Navigating the future of aviation: smart sustainability, not bureaucratic burdens

Date 26.7.2024

Cutting through hypocrisy – a call for genuine economic reforms in aviation

Jan Klas, a prominent figure in air traffic management and an experienced aviation expert, has significantly influenced the field as the CEO of Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic (ANS CR) and through his involvement in various international aviation organizations. Klas has played a pivotal role in European and global aviation projects, contributing to the development of safety standards and technological innovations in air traffic management. In an exclusive interview for Aerospace Central Europe, Klas discusses urgent challenges and emerging trends in the aviation industry, focusing on the differences between safety and security, the integration of drones, the impact of artificial intelligence, and the economic and regulatory aspects of European aviation.

Prague Ruzyně Control Tower

Prague Ruzyně Control Tower

ACE: Safety in aviation today is primarily perceived in terms of the physical protection of passengers. How do you perceive the difference between safety and security in aviation?

Jan Klas: Safety and security are two crucial aspects of aviation that complement each other, but their focus and objectives differ. Safety is our absolute priority in aviation. The primary goal is to ensure that passengers reach their destinations safely, including all measures and procedures that minimize the risk of accidents or other unplanned incidents during flights. Safety focuses on operational integrity and accident prevention, ensuring that all systems, technologies, and people operate flawlessly and that proper procedures are in place.

Technologies like modern navigation systems and the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) have significantly improved aviation safety by enabling precise tracking and conflict resolution of aircraft in the airspace.

On the other hand, security focuses on protecting against intentional threats, such as terrorist attacks and cyber-attacks. While safety ensures that everything works correctly and without errors, security protects the aviation system from intentional malicious acts. Cybersecurity is one of the biggest challenges we face today. With increasing digitalization and interconnectedness of systems, the risk of cyber-attacks grows. As part of critical infrastructure, we must meet stringent legal requirements for cybersecurity. This includes technical measures to separate service delivery systems from those connected to the internet and continuous training of our employees to respond appropriately to potential threats.

ATS Room - Integrated Air Traffic Control Centre Prague

ATS Room – Integrated Air Traffic Control Centre Prague

We conduct regular tests and simulations of cyber-attacks to ensure that our people are well-prepared and that our systems are resilient to attacks. The difference between safety and security is fundamental, although they complement each other. Safety focuses on operational integrity and accident prevention, while security addresses intentional threats to the aviation system. Our priority is to ensure that all components of our system operate at the highest level and provide maximum protection against both unplanned events and intentional threats.

 

ACE: What are the key pillars of safety in aviation?

JK: Aviation safety stands on three main pillars: technology, procedures, and people. Each of these pillars has its irreplaceable role, and their balance is crucial for ensuring air traffic safety. Technology constantly evolves, but in aviation, there is an exceptional emphasis on reliability and safety. Every new technology must undergo thorough testing to verify its reliability. For instance, satellite-based navigation systems and the transmission of positional information from aircraft to the ground have significantly improved safety.

However, the most important component of safety remains the human factor. Even the best technology can fail, so it is crucial that people are well-trained and prepared for various situations. We pay great attention to training and educating people to prevent overload. It is important that air traffic controllers can respond quickly and correctly to all situations that may arise. This comprehensive and integrated strategy, involving technology, procedures, and people, is the foundation of our approach to aviation safety. Safety is always our top priority, and we do everything to ensure passengers arrive at their destinations safely.

ACE: How do you ensure that the human factor does not contribute to accidents?

JK: We pay great attention to training and educating people to prevent overload. For example, we participated in a European study focused on the fatigue of air traffic controllers. We monitor workload in various work phases, the impact of night shifts, and other factors. The results of these studies help us optimize work regimes and rest periods so air traffic controllers can perform at their best without risking overload.

ACE: How do you deal with cybersecurity in aviation?

JK: Cybersecurity is one of the key areas we focus on intensely. As part of critical infrastructure, we must meet several legal requirements, such as the Cybersecurity Act and preparation for the NIS2 (Network and Information Systems Directive). These regulations set minimum standards we must meet, but we strive to go further and stay ahead of potential threats.

One of the main steps we have taken is the strict separation of service delivery systems from those connected to the public internet. This minimizes the risk that a cyber-attack could directly affect our operations. The robustness of our systems is crucial, and we invest in their continuous improvement and modernization to withstand increasingly sophisticated threats.

Another important part of our strategy is the education and training of our employees. Cybersecurity is not just a matter of technology but also of the human factor. We continually strive to raise our employees’ awareness of possible threats and regularly train them to respond appropriately to various types of cyber-attacks. We also conduct regular tests simulating different cyber-attack scenarios to verify our employees’ preparedness and identify areas for improvement.

Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field that requires us to stay constantly ahead. Therefore, we actively participate in various professional conferences and collaborate with other organizations and cybersecurity experts. Information and experience sharing is crucial to facing new and ever-changing threats in cyberspace.

ACE: What new technologies have been implemented to improve aviation safety?

JK: In recent years, we have focused on improving the reliability of existing systems. For instance, we have systems for detecting conflicts in aircraft trajectories and supporting air traffic controllers’ decision-making. The challenge is ensuring these systems are reliable and provide accurate information. A significant advancement is also the use of datalink for communication and decision transfer between aircraft and ground systems. However, the biggest challenge remains ensuring that trajectory calculations are accurate and reflect real-time changes.

ACE: How do you see the future of drone integration into airspace?

JK: The integration of drones presents both a significant challenge and an opportunity. We are working on building a central information system and U-Space that will enable the safe integration of drones into airspace. Regulations must ensure safety while allowing flexibility for rapid technological development. Industrial use of drones, such as for inspecting energy systems or delivering medical supplies, has great potential.

However, a key area where regulatory and technological advancements are needed is beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flying. This technology is crucial for the efficient and widespread use of drones but brings significant challenges in safety and reliability. That’s why we are working on creating a digital map of the Czech Republic and a central information system that will collect all data on drone operations.

Another challenge is finding a balance between regulation and freedom for drone operators. We must ensure that the regulatory framework is stringent enough to guarantee safety but flexible enough to not hinder innovation. It is crucial for countries to keep pace with rapid technological development and be able to adapt their regulations.

Our efforts also focus on creating test polygons where new technologies and procedures can be safely tested. This step is essential for verifying the safety and effectiveness of new systems before their deployment in regular operations.

Collaboration with other European countries is also important, as drone integration must be addressed at the international level. This includes technical and regulatory harmonization and data and experience sharing between states. Through this approach, we can prepare for a future where drones will play a key role in many industrial and commercial applications.

ACE: What challenges do you see in artificial intelligence and machine learning in aviation?

JK: Machine learning will play an increasingly significant role in air traffic management, but it brings several major challenges. The main question is how to ensure that systems are reliable enough to operate without human intervention. Current technologies would already allow machines to take on many air traffic control tasks, but the key problem remains that a human cannot be merely a backup system.

If a human only oversees the systems and is expected to intervene in case of failure, they would not be able to take over effectively because they would not have an up-to-date overview of the situation. This means that either the human must be actively involved in controlling the system, or machine learning must be reliable enough to operate entirely autonomously.

I prefer the term “machine learning” over “artificial intelligence” because it better captures the process of continuous improvement and adaptation of technologies. The key idea is that we cannot have a hybrid model where a human merely oversees an AI system. It is essential that either a human or a machine fully takes control, requiring further development and testing of technologies to achieve the necessary reliability.

ACE: What are the current economic and regulatory challenges in European aviation?

JK: The economic model and regulation in European aviation face several significant challenges that require substantial reforms. The existing system is often too bureaucratic and focused on cost control, hindering innovation and efficiency. I propose a model that would include a basic layer of regulated services, above which a competitive layer would exist. This two-layer approach would stimulate effective solutions and cooperation between states.

First, the current economic regulation system, which focuses on reducing costs, often prevents service providers from investing in innovation and improvement. This leads to a situation where providers are forced to minimize expenses, which can negatively impact service quality and safety. The proposed model would allow providers to compete based on quality and innovation, increasing overall efficiency and aviation safety.

Secondly, it is important for regulation to support cooperation between states. The current system, where each country has its own national service provider, leads to fragmentation and inefficient resource use. Economic incentives should promote cooperation and sharing of aviation resources between states. This would lead to greater integration of systems and better coordination of air traffic at the European level.

A significant challenge is also ensuring sufficient capacity for air traffic management. Although air traffic decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, we face a long-term capacity shortage, leading to delays and other operational issues. Regulation should support investments in capacity expansion and infrastructure modernization so that European airspace can handle the growing volume of air traffic.

Finally, bureaucratic obstacles and political factors often hinder the effective implementation of changes. The lack of courage of introducing a real reform is quite often replaced just by exchange of slogans and proclamation. It is easy to proclaim “green sky” at every each opportunity, that simply impossible to achieve it in situation of chronic problems with capacity and fragmented airspace. I am sometimes desperate from this hypocrisy although I am the first one opting for the greener sky. European institutions must create a stable and predictable regulatory environment that allows for long-term planning and investments in innovation.

Overall, it is crucial for regulation not only to control costs but also to actively support innovation, efficiency, and cooperation between states. This could lead to a more unified and efficient aviation system in Europe, capable of facing future challenges and ensuring safe and reliable air traffic for all users.

ACE: What are your visions for the future of aviation?

JK: The future of aviation lies in integrating new technologies, improving the reliability of existing systems, and effective regulation. It is essential that innovations are not an end in themselves but are always connected to specific needs and challenges in air traffic management. I believe that the key challenge will be to maintain a balance between technologies, procedures, and people, ensuring that aviation remains safe and efficient.

Technological innovations will play a crucial role in the future of aviation. We are seeing increasingly advanced systems and technologies that can significantly improve air traffic efficiency and safety. For example, advanced navigation systems enable more precise and efficient flight planning, reducing fuel consumption and emissions. It is also important to integrate new technologies into existing systems, which requires careful testing and verification to ensure their reliability and safety.

Another key element is the continuous improvement of the reliability of existing systems. Although new technologies bring many advantages, existing systems must be maintained and updated to meet current safety and efficiency requirements. This includes both technical systems and procedures and human factors. We must ensure that all components of air traffic management work in perfect harmony and perform at the highest level.

Effective regulation is another key element for the future of aviation. Regulations must be flexible and adaptable to the rapid development of technologies while being robust enough to ensure the safety and reliability of the entire system. Regulatory frameworks should support innovation and efficiency rather than merely controlling costs. This also includes economic incentives that should promote cooperation and resource sharing between states, leading to greater integration and efficiency of aviation systems.

Although technology and procedures are essential, the human factor remains a key element in aviation. It is important for people working in air traffic management to be well-trained and prepared for various situations. We pay great attention to training and education to prevent overload and ensure they can perform at their best without risking errors. The human factor must be integrated into all aspects of air traffic management to ensure its safety and efficiency.

Finally, sustainability is also important. Aviation must find ways to reduce its environmental impact. This includes not only reducing emissions and fuel consumption but also implementing more sustainable practices and technologies. Sustainability must be integrated into all aspects of air traffic management to ensure the sector’s long-term viability.

The future of aviation lies in integrating new technologies, improving the reliability of existing systems, effective regulation, maintaining the human factor, and ensuring sustainability. We must also address the economic and regulatory frameworks that support these advancements and ensure that the benefits of technological innovations are fully realized. Balancing these elements is key to keeping aviation safe, efficient, and sustainable.

 

By: Kateřina Urbanová

Photo credit: ŘLP



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