NAV CANADA and Indra to deploy leading air traffic management platforms

NAV CANADA and Indra have reached a milestone agreement that will contribute to the evolution of Canada's air traffic management systems the firms announced this week. 

The first phase of the agreement will support the deployment of a state-of-the-art flight data processing system (FDPS) and an air traffic flow management system (iACM) for complex airspaces within NAV CANADA's network centre.

In line with NAV CANADA's strategic direction, this partnership represents a tangible step towards Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO) in Canada, shifting air traffic management towards a strategic approach that takes a more comprehensive picture of a flight from take-off to landing. This new technology can calculate routes with great accuracy and predict the evolution of air traffic over an extended horizon, supporting greater planning and coordination.

These systems will integrate information processing from Canada's area control centres, automatically notifying the system of any changes in flight plans between each of their respective airspace. This will enable better flexibility resulting in the improvement of traffic flow within Canadian airspace and across the rest of the network. The result will be more efficient  routings for aircraft operators, reduced fuel consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions while providing greater operational resiliency to disruptions and meeting the capacity requirements of a growing sector.

These advancements, which continue to keep safety at the forefront, reflect the vision for the future of air traffic management defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)'s Aviation System Block Upgrades (ASBU), which promote technologies that enable greater collaboration and operational predictability in global aviation.

This agreement also reinforces the collaboration between NAV CANADA, UK's NATS and Norway's Avinor, which also have Indra as a strategic technology partner. Both companies welcomed this important agreement.

The technology will be deployed over a ten-year horizon across NAV CANADA's facilities.

Airbus, Avinor, SAS, Swedavia and Vattenfall pave the way for hydrogen aviation in Sweden and Norway

Airbus, Avinor, SAS, Swedavia and Vattenfall have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate the feasibility of a hydrogen infrastructure at airports in Sweden and Norway. 

This cooperation will provide better understanding of hydrogen aircraft concepts and operations, supply, infrastructures and refueling needs at airports in order to help develop this hydrogen aviation ecosystem in both countries. The work will also identify the pathways to select which airports will be transformed first to operate hydrogen-powered aircraft in both countries as well as the accompanying regulatory framework.

This is the first time that a feasibility study of this kind covers two countries and more than 50 airports. It reflects the partners’ shared ambition to use their respective expertise to support the decarbonisation of the aviation industry and to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“Hydrogen stands out as a key enabler as we pioneer a sustainable aviation future.” said Guillaume Faury, CEO Airbus “Norway and Sweden are among the most demanding regions for aviation and have great potential for hydrogen production from renewable energy sources. I am very pleased to enter into this cooperation with partners fully engaged to take significant steps towards decarbonising aerospace. It fits perfectly with our strategy of deploying hydrogen aviation ecosystems in the most suitable parts of the world.”

Abraham Foss, CEO Avinor: “Hydrogen is emerging as a key energy carrier in future fossil free aviation. As the owner and operator of 43 airports across Norway, Avinor has been working on sustainability for many years already, and has taken a position as a driving force and facilitator for the green transition of Norwegian aviation. Our dialogue with Airbus concerning the decarbonization of aviation goes several years back and we are very happy to be able to announce this collaboration together with our good neighbors in Sweden. Norway, as well as Sweden, is well positioned to be an early mover in the introduction of hydrogen-powered aircraft. We look forward to contributing with our expertise as well as infrastructure to bring this important work forward.”

“As the world takes positive steps towards a more sustainable future, SAS’ commitment is to ensure that also coming generations can enjoy the benefits of seamless global connectivity. By partnering with some of the strongest and most innovative players in the industry, we are assuming our responsibility to drive the transition towards achieving net-zero emissions. A journey that matters not just for SAS, but for the entire aviation industry,” says SAS’ President & CEO Anko van der Werff.

Avinor ANS, the air navigation service provider (ANSP) of Norway, this month, began using Aireon's market-leading, space-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data to support air traffic operations across the entire Bodø Oceanic Flight Information Region

Avinor ANS, the air navigation service provider (ANSP) of Norway, this month, began using Aireon's market-leading, space-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data to support air traffic operations across the entire Bodø Oceanic Flight Information Region (OFIR).

In April 2022, Avinor ANS started using Aireon ADS-B data for the Bodø OFIR in oceanic environments, below FL 100, with the primary intention of serving the robust helicopter operations and search and rescue missions in the Barents Sea. Since then, Avinor ANS reported the Aireon space-based ADS-B helped improve safety and drive operational efficiencies in the region, including the ability to reduce separation for helicopters. In addition, Avinor concluded that space-based ADS-B performed as well as their ground-based systems over terrestrial airspace.

"We were extremely pleased with the reliability and operational performance of the data in the lower-level airspace," said Tormod Rangnes, Director En-Route Services, Avinor ANS. "Expanded use of the Aireon data will allow Avinor ANS to achieve new levels of safety and operational efficiencies in 2023 and beyond."

Norway's air navigation service provider activates Aireon data for Bodo Oceanic Airspace.....

Avinor ANS, the air navigation service provider (ANSP) of Norway, this month, began using Aireon's market-leading, space-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data to support air traffic operations across the entire Bodø Oceanic Flight Information Region (OFIR).

In April 2022, Avinor ANS started using Aireon ADS-B data for the Bodø OFIR in oceanic environments, below FL 100, with the primary intention of serving the robust helicopter operations and search and rescue missions in the Barents Sea. Since then, Avinor ANS reported the Aireon space-based ADS-B helped improve safety and drive operational efficiencies in the region, including the ability to reduce separation for helicopters. In addition, Avinor concluded that space-based ADS-B performed as well as their ground-based systems over terrestrial airspace.

"We were extremely pleased with the reliability and operational performance of the data in the lower-level airspace," said Tormod Rangnes, Director En-Route Services, Avinor ANS. "Expanded use of the Aireon data will allow Avinor ANS to achieve new levels of safety and operational efficiencies in 2023 and beyond."