On 13 October 2014, Florian Guillermet, Executive Director of the SESAR Joint Undertaking, met with representatives of NextGen, the modernisation programme of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to discuss future priorities and areas for further collaboration under the EU/US Memorandum of Cooperation in aviation research.

Mr Guillermet welcomed to the SJU premises Edward L. Bolton Jr., Assistant Administrator for NextGen, who was accompanied by Steve Bradford the FAA Chief Scientist and Maria DiPasquantonio FAA Brussels Senior International Program Officer.  Together, they discussed implications for the EU/US MoC of SESAR2020, the SESAR Deployment Management, and the working relationship between the SJU and the Deployment Manager. The recent NextGen Implementation Plan and organisational changes within the FAA were also discussed.

Both parties noted that there are increasing similarities between the SESAR and NextGen research and innovation programmes, which is due largely to the maturing and evolving effect of the EU/US MoC – The two programmes have a shared responsibility to ensure that global harmonisation becomes more timely and efficient. They agreed that the State of Harmonisation report (currently under finalisation) is an effective tool for achieving greater mutual understanding regarding the priorities for harmonised standards. Other key tools include common, joint or supporting demonstration activities, particularly in areas such as System Wide information Management (SWIM) and data communications.   

As part of his trip, Mr Bolton visited the SESAR Remote Tower Services test site in Sweden, where SJU member, LFV, gave him and his colleagues a guided tour of the facilities and the operational and technical infrastructure and systems. Mr Bolton explained plans by several US states to test the SESAR Remote Tower Services at their airports. He expressed the wish therefore to continue cooperation on RTS under the MoC for the next evolution foreseen under SESAR2020, with a view to better understanding the need for standards and for the development of performance benefit cases.

Picture: From left to right: Steve Bradford, FAA Chief Scientist, with Edward L. Bolton Jr., Assistant Administrator for NextGen, at SESAR Remote Tower Services test site in Sweden