T E C H N O L O G Y

Happy New Year to all our readers

The pace of change in ATM is hotting up and it will be an exciting year ahead for all of us affected by the progress of SESAR and the Single European Sky. Paul Ravenhill is our SES expert, with his finger on the pulse of what's happening. He tells me hes looking forward to the creation of the SESAR JU and conclusions drawn by the Commission's new High Level Group on the future regulatory framework - as these developments could lead the way to much faster deployment of new technology. In this issue of ON AIR!, we present a conversation with someone familiar to many in the industry, but only a recent addition to the Helios team: Dr Mike Fairbanks. Our paths have crossed many times over the years, beginning at NATS in 1989, where we were referred to as Laurel and Hardy! (Were not sure which one was which). Were delighted to have him onboard. The event of the season has to be ATC Maastricht in just a few weeks time see HOT AIR! for details. It will be the end of an era since we understand that the exhibition and conference will be moving to another European city in 2008. Well keep you posted. And finally, thanks to all of you who responded to our electronic Christmas card for charity. Your festive greetings warmed our hearts and helped improve the lives of children in Africa.

CONTENTS
UPDATE

Single European Sky

NEW RECRUIT

Mike Fairbanks joins

ATM R&D

UK Knowledge Network
SATCOMS

On location
HOT AIR!

Our news section

OFF AIR!

The commuter
Mike Shorthose

Single European Sky Update

WINTER/SPRING 2007

Progress on Implementing Rules

or the first time, European ATM has a true stick to achieve change. Since the SES legislation came into

the SES area. Further Implementing Rules have defined common requirements for the way that air navigation services are provided and charged for. Not all Implementing Rules have been given an easy ride by the Single Sky Committee. A good Implementing Rule should lead to a level playing field by providing sufficient guidance for national authorities to enforce the same requirements without over specifying how this is achieved. And as we move forward the Implementing Rules will become more difficult. Those on air-ground

force in April 2004, the Commission has launched work on 16 Implementing Rules. Paul Ravenhill, Helios Technical Director provides us with a brief overview of where theyve got to, and whats to come. Initial Implementing Rules, such as Co-ordination and Transfer and Initial Flight Plan were designed to ensure that common procedures and standards already prevalent in much of Europe were mandated throughout

News and Information from Helios Technology

News and Information from Helios Technology

voice channel spacing and datalink services will be the first to specify the need for avionics on aircraft, with potentially significant cost implications. We expect this trend to continue, as it is the Implementing Rules that will provide the legislative tools to force the pace of both ground and airborne equipage in line with the ATM roadmap being developed by the SESAR project.

What is an Implementing Rule? Within the SES, an Implementing Rule extends the legislation in line with the general requirements of the primary legislation. In general it is developed by Eurocontrol under mandate from the European Commission. It becomes law once accepted by the Single Sky Committee and is binding on all parties including Member States, airspace users and service providers.

Together at last!
Mike Fairbanks joins Helios
M
ike Fairbanks recently joined Helios from Booz Allen Hamilton where he led the successful aviation policy and regulatory work in its London office. To introduce him to ON AIR! readers, weve asked Mike about his consulting career, his more recent work and his predictions for the air transport industry. Q When did you join Helios and what type of work will you be involved in? A I joined on 9 October 2006. I guess I bring the skills that you would expect to find at Helios in the economics and policy, and navigation teams, but also a range of complementary experience focused on air transport policy, regulation and business strategy. For example, in the air transport sector I recently led a global policy study for the World Bank on best practice for private sector participation in air transport infrastructure airports and ATM. Q Tell us about the connections you have developed with Helios over the years. A I started my consulting career (too many years ago to contemplate) with Helios Managing Director Mike Shorthose at the then Smith Associates where we worked together on a variety of CNS/ATM projects. Some years later, myself and Andy Sage of Helios worked together in the Secretariat of the European Tripartite Group. Together we helped to raise the profile of EGNOS outside of the aviation sector. In fact, I still owe Andy 20 from a bet concerning Manchester United and the Premiership/FA
Mike Fairbanks (left) with Managing Director Mike Shorthose

Cup/Champions League treble in 1999! Q You have also been involved in the Single European Sky initiative from its very inception. What projects did you work on? A In 2002 I worked on the benchmarking of air navigation services in the then 15 EU Member States whilst Martin Hawley, John Raftery and others worked on the parallel study benchmarking air navigation services in the 10 new Member States. Recently, Ive also been involved in a number of EC projects to assess the economic and social impacts of the Open Aviation Area agreements between the EU and third countries, including the proposed one with the US. Q You have been a consultant for over 15 years. In your view, what are the most exciting developments the aviation industry can expect in the next 10 years? A In a word liberalisation - the normalisation of the market moving from state-owned monopolies to a more commercially consumer-driven orientation. To a degree that has happened already in the airline sector although much remains to be done in terms of truly open skies and consolidation. The process is underway in airports but is only just starting for ATM. Certainly greater liberalisation lies ahead for aviation. The challenge will be to balance commercial drivers with safety and environmental imperatives.

News and Information from Helios Technology

ATM Research & Development

Mobilising the UK community

Win a portable DVD player/games console! Participate in the new official visitor opinion survey for ATC Maastricht (run by Helios). Participation is online and the whole survey takes no more than 10 minutes to complete. We had 400 responses last year and would like to get even more this year. Visit www.helios-tech.co.uk and click on the logo link. But hurry up as the survey will close on 31st January! Helios at ATC Maastricht 2007: If you are thinking of attending ATC Maastricht this year do come along and say hello. We will be in the same place back wall of the exhibition centre (stand 473) with fresh case studies and, hot off the press, the results of the ATM Industry Survey. For more information and free visitor registration, visit

he UK Air Traffic Management (ATM) industry has an estimated turnover of around 750 million and

www.atcmaastricht.com. Multilateration: Helios has won a new contract from EUROCONTROL to develop a generic safety case for the use of multilateration to provide separation services in en-route and terminal airspace. We are working in partnership with Austro Control, and building upon our expertise in ADS-B and A-SMGCS safety cases. The project is due for completion in early 2007. Conference review: 95 delegates joined us for ATN2006+, the aviation communications conference held in London on 28-29th November 2006. The FAA were there to explain how they are working alongside EUROCONTROL to define the strategy for migration to a future communications infrastructure; covering the vision, shortlisted technologies and planned work programme. Military needs were highlighted in an enlightening presentation by Wulf Ehrhardt. Jim Stenson talked us through SESAR progress, and airline views were represented by several speakers discussing the need for unified technical solutions and sound investment strategies. On day two, we heard case studies on Electronic Flight Bags and the 'wired aircraft' as well as hearing evidence of the environmental and cost benefits of Continuous Descent Approaches using ACARS for Trajectory Agreement. The future use of IP for aeronautical data link was also touched upon. Interested in finding out more? Contact sales@helios-is.com to purchase the full conference proceedings on CD-Rom. What are the priorities for aeronautical communications? And how can they deliver value to airlines? The summary results of this exclusive online survey we ran for ATN2006+ are now available. Contact paul.ravenhill@helios-tech.co.uk to receive your complimentary copy. New faces - As well as Mike Fairbanks, we are pleased to welcome a whole raft of new colleagues who started over the past few months: James Valner, Alex Goman, Alex Catlin and Marietta Clay.

comprises over 100 organisations, including around 6 universities with a strong interest in ATM. Helios has been working with the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium and the South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA) to manage a new knowledge network for UK ATM whose aim is to bring more R&D projects to commercialisation and build stronger collaboration between industry and academia. Early work included taking a strategic view of the industry, looking at where the market was headed, where the UKs strengths are, and how to position UK suppliers and researchers to best contribute to the upcoming R&D needs of ATM. A series of events held during 2006 brought the UK industry together and identified plenty of enthusiasm to collaborate on R&D problems in the UK and with European partners. The ATM Knowledge Network is set to continue through 2007, with the focus on:

Sharing information on the global ATM market developing an active and regular forum. Mobilising the UK ATM community to be better placed to access SESAR funding and other collaborative framework agreements.

Providing opportunities for small businesses and universities to showcase their products and services.

Adds project leader Martin Hawley: Our work in ATM has a mostly European or global outlook so it has been very satisfying to give a focus to the UK and to R&D; the key to the sustainable development of the ATM industry. For further information on the ATM Knowledge Network, please contact Martin Hawley at martin.hawley@helios-tech.co.uk.

News and Information from Helios Technology

Satcoms on location
For Satcoms and LBS, less is more A
(LBS) market. For this study, LBS encompassed any service delivered to a user that relies upon knowledge of dynamic location based information. Location vendors are eagerly predicting that the LBS market is almost ready to take off. Operators have been investing in both location technology and applications and rolling out services in Europe and Asia. Teaming Helios experience in LBS with that of Inmarsat, EADS Astrium and Roke Manor Research, the study was able to identify a path for Satcoms to take advantage of this anticipated market growth. The team identified two services that offered an opportunity for Satcoms in LBS. The services were developed to harness the added value of Satcoms over terrestrial communication: broadcasting, coverage, and resilience: 1. A Traffic and Weather Broadcast Service providing traffic and weather information to Europes private road users, using a terminal to interface with the in-vehicle navigator. 2. A Fleet Telematics Service providing a flexible fleet tracking and information service to fleet operators through short, simple messages. Helios-led team has successfully completed a study for ESA that determined a role for Satellite Communications

team developed a new direction for satcoms terminals, with a tailored low cost user terminal as a key enabler for satcoms LBS. To complete the path, they also came up with an innovative business model, moving away from per MB charging towards the kind of subscription model seen in consumer markets.

What is the message for Satcoms?

These services provide a positive example of the opportunities for Satcoms role in LBS. To realise this opportunity the study concluded that Satcoms should buck the trend towards high speed, internet services and tailor low data rate and broadcast services for the LBS market. There is also an important role for terminal manufacturers to provide tailored user terminals to support these services.
For more information on this project, contact andrew.sage@helios-tech.co.uk.

(Satcoms) within the burgeoning Location Based Services

On foot and by car

An engineer goes every day by train to the city where he works. At 8:30am, as soon as he gets off the train, a car from where he works picks him up and takes him to the plant. One day the engineer takes a train arriving at 7:00am and starts walking towards the plant. On the way, the car picks him up and he arrives at the plant 10 minutes early.

At what time does he meet the car?

The answer will be published in the next edition of ON AIR!. Please send your solutions to laurette.royer@heliostech.co.uk. All entries must be received by 31st March 2007. We will give a bottle of champagne to the first correct answer drawn at random after this date. Good luck! And the winner is The answer to our last puzzle 'What is the pilot's last name?' was Bazso, here's why:

The three passengers live in Bratislava, Stansted, and between Bratislava and Stansted.

For Satcoms and LBS, less is more

Greater processing capabilities on todays vehicles allows many LBS services to be delivered with only small amounts of data per user, bringing significant potential cost reductions. Both services demonstrated an opportunity for these service types targeted at the road mass market. The
Helios is a technical and business consultancy working in airports, air traffic management and navigation markets. We help our customers solve problems and implement technical and operational solutions that will improve corporate performance. Our team has a range of expertise covering research, planning, simulations, feasibility studies, cost benefit analysis, procurement support and safety studies. Our knowledge covers all of the technologies that support air traffic management, as well as satellite navigation and advanced communication systems.

As passenger Choroba has only 2 brothers, he cannot be the passenger who lives near the chief steward between Bratislava and Stansted, as he would need at least 3.

As Jirku lives in Bratislava, then Choroba can only be living in Stansted. Thus, the chief steward is also Choroba.

As the first officer cannot beat himself at billiards, the pilot must be Bazso.

Well done to Andrew Rose from British Airways who wins the champagne.
For further information, contact Mike Shorthose by email: mike.shorthose@helios-tech.co.uk, telephone: +44 1276 452811 or visit our website www.helios-tech.co.uk. This newsletter has been written for the interest of our clients and colleagues. We believe the facts are correct at the time of printing, but cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Please send change-of-address details to info@helios-tech.co.uk. Helios Technology Limited, Chamberlain House, High Street, Bagshot, Surrey, GU19 5AE, UK.