Journey times and fuel
consumption between the United States and Europe could be reduced after the
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and European Commission signed a
memorandum of cooperation last Friday to harmonize air traffic services across
the two.
The agreement commits the
two to standardizing their air traffic modernization programs, which have until
now been developed separately. FAA's NextGen and Commission's SESAR projects both
seek to introduce satellite-based navigation that would enable commercial
aircraft to fly more direct routes and shorten the separation between aircraft,
thus improving air traffic control safety and reducing greenhouse gas
emissions. Airlines had expressed fears that the U.S. and European Union might
develop incompatible systems, requiring them to fit two sets of satellite
navigation equipment.
"Harmonization is the
key to the future of air travel over the North Atlantic," said FAA chief
operating officer Hank Krakowski, who signed the memorandum with European
Commission director for air transport Daniel Calleja in Madrid last week. "This
agreement allows us to work together to give the airlines a seamless transition
between our airspaces."
The agreement details 22
specific areas of cooperation, which also include research into alternative
fuels and better ways to coordinate on safety issues, such as responding to
volcanic ash clouds. The Commission hopes to obtain approval from member states
and the European Parliament to allow the agreement to take effect early in
2011.