Members of iTEC develop their partnership
Members of iTEC recently gathered in the UK, near NATS Swanwick Air Traffic Control Centre, to discuss the development and deployment of a common ATM System that meets the growing demand for air travel in Europe in a safe and efficient way.
Nearly 100 representatives from Air Navigation Service Providers and Indra participated in the event which focused on current developments associated with the upcoming implementation phases for iTEC members – with a total of 20 Centres operating the iTEC system by 2024.
Tim Bullock, Director, Supply Chain at NATS and Chair of the iTEC Steering Group said: “I am delighted on behalf of NATS to chair the iTEC Steering Group at this pivotal time in the development of our collaboration. Our ambition is to deliver improved operational performance and increased cost efficiency by working with our colleagues from across Europe with the ambition of 20 centres operating iTEC by 2024.
"This second iTEC Symposium builds on our commitment to shared learning and experiences to create an optimised system in a truly collaborative fashion. We are particularly pleased with the recent decision of Eurocontrol to join iTEC in developing IOP.
"It is through collaboration that we will deliver the European ATM Masterplan and ultimately a Single European Sky.”
Lee Boulton, Head of Swanwick Development at NATS, said: “We were delighted to welcome representatives from across Europe to NATS’ Swanwick Air Traffic Control Centre as part of the iTEC Symposium schedule to see the developments that we are implementing to meet the future demand for air travel in a safe and efficient way.
"Over the coming years, we will deliver the next version of iTEC into full operational service at both Prestwick and Swanwick Air Traffic Control Centres. This builds upon the previous successful delivery and transition of the iTEC system into NATS’ Prestwick Centre Upper Airspace.”
The event follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at the World ATM Congress between iTEC members on the development and deployment of a common Airspace Capacity Management (iACM) system across the members’ Centres. iACM, developed by iTEC technology partner Indra, will provide enhanced ability to predict traffic in the future and support the creation and refinement of traffic management plans, as well as supporting tactical decisions in the Operations Room.
iACM will work with iTEC data, and will be compatible with free route airspace in the future. Using the latest iTEC trajectory, as well as external data sources, iACM will support accurate decision making in the tactical operation as well as being able to “see” further into the future.
Rafael Gallego, Director General at Indra, said: “We are really satisfied about the outcome of this Second iTEC Symposium, during which it has become clear that all the iTEC partners are working together to ensure the network of 20 iTEC Control Centres in 2024 becomes a reality”
Victor Martinez, iTEC Collaboration Director at Indra, said: “This event proves the strength of the iTEC Alliance and the potential to continue shaping European ATM together. The future common iTEC V3 System, based on Virtual Data Centres, Interoperability and Advanced Operational tools will set a new landmark in this successful collaboration journey that started in 2007.”
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