NATS and ANSPs to drive sustainable aviation through GAIN

Image courtesy NATS

GAIN is the first globally collaborative data and analytics tool designed specifically for ANSPs to measure airspace efficiency in a standardised way. It enables ANSPs around the world to benchmark performance, share insights, and drive more sustainable airspace management.

With the global aviation sector under increasing pressure to meet ambitious climate targets, GAIN represents a significant leap forward.

Leveraging cutting-edge analytics and complex algorithms, GAIN equips ANSPs with the tools to identify inefficiency trends, set actionable targets, and benchmark performance. Given that most commercial flights worldwide fall under ANSP oversight, these organisations play a vital and unique role in ensuring aircraft operate on the most efficient and environmentally friendly routes. The GAIN dashboard, designed through a user-centred process, delivers tailored insights for each user’s role within their ANSP, making it a powerful tool for driving targeted performance improvements.

GAIN is spearheaded by ANSPs – NATS (UK), CAAM (Malaysia), skeyes (Belgium) and AZANS (Azerbaijan) – with CANSO as an observer. Collectively, these Founding Members oversee ~10% of global daily air traffic and are committed to refining the platform through trials, sharing data, and identifying new ways to reduce emissions. Based on historical performance indicators, the Founding Members could achieve annual CO2 savings of up to ~370,000 tonnes.

“At any point in time, almost every single flight in the sky is under the watch of an ANSP, which places each of us in a position to help each aircraft fly its most efficient and environmentally friendly route,” said Martin Rolfe, CEO of NATS. “ANSPs all face similar challenges in delivering such efficient routings and GAIN, the collaborative community being created around it, and the analytics it provides, will help make more of an impact than us working in isolation. We hope that GAIN can help the industry to drive forward progress and practices that will accelerate meaningful action on climate change.”

“CAAM acknowledges the importance of sustainable aviation solutions,” said CAAM CEO Captain Norazman Bin Mahmud, “Joining the GAIN initiative allows us to actively contribute to the development of a valuable tool that will benefit ANSPs worldwide. We are eager to share our expertise and work together to create a more environmentally conscious aviation industry.”

CEO of skeyes, Johan Decuyper, commented: "We see GAIN as a new tool and key enabler for future environmental improvements, optimising our contribution to a greener and more sustainable aviation."

Mr Farhan Guliyev, the Director of ‘Azeraeronavigation’ Air Traffic Department of ‘Azerbaijan Airlines’ CJSC (AZANS) said: “GAIN represents a transformative opportunity for ANSPs to collaborate globally. As founding members, AZANS, NATS, skeyes and CAAM are working together to enhance environmental performance.

"Through shared insights and real-time analytics, GAIN fosters a community dedicated to reducing emissions and improving airspace efficiency. AZANS is committed to leveraging this collaboration to drive innovation, making sustainability a core pillar of air traffic management. We invite other ANSPs to join us in this mission and use GAIN to advance meaningful environmental progress across the industry."

NATS are inviting ANSPs to register their interest and join the growing GAIN community. Members will benefit from webinars and shared resources later in 2025, with access to the GAIN tool from 2026. Together, ANSPs can achieve significant emissions reductions and set a new standard for aviation sustainability.

To learn more about GAIN and how organisation can get involved visit nats.aero/environment/gain