John Wennes, CANSO’s Safety Programme Manager, insists that automation shouldn’t be seen as an alternative to human involvement when it comes to safety.
Advanced automation presents a valuable opportunity to enhance safety as demand continues to grow
“Instead, advanced automation presents a valuable opportunity to enhance safety as demand continues to grow,” he says. “Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to significantly enhance safety by reducing human error, improving system predictability and enabling more dynamic responses to operational complexity. To support this, CANSO advocates for a clear, internationally harmonised pathway for the certification and assurance of AI and advanced automation systems.”
For Wennes, the safe integration of new technologies requires a structured, forward-looking approach, including early engagement with regulators and innovators. The aim should always be to minimise disruption and integrate automation and AI as seamlessly as possible.
John Wennes, CANSO’s Safety Programme Manager
John Wennes, CANSO’s Safety Programme Manager, insists that automation shouldn’t be seen as an alternative to human involvement when it comes to safety.
Our approach must also embrace the transformative potential of technology as a key enabler of safer, smarter skies.
Where existing frameworks are insufficient, regulatory processes must evolve to keep pace with innovation cycles. Consideration should be given to consistent, scalable, and globally aligned rules and standards.
But regulators should remain flexible, says Wennes, while being robust and rigorous in evaluating all proposals. Such advances as digital twins and data analytics provide reliable information on which to base decisions. Collaboration across the industry is equally important, including with research organisations.
“CANSO’s Standard of Excellence in Safety Management Systems provides a strong foundation by offering ANSPs a structured framework for assessing, improving and maintaining safety performance in a consistent, data-driven way,” Wennes adds. “But our approach must also embrace the transformative potential of technology as a key enabler of safer, smarter skies. Instead of viewing technology with hesitation, there should be a readiness to adapt our safety thinking to match its pace.”
There are several critical considerations given the expanding array of technologies available in today’s digital landscape.
Each emerging technology entails financial and resource-related investment. Nonetheless, air navigation service providers (ANSPs) facing budgetary or skillset limitations should not perceive these constraints as impediments to progress.
To support such initiatives, CANSO’s Safety Intelligence Workgroup conducts annual benchmarking analyses, evaluating key safety metrics across diverse operational and resource scenarios. All results are accessible to CANSO members.
Investments in safety are particularly justifiable when there is an associated business case. Automation and AI supported by data-driven risk assessments not only demonstrate improvements in safety performance but also offer potential cost efficiencies.
The elimination of errors and duplication and enhanced workforce planning are potential benefits, for example. Optimising these advantages is achievable through the sharing and benchmarking of safety data.
Naturally, robust system security is essential. As ANSPs increasingly depend on automated and AI-driven systems, and as connectivity deepens, cybersecurity and cyber resilience become paramount.
A disruption within any network node can result in widespread ramifications. Cyberattacks represent a continual and evolving threat, with some attacks reaching notable levels of sophistication. Moreover, ANSPs often present attractive targets.
CANSO addresses these challenges via its Cyber Safety Workgroup, which provides practical tools, maturity assessments, and guidance to assist ANSPs in identifying vulnerabilities, implementing solutions and securing cyber resilience.
Effective mitigation requires that ANSPs maintain constant vigilance and proactively upgrade cybersecurity measures. As Wennes notes: “Over recent years, cyber concerns have progressed from an IT department issue to a top leadership priority. It is now a daily topic for safety teams.”
Cybersecurity must be integrated into overall safety frameworks and recognised as a collective responsibility within organisations. Cyber incident response plans, penetration testing, and resilience exercises should be established as standard practices in air traffic management as automation and AI adoption accelerates.
Reliability remains fundamental. Typically, the complexity of software correlates with the effort required to achieve the necessary reliability, and automation systems can be particularly intricate.
Mutual dependency presents additional challenges. Automation functions optimally when multiple features interact seamlessly and share information. Failure in one module may trigger a cascade effect that diminishes the effectiveness of other features.
Wennes also emphasises the importance of avoiding excessive engineering in automation solutions. For instance, a conflict detection system that generates an overabundance of false positives may eventually be disregarded by controllers.
John Wennes, CANSO’s Safety Programme Manager
As automation and AI exert greater influence, training programmes must evolve to equip personnel for new operational realities. This strategic shift necessitates a broadened skillset encompassing system comprehension and cross-domain collaboration. Training should address what systems do, as well as how and why decisions are made, thereby fostering trust in automation and reinforcing technology as an integral component of the safety culture.
Safety management must remain dynamic and flexible.
“Safety management must remain dynamic and flexible,” says Wennes. “Advancement will only be achieved through collaboration. No individual team or system can address all challenges independently. Engaging in the right discussions, utilising appropriate tools and adopting an adaptive mindset are crucial to propelling the industry forward and safeguarding the skies both today and in the future.”
Traditional skills remain essential, serving as the foundation during disruptions or system failures. Such competencies must now be included within a broader training programme that also covers systems training, fatigue management, and human performance monitoring. The changing demands on air traffic controllers may introduce different stress points, which must be carefully considered to uphold safety standards.
The CANSO Human Performance Management Workgroup disseminates best practices to promote alignment among wellbeing, safety and operational performance as workplace dynamics evolve.
John Wennes, CANSO’s Safety Programme Manager, insists that automation shouldn’t be seen as an alternative to human involvement when it comes to safety.
John Wennes, CANSO’s Safety Programme Manager
Advanced automation presents a valuable opportunity to enhance safety as demand continues to grow
“Instead, advanced automation presents a valuable opportunity to enhance safety as demand continues to grow,” he says. “Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to significantly enhance safety by reducing human error, improving system predictability and enabling more dynamic responses to operational complexity. To support this, CANSO advocates for a clear, internationally harmonised pathway for the certification and assurance of AI and advanced automation systems.”
For Wennes, the safe integration of new technologies requires a structured, forward-looking approach, including early engagement with regulators and innovators. The aim should always be to minimise disruption and integrate automation and AI as seamlessly as possible.
John Wennes, CANSO’s Safety Programme Manager, insists that automation shouldn’t be seen as an alternative to human involvement when it comes to safety.
Our approach must also embrace the transformative potential of technology as a key enabler of safer, smarter skies.
Where existing frameworks are insufficient, regulatory processes must evolve to keep pace with innovation cycles. Consideration should be given to consistent, scalable, and globally aligned rules and standards.
But regulators should remain flexible, says Wennes, while being robust and rigorous in evaluating all proposals. Such advances as digital twins and data analytics provide reliable information on which to base decisions. Collaboration across the industry is equally important, including with research organisations.
“CANSO’s Standard of Excellence in Safety Management Systems provides a strong foundation by offering ANSPs a structured framework for assessing, improving and maintaining safety performance in a consistent, data-driven way,” Wennes adds. “But our approach must also embrace the transformative potential of technology as a key enabler of safer, smarter skies. Instead of viewing technology with hesitation, there should be a readiness to adapt our safety thinking to match its pace.”
To support such initiatives, CANSO’s Safety Intelligence Workgroup conducts annual benchmarking analyses, evaluating key safety metrics across diverse operational and resource scenarios. All results are accessible to CANSO members.
Investments in safety are particularly justifiable when there is an associated business case. Automation and AI supported by data-driven risk assessments not only demonstrate improvements in safety performance but also offer potential cost efficiencies.
The elimination of errors and duplication and enhanced workforce planning are potential benefits, for example. Optimising these advantages is achievable through the sharing and benchmarking of safety data.
There are several critical considerations given the expanding array of technologies available in today’s digital landscape.
Each emerging technology entails financial and resource-related investment. Nonetheless, air navigation service providers (ANSPs) facing budgetary or skillset limitations should not perceive these constraints as impediments to progress.
CANSO addresses these challenges via its Cyber Safety Workgroup, which provides practical tools, maturity assessments, and guidance to assist ANSPs in identifying vulnerabilities, implementing solutions and securing cyber resilience.
Effective mitigation requires that ANSPs maintain constant vigilance and proactively upgrade cybersecurity measures. As Wennes notes: “Over recent years, cyber concerns have progressed from an IT department issue to a top leadership priority. It is now a daily topic for safety teams.”
Cybersecurity must be integrated into overall safety frameworks and recognised as a collective responsibility within organisations. Cyber incident response plans, penetration testing, and resilience exercises should be established as standard practices in air traffic management as automation and AI adoption accelerates.
Naturally, robust system security is essential. As ANSPs increasingly depend on automated and AI-driven systems, and as connectivity deepens, cybersecurity and cyber resilience become paramount.
A disruption within any network node can result in widespread ramifications. Cyberattacks represent a continual and evolving threat, with some attacks reaching notable levels of sophistication. Moreover, ANSPs often present attractive targets.
Reliability remains fundamental. Typically, the complexity of software correlates with the effort required to achieve the necessary reliability, and automation systems can be particularly intricate.
Mutual dependency presents additional challenges. Automation functions optimally when multiple features interact seamlessly and share information. Failure in one module may trigger a cascade effect that diminishes the effectiveness of other features.
Wennes also emphasises the importance of avoiding excessive engineering in automation solutions. For instance, a conflict detection system that generates an overabundance of false positives may eventually be disregarded by controllers.
Safety management must remain dynamic and flexible.
John Wennes, CANSO’s Safety Programme Manager
“Safety management must remain dynamic and flexible,” says Wennes. “Advancement will only be achieved through collaboration. No individual team or system can address all challenges independently. Engaging in the right discussions, utilising appropriate tools and adopting an adaptive mindset are crucial to propelling the industry forward and safeguarding the skies both today and in the future.”
Traditional skills remain essential, serving as the foundation during disruptions or system failures. Such competencies must now be included within a broader training programme that also covers systems training, fatigue management, and human performance monitoring. The changing demands on air traffic controllers may introduce different stress points, which must be carefully considered to uphold safety standards.
The CANSO Human Performance Management Workgroup disseminates best practices to promote alignment among wellbeing, safety and operational performance as workplace dynamics evolve.
As automation and AI exert greater influence, training programmes must evolve to equip personnel for new operational realities. This strategic shift necessitates a broadened skillset encompassing system comprehension and cross-domain collaboration. Training should address what systems do, as well as how and why decisions are made, thereby fostering trust in automation and reinforcing technology as an integral component of the safety culture.
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