We will succeed
With the endorsement of the new 13 Associate Partners, 21 air navigation service providers (ANSP) are currently contributing to the SESAR work programme. As air navigation service and airport service provider at the same time, Aena has a special role amongst them. In the interview below, Mariluz de Mateo, Head of the Strategy and Planning Unit in Aena’s Air Navigation Directorate, details the expectations and needs ANSPs have towards the SESAR work programme, the controller of the future and the technological innovation brought by the programme.
Mariluz de Mateo is the Head of the Strategy and Planning Unit in Aena’s Air Navigation Directorate. Her main areas of responsibility cover: the development and management of the Air Navigation Business Plan, the management and coordination of the international activities in the Air Navigation Directorate, and the coordination and management of Aena’s participation to the SESAR Programme. She is member of the Air Navigation Management Committee.
1) Mrs De Mateo Garcia, Aena is a heavily involved member of the SESAR programme; as air navigation and airport service provider at the same time you are leading for example work package 6 on airport operations. Why did your organisation decide to join the programme and how far goes your commitment?
The SESAR programme paves the way to the future European Air Navigation System. It implies the alignment and commitment of whole Europe towards a common set of objectives, and an organisation like Aena, one of the main ANSPs in Europe and the major airport operator worldwide, couldn’t be indifferent to this important initiative.
Aena, fully focused on improving the performances of the services provided to its customers, has been working intensely during the past years to enhance its CNS/ATM systems, participating actively both to European R&D projects and also to initiatives like iTEC, continuously evolving its ATC system (SACTA).
With its involvement in SESAR, Aena aims to accelerate the entry into service of the agreed solutions after validation of their operational benefits. These solutions will encompass both airspace and airport environments, from a complete gate-to-gate perspective.
Regarding Aena’s commitment, its Air Navigation, Airport and Environment Directorates, all of them directly involved in SESAR, have deployed an important number of technical and highly specialised human resources, being aware of the importance of SESAR’s success. Furthermore, Aena counts on the support provided by its affiliates CRIDA and INECO for this important challenge. The recent incorporation of NAV Portugal as Associate Partner to Aena in the SJU, provides an important added value to the programme and our contribution to it, and furthermore proves the FAB South West partner´s commitment to jointly delivering results.
2) The work programme was kicked-off almost 18 months ago. What is your experience so far?
These 18 months have been indeed quite demanding and at the same time rewarding because of the important steps forward all of us have taken. The size and level of complexity handled in the work programme of the SJU is not comparable to past ATM European R&D initiatives or projects.
On 3rd of June 2009 the first projects were kicked off; now around 200 projects, out of a total of 300, are already in their execution. This high number of interdependent projects dealing with the different aspects of the ATM system makes the accomplishment of the overall programme consistency a really big challenge. In this context, the recent development of the Validation & Verification Roadmap for Step 1 has implied an important common achievement.
There is still work to be done before the SJU machinery runs at full speed and first operational validation results are provided, but I am quite confident that with the great cooperative spirit shown up to the moment we will succeed.
