this unparalleled crisis which practically paralysed aviation.

SESAR Deployment Manager has been closely monitoring the ever-changing environment that the aviation industry is now experiencing and is fully aware of the effect of COVID-19 on the air-transport sector and on SESAR deployment, in particular.

As the aftermath of the pandemic on staff levels reaches unprecedented proportions and poses many challenges and threats to its implementing partners, SESAR Deployment Manager is determined to keep in mind that the focus of deployment stakeholders may not currently be on SESAR air traffic management (ATM) modernisation, but on immediate actions helping them to stay afloat and prepare for a post-crisis recovery.

As all European Union (EU) aviation stakeholders are facing an almost total collapse of air traffic, connectivity and revenues, providing them with more room for manoeuvre is paramount.

Therefore, SESAR Deployment Manager has announced that it has agreed with the European Commission (EC) and the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) on a set of measures that will already support SESAR deployment implementing partners in resuming the activities related to their SESAR ATM modernisation projects through a reduction of the administrative tasks for SESAR implementing partners.

The mitigation measures will allow stakeholders more time to complete their SESAR deployment implementation project(s).

The measures focus on:

  • Reducing the administrative tasks that have to be completed for each of the projects, which will provide the stakeholders with more time to focus on the core of their projects
  • Prolongation of the actions to which the projects belong by one to two years, which will have a positive effect on the investment capacity for deployment. Extending most of the deadlines for implementation projects will provide more time for all impacted stakeholders to finalise the full implementation of their projects and contribute to more resilient ATM in Europe
  • A reduced project monitoring gate in September 2020, which will support our stakeholders to cope with the important reduction of available staff to execute the monitoring of their projects and focus all manpower on restarting the SESAR deployment related activities.

The implementation of these concrete measures aims to develop an enhanced environment to restart air-transport activities and to facilitate SESAR deployment. Despite the tremendous effect of the pandemic on the aviation industry, SESAR Deployment Manager appreciates that its stakeholders are still committed to ATM modernisation and continue to consider the deployment of SESAR as a key instrument to support this mission through and after this crisis.

In return, SESAR Deployment Manager remains fully committed to work together with all stakeholders to secure positive measures to go through this crisis and form a strong basis for the aviation industry to resume activities post-crisis.

Maintaining both continuous support to its implementing partners and continuity in ATM modernisation remains SESAR Deployment Manager’s priority. Liaising with the European Commission and INEA for identification of any further possible support measures towards its stakeholders represents a continuous action.

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