U.S., Europe Ink Pact To Standardize Air Traffic Systems

U.S., Europe Ink Pact To Standardize Air Traffic Systems

By Amon Cohen BTN

JUNE 21, 2010 -- Journey times and fuel consumption between the United States and Europe could be reduced after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and European Commission signed a memorandum of cooperation last Friday to harmonize air traffic services across the two.

The agreement commits the two to standardizing their air traffic modernization programs, which have until now been developed separately. FAA's NextGen and Commission's SESAR projects both seek to introduce satellite-based navigation that would enable commercial aircraft to fly more direct routes and shorten the separation between aircraft, thus improving air traffic control safety and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Airlines had expressed fears that the U.S. and European Union might develop incompatible systems, requiring them to fit two sets of satellite navigation equipment.

"Harmonization is the key to the future of air travel over the North Atlantic," said FAA chief operating officer Hank Krakowski, who signed the memorandum with European Commission director for air transport Daniel Calleja in Madrid last week. "This agreement allows us to work together to give the airlines a seamless transition between our airspaces."

The agreement details 22 specific areas of cooperation, which also include research into alternative fuels and better ways to coordinate on safety issues, such as responding to volcanic ash clouds. The Commission hopes to obtain approval from member states and the European Parliament to allow the agreement to take effect early in 2011.