Page 14 - AAA SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012 Online Magazine

FEATURE ASIAN ATM

including an independent network outline planning being implemented, and
management provision that would handle consultation processes proposed. But
major aircraft flows. this would need to there is no doubt this will all take time
be allied to regionally transparent and – and may not keep up with the demand
sophisticated collaborative decision- from both national and low-cost carriers.
making tools involving operators and “the feasibility of [any] imple-
service providers to ensure reduced mentation would be dependent on
delays, shorter flight times and reduced developing common rules and procedures
environmental emissions, as well as the at the regional level that every party can
capability to handle the predicted future agree on,” says Rishiraj singh, director
traffic growth. It is a big ask. of Business and General aviation,
asia Pacific at honeywell aerospace.
Driving demand honeywell, which as a solutions
there are currently some 40 states provider, has a vested business interest
providing air navigation services across in the homogeneity of any solution, is
the asia-Pacific region, each using nonetheless realistic about the timelines
Andrew Herdman, Director different equipment and at different and complexity of any pan-asian seamless
General, Association of levels of automation. as andrew asian skies (sas) atM solution.
Asia Pacific Airlines herdman, director General, association “the International civil aviation
of asia Pacific airlines (aaPa) says, Organisation (IcaO) is expected to
the main challenge for the region is to release a preliminary report on the sas
ensure that the development of aviation project this year and a final report next
infrastructure, including atM systems, year, which should lend some insight for
can keep pace with the dramatic growth in future progress,” he explains. While he
regional traffic demand. “this is projected describes the IcaO report as a “step in
to double every 10 to 15 years, and we are the right direction”, singh like most other
already seeing the effects of congestion players knows it isn’t going to happen
in several areas, leading to degraded tomorrow. he is confident the initiative
service levels, delays and inconvenience should definitely improve and enhance
to the travelling public,” he says. safety and service delivery in the world’s
Given the current diversity of largest growing aviation market, but
governments and regulatory authorities is unwilling to hazard a guess as to any
across the region, key success factors timeline for implementation.
in a coherent atM profile must include “Iata, IcaO, the IcaO asia Pacific air
effective coordination amongst national navigation Planning and Implementation
atM systems, and close engagement with Regional Group (aPanPIRG), and the
industry stakeholders too, says herdman. association of southeast asian nations
to this end, the committees are gathering, (asean) air transport Working Group

ATM fOR BRICS planning and development.” Honeywell’s Rishiraj
Unlike the US and Europe, business aviation has been Singh sees this as another bright spot on the aviation
slow to see significant growth in Asia. This is partly horizon as long as the ATM capacities for business
due to the overall wealth of the region, but also, as craft are catered for. He asserts that while Europe
AAPA’s Andrew Herdman points out, partly due to a and the US will see 3% to 4% growth in coming years,
hotchpotch of national regulations concerning non- China has the potential for at least three times that.
scheduled flights. “Business aviation has been slow “The increased size of an Asian fleet will add capacity
to develop in Asia for various reasons, including to an already stretched air traffic system. Small or
regulatory restrictions and lack of supporting airport remote airports don’t have the capabilities to deal
infrastructure, but is expected to grow significantly in with an influx of private aircraft, so better ATM means
the years ahead,” he says. “It is certainly something [new] procedures and technology to ensure the
that needs to be factored into broader ATM capacity efficient, effective and safe flow of air traffic.”

14 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM