A message from Simon
CANSO’s vision is to deliver a more integrated, sustainable and efficient air transport network.
Beyond our new vision and focus areas, CANSO has renewed our commitment to members and the aviation industry.
As the organisation marks 25 years as the global voice of the air traffic management, we carry with us a deep desire to continue to deliver value at every level.
We are both partner and protagonist, pioneer and pragmatist. We stand for safety and security, seamless service and sustainable operations. And we will continue to connect and corral the industry to progress and excel in every part of the globe.
I am proud to be championing fresh momentum and to be writing a new chapter for ATM. Every player has a part to play, and each individual an important purpose to convey. Together we are rebuilding and reimagining our industry and ultimately, together we are shaping our future skies.
Delivering value
We are at a pivotal moment in the history of aviation. There is no doubt that people want to fly – some 4.35 billion are expected to do so in 2023 – and the industry’s socioeconomic impact cannot be denied. We support some 90 million jobs and $3.5 trillion in economic activity in a normal year.
At the same time, the industry must decarbonise and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. We must embrace transformative new technologies, integrate new airspace users, and overcome constrained airport capacity.
It means we have big decisions to make, big investments to consider. The skies are busy, and our ambition is huge. The future of the industry really is in our hands.
But ANSPs must never forget their immediate purpose. They also need to function on a day-to-day basis, getting flights from point A to point B in a safe, timely and cost-effective manner.
The need to fund major projects and keep costs and charges down is not mutually exclusive, however. Handling running costs effectively is a cornerstone of strong, resilient businesses and only strong, resilient ANSPs will be able to overcome the challenges and targets ahead.
And there is hard, recent evidence that we can do this. The pandemic affected aviation more than any other industry – we lost eye-watering amounts of money – and yet we survived. Look where we are today, still providing excellent value for money for airspace users across the world. We have performed miracles already and we must continue to do so.
The way forward is to fully leverage technology and find new ways of operating. Collaboration is once against a key element here. It is the ideal way to share not only expertise but also cost. Consider, for example, iTEC or COOPANS in Europe, where ANSPs collaborated on the procurement of high-tech systems to reduce costs.
These structured efforts do bear fruit. Cost-efficiency features heavily in the Complete Air Traffic System (CATS) roadmap too because the revamp of airspace must be financially viable for all stakeholders.
Clearly, embracing digitalisation will bring its rewards. Automating tasks and using the latest innovations in artificial intelligence and machine learning have massive potential. Data analysis resulting from these technologies can reveal numerous insights that help to optimise finances, resources and efficiency.
Digital towers are another cost-effective tool that will play their part in achieving air traffic management’s ambitions. Again, they will help to keep costs down for all airspace users, support sustainability efforts and promise both safety and efficiency.
These ideas – and many others – were discussed at our AGM in Berlin recently and they will doubtless form the basis of the regional events in Asia-Pacific and Africa. When the industry gathers, as it did for the inaugural Airspace World event, you immediately understand that innovation is rife and ANSPs are working hard to implement the tools that will help us achieve long-term success with near-term financial common sense for all stakeholders.
We know that there will be huge changes ahead. CANSO is a catalyst for that transformation, playing an active role in all the key developments. Being successful tomorrow means being sensible today. This is a volatile industry, profit margins are slim and yet we must commit to expensive, long-term projects.
It is possible. ANSPs must find the correct balance if the industry is to be sustainable, safe, and efficient for all.
In an era of extreme volatility and tough targets, air navigation service providers must focus on cost-effectiveness.
We are at a pivotal moment in the history of aviation. There is no doubt that people want to fly – some 4.35 billion are expected to do so in 2023 – and the industry’s socioeconomic impact cannot be denied. We support some 90 million jobs and $3.5 trillion in economic activity in a normal year.
At the same time, the industry must decarbonise and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. We must embrace transformative new technologies, integrate new airspace users, and overcome constrained airport capacity.
It means we have big decisions to make, big investments to consider. The skies are busy, and our ambition is huge. The future of the industry really is in our hands.
But ANSPs must never forget their immediate purpose. They also need to function on a day-to-day basis, getting flights from point A to point B in a safe, timely and cost-effective manner.
The need to fund major projects and keep costs and charges down is not mutually exclusive, however. Handling running costs effectively is a cornerstone of strong, resilient businesses and only strong, resilient ANSPs will be able to overcome the challenges and targets ahead.
And there is hard, recent evidence that we can do this. The pandemic affected aviation more than any other industry – we lost eye-watering amounts of money – and yet we survived. Look where we are today, still providing excellent value for money for airspace users across the world. We have performed miracles already and we must continue to do so.
The way forward is to fully leverage technology and find new ways of operating. Collaboration is once against a key element here. It is the ideal way to share not only expertise but also cost. Consider, for example, iTEC or COOPANS in Europe, where ANSPs collaborated on the procurement of high-tech systems to reduce costs.
These structured efforts do bear fruit. Cost-efficiency features heavily in the Complete Air Traffic System (CATS) roadmap too because the revamp of airspace must be financially viable for all stakeholders.
Clearly, embracing digitalisation will bring its rewards. Automating tasks and using the latest innovations in artificial intelligence and machine learning have massive potential. Data analysis resulting from these technologies can reveal numerous insights that help to optimise finances, resources and efficiency.
Digital towers are another cost-effective tool that will play their part in achieving air traffic management’s ambitions. Again, they will help to keep costs down for all airspace users, support sustainability efforts and promise both safety and efficiency.
These ideas – and many others – were discussed at our AGM in Berlin recently and they will doubtless form the basis of the regional events in Asia-Pacific and Africa. When the industry gathers, as it did for the inaugural Airspace World event, you immediately understand that innovation is rife and ANSPs are working hard to implement the tools that will help us achieve long-term success with near-term financial common sense for all stakeholders.
We know that there will be huge changes ahead. CANSO is a catalyst for that transformation, playing an active role in all the key developments. Being successful tomorrow means being sensible today. This is a volatile industry, profit margins are slim and yet we must commit to expensive, long-term projects.
It is possible. ANSPs must find the correct balance if the industry is to be sustainable, safe, and efficient for all.
In an era of extreme volatility and tough targets, air navigation service providers must focus on cost-effectiveness.
A message from Simon
