Strong regional focus is vital for seamless airspace across Asia-Pacific

CANSO (the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) has identified that a strong regional approach is key to transforming air traffic management and supporting the rapid growth of air transport in the Asia Pacific region. 

Speaking at the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2019 in Fukuoka, Japan, Jeff Poole, Director General of CANSO, said: “With passenger numbers around the world set to double by 2036, safeguarding and developing our airspace has never been so important. Asia Pacific is forecast to be the fastest growing region over the next two decades, and it is clear that it requires a specific and unique approach to handling this demand to achieve truly seamless operations.”

Poole continued: “New tools and technologies are fast drivers of change in the industry. Digitisation, artificial intelligence (AI), automation and data analytics are improving the safety and efficiency of ATM, while remote and digital towers and space-based surveillance are also enhancing performance. With a strong culture of innovation and early adoption of technologies, Asia Pacific is in a unique position to trial and implement such new technologies and pioneer change in a way that can deliver value across the region and globally.”

Examples of successful regional innovation already underway include undertaking joint projects like the Asia Pacific Distributed Multi-Nodal Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) initiative, adoption of space-based automatic-dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B), implementing a regional system-wide information management (SWIM) model for data exchange, implementing remote and smart towers, developing long-range ATFM concepts of operations and investigating unmanned aircraft systems traffic management (UTM) options.

“Working together to map out the adoption of new technologies and develop the standards and strategies for ANSPs to tackle challenges at the local level is a key part of this”, Poole added, highlighting how best practice developed for the region by the region is increasingly effective in addressing common issues. This includes the CANSO Asia Pacific Regional Safety Implementation Strategy, a reference guide for ANSPs on the collaborative regional improvement of safety.

Poole concluded: “By championing innovation and committing to a strong regional focus, ATM experts in the region can find the best operational solutions and strategies for seamless ATM and make the best possible single Asian sky in the Asian way. Of course states and regulators also have important roles to play in facilitating that transformation. By encouraging cross-border cooperation and regional and sub-regional airspace solutions, and taking a truly performance-based approach to regulation that allows ANSPs to act like normal businesses, ATM experts can build seamless, safe and efficient skies in Asia that will both accommodate and facilitate the huge economic growth here”.