Brussels, 01/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - Addressing the European Parliament's transport committee on Thursday 28 January, Patrick Ky, the executive director of the joint venture SESAR set up to develop technologies for modernising air traffic control in Europe, highlighted the need to fund the programme beyond 2013. He pointed out to committee members that “we are at a critical juncture for SESAR because all three decisions on its future must be taken during your mandate”. He concluded by appealing for a rethink on funding and programme governance in its implementation phase, which is expected to start on this date. He also pointed out that “we will be able to develop the best products in the world but if we can not ensure their implementation, the battle is lost and the return on investment is practically zero”. He also explained that the US (NEXTGEN), China, India and Japan were already developing similar programmes.
Around €30 billion will be necessary to implement solutions developed in SESAR. The programme is now being equally funded by the EU, Eurocontrol and the aeronautical industry (each of them contribute up to €700 million in research and development projects). Before the end of the year, the European Commission is expected to present proposals on governance and funding for the deployment stage. The situation is currently being studied and a third of this 30 billion is expected to be covered by Community funds for investment-incentive mechanisms needed for re-equipping planes and airports in new technologies. Public aid could go to small airports or to general and business aviation. The remainder might be covered by industry and airlines, which would be the main beneficiaries of such a fostering in air traffic control capacity. The idea also complies with the “User-Payer” principle in aviation. According to Mr Ky, the results that have been achieved so far in the programme include more than 300 projects in 16 different areas, and aim to enhance aviation security whilst taking into account the expected increase in air traffic and to enable a reduction in the environmental footprint of 10% per flight in addition to a reduction of the cost of air traffic control by 50%. (A.By./transl.fl)