By Gemma Lougheed - 17th November 2005
Brussels has unveiled SESAR air traffic control technology that will underpin the EU’s ‘Single European Sky project’.
SESAR - Single European Air Traffic Management Infrastructure - will bring European air traffic control into the 21st century as air travel doubles over the next two decades.
Jacques Barrot, Commissioner for Transport highlighted the project's economic value at a speech at Eurocontrol (European Agency for the safety of air navigation).
“Europe will have the most effective air traffic control infrastructure in the world,” said Barrot.
“By making air transport more efficient SESAR will add around €50 billion to European growth. The project will create almost 200,000 highly skilled jobs.”
“SESAR aims at carrying out a true technological jump, which will result in: a communication network powerful and protected, an increased automation, the integration of navigation by satellite of the departure of the plane until its arrival and trajectories of flights optimized, in order to minimize of it the environmental impact and the fuel consumption.”
The project will cost €60 billion initially by co-funded by the EU’s budget and Eurocontrol and by 2008, industry will fund one third of the project.
Forecasts predict that 2025, air traffic will have doubled in Europe.
But growth is impossible without an overhaul of the air traffic control system which will optimize air routes and eliminate congestion.
SESAR will also enhance air transport safety that is today hampered by old fashioned technology.
It is expected that SESAR will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by four per cent six per cent per flight.
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