Eduardo Garcia says the recent ICAO Assembly has provided great momentum for future skies.
Eduardo Garcia, Senior Manager for Future Skies - CANSO
For CANSO and the Complete Air Traffic System (CATS) Global Council, this momentum marks the start of a new chapter.
The CATS Work Programme 2026–2028, aptly titled “Skies in Transition,” shifts the focus from concept to delivery. It translates the vision of the CATS Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for Future Skies – welcomed by ICAO and States during the Assembly – into a structured roadmap for how global air traffic management (ATM) can evolve together, not apart.
When the 42nd International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly concluded, one message was clear: the aviation community is ready to move from ideas to implementation. The Assembly’s outcomes – calling for a minimum implementation path for the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP), stronger coordination across regions and readiness for automation, advanced air mobility and space operations – set the tone for the next era of transformation.
At the heart of the programme is a CATS Roadmap for Implementation – a practical blueprint that connects ambition with execution. It sets out the core capabilities every State and region should pursue, including digital information-sharing, system-wide information management (SWIM) and Flight and Flow Information for a Collaborative Environment (FF-ICE) components. Early trajectory-based operations and strong data and cybersecurity foundations are also detailed.
Rather than reinventing the GANP, the roadmap supports and strengthens it, with ICAO’s forthcoming GANP Minimum Implementation Path turning a catalogue of possibilities into a clear, progressive plan with global and regional milestones. The focus is not on more frameworks, but on clarity, sequencing and delivery. There should be no confusion about the work ahead for 2026–2028.
Rather than reinventing the GANP, the roadmap supports and strengthens it.
AI, in particular, emerged as a defining theme
AI, in particular, emerged as a defining theme at the ICAO Assembly. States and organisations called on ICAO to lead the way in ensuring AI’s safe, ethical and globally consistent deployment. Building on this, the CATS Work Programme will explore how AI can be certified, governed and trusted within Air Traffic Management (ATM) – turning curiosity into capability and innovation into confidence.
Although implementation is the programme’s centrepiece, the CATS Work Programme 2026–2028 also recognises that technology alone cannot transform aviation.
Complementary initiatives address:
Data-driven safety, embedding predictive, system-wide safety intelligence into daily operations.
Responsible automation and artificial intelligence (AI), helping regulators and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) establish assurance and certification frameworks.
Integration of advanced air mobility (AAM) and space operations, ensuring that new entrants coexist safely within a unified traffic system.
And importantly, the CANSO’s Tomorrow’s Voices initiative will continue to invest in people – inspiring the next generation and nurturing the skills, mindsets and leadership this transformation will demand.
The Assembly confirmed ICAO’s readiness to modernise its own frameworks – the GANP, Global Aviation Safety Plan and Global Air Traffic Management Operational Concept – and called for industry to match that ambition. CATS answers that call.
By defining a shared implementation roadmap and aligning it with ICAO’s new direction, the CATS Work Programme 2026–2028 moves the industry from coordination to acceleration and from shared intent to measurable progress.
Eduardo Garcia, Senior Manager for Future Skies - CANSO
The award ultimately went to The Voice of Brewers & Pubs – a reminder that even air traffic leaders sometimes need to toast their progress at the local pub!
The global skies are transitioning toward greater automation, integration and sustainability and the journey ahead will be complex. But with a shared map, the world’s skies can evolve together – seamlessly, safely and sustainably.
The CATS Global Council’s collaborative impact has also been recognised beyond the aviation sector. In November 2025, the Council was honoured to be a finalist for the Sector Representation Award at the Association Excellence Awards, celebrating its leadership in shaping the global conversation on the future of airspace.
CANSO presented four working papers and two information papers during the 42ndICAO Assembly and co-signed an additional six working papers in collaboration with industry partners and international organisations. These submissions addressed a wide range of operational and strategic priorities for the air traffic management (ATM) community.
All submissions were well received by ICAO Member States, recognising CANSO’s technical expertise and its constructive, forward-looking approach to advancing global air navigation safety, performance, and sustainability.
The endorsement of the CATS CONOPS at the Assembly marks an important milestone in CANSO’s mission to drive operational excellence and collaboration. The strong support received from States and international organisations demonstrates widespread confidence in CANSO’s technical leadership and its ability to provide practical, forward-looking solutions for the aviation system.
For more information on any of the outcomes of the Assembly or the work of the ICAO Affairs Working Group contact icao@canso.org
CANSO interventions during key agenda items resonated strongly with both States and industry peers. They underscored the importance of maintaining momentum on aviation digitalisation, cybersecurity preparedness and performance-based regulation, while highlighting the operational realities, and achievements, of the ATM community worldwide.
One of the most significant accomplishments was the recognition and positive reception of the Complete Air Traffic Services (CATS) Global Council’s Concept of Operations as a key contributor to the evolution of the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP).
Eduardo Garcia says the recent ICAO Assembly has provided great momentum for future skies.
Eduardo Garcia, Senior Manager for Future Skies - CANSO
For CANSO and the Complete Air Traffic System (CATS) Global Council, this momentum marks the start of a new chapter.
The CATS Work Programme 2026–2028, aptly titled “Skies in Transition,” shifts the focus from concept to delivery. It translates the vision of the CATS Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for Future Skies – welcomed by ICAO and States during the Assembly – into a structured roadmap for how global air traffic management (ATM) can evolve together, not apart.
When the 42nd International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly concluded, one message was clear: the aviation community is ready to move from ideas to implementation. The Assembly’s outcomes – calling for a minimum implementation path for the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP), stronger coordination across regions and readiness for automation, advanced air mobility and space operations – set the tone for the next era of transformation.
At the heart of the programme is a CATS Roadmap for Implementation – a practical blueprint that connects ambition with execution. It sets out the core capabilities every State and region should pursue, including digital information-sharing, system-wide information management (SWIM) and Flight and Flow Information for a Collaborative Environment (FF-ICE) components. Early trajectory-based operations and strong data and cybersecurity foundations are also detailed.
Rather than reinventing the GANP, the roadmap supports and strengthens it, with ICAO’s forthcoming GANP Minimum Implementation Path turning a catalogue of possibilities into a clear, progressive plan with global and regional milestones. The focus is not on more frameworks, but on clarity, sequencing and delivery. There should be no confusion about the work ahead for 2026–2028.
Rather than reinventing the GANP, the roadmap supports and strengthens it.
AI, in particular, emerged as a defining theme
And importantly, the CANSO’s Tomorrow’s Voices initiative will continue to invest in people – inspiring the next generation and nurturing the skills, mindsets and leadership this transformation will demand.
AI, in particular, emerged as a defining theme at the ICAO Assembly. States and organisations called on ICAO to lead the way in ensuring AI’s safe, ethical and globally consistent deployment. Building on this, the CATS Work Programme will explore how AI can be certified, governed and trusted within Air Traffic Management (ATM) – turning curiosity into capability and innovation into confidence.
Although implementation is the programme’s centrepiece, the CATS Work Programme 2026–2028 also recognises that technology alone cannot transform aviation.
Complementary initiatives address:
Data-driven safety, embedding predictive, system-wide safety intelligence into daily operations.
Responsible automation and artificial intelligence (AI), helping regulators and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) establish assurance and certification frameworks.
Integration of advanced air mobility (AAM) and space operations, ensuring that new entrants coexist safely within a unified traffic system.
The award ultimately went to The Voice of Brewers & Pubs – a reminder that even air traffic leaders sometimes need to toast their progress at the local pub!
The Assembly confirmed ICAO’s readiness to modernise its own frameworks – the GANP, Global Aviation Safety Plan and Global Air Traffic Management Operational Concept – and called for industry to match that ambition. CATS answers that call.
By defining a shared implementation roadmap and aligning it with ICAO’s new direction, the CATS Work Programme 2026–2028 moves the industry from coordination to acceleration and from shared intent to measurable progress.
The global skies are transitioning toward greater automation, integration and sustainability and the journey ahead will be complex. But with a shared map, the world’s skies can evolve together – seamlessly, safely and sustainably.
The CATS Global Council’s collaborative impact has also been recognised beyond the aviation sector. In November 2025, the Council was honoured to be a finalist for the Sector Representation Award at the Association Excellence Awards, celebrating its leadership in shaping the global conversation on the future of airspace.
Eduardo Garcia, Senior Manager for Future Skies - CANSO
CANSO interventions during key agenda items resonated strongly with both States and industry peers. They underscored the importance of maintaining momentum on aviation digitalisation, cybersecurity preparedness and performance-based regulation, while highlighting the operational realities, and achievements, of the ATM community worldwide.
One of the most significant accomplishments was the recognition and positive reception of the Complete Air Traffic Services (CATS) Global Council’s Concept of Operations as a key contributor to the evolution of the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP).
CANSO presented four working papers and two information papers during the 42ndICAO Assembly and co-signed an additional six working papers in collaboration with industry partners and international organisations. These submissions addressed a wide range of operational and strategic priorities for the air traffic management (ATM) community.
All submissions were well received by ICAO Member States, recognising CANSO’s technical expertise and its constructive, forward-looking approach to advancing global air navigation safety, performance, and sustainability.
The endorsement of the CATS CONOPS at the Assembly marks an important milestone in CANSO’s mission to drive operational excellence and collaboration. The strong support received from States and international organisations demonstrates widespread confidence in CANSO’s technical leadership and its ability to provide practical, forward-looking solutions for the aviation system.
For more information on any of the outcomes of the Assembly or the work of the ICAO Affairs Working Group contact icao@canso.org
