Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Africa

CANSO Regions

Boni Dibate
Director Africa Affairs, CANSO

CANSO’s flagship safety project in the region, the CANSO Africa ATM Safety Peer Review Initiative, now comprises 15 organisations from across Africa, working together to improve safety. And in recognition of its vital role in improving safety standards, this initiative has been adopted by ICAO in a regional aviation safety implementation plan.

CANSO has also conducted a variety of training initiatives to further enhance safety standards in Africa, coordinating with ICAO on runway safety, and exploring the importance of Just Culture, and effective safety and risk management. Together these attracted more than 400 participants around the globe.

To help build operational resilience, CANSO has been championing the implementation of key best practice, including collaborative decision making (CDM), airport collaborative decision making (A-CDM) and air traffic flow management (ATFM). The CANSO Mombasa ATFM Roadmap has moved to the implementation phase, and is proving vital in ensuring ANSPs have the knowledge to deliver effective ATM systems of the future.

In addition, CANSO has been working closely with industry counterparts to prepare strategies for recovery. CANSO has been collaborating with the Directors General of Civil Aviation of Western and Central African (WACAF) and Eastern and Southern African Regions (ESAF) at ICAO; IATA on ATFM, CDM,A-CDM and AIS/AIM, and IFATSEA on harnessing the power of technology in Africa.

As the region continues to adapt to a new future for aviation, collaboration will continue to be the foundation for transforming ATM in the region, and ultimately enabling a seamless African sky.

Boni Dibate
Director Africa Affairs, CANSO

In Africa, CANSO has been focussing on improving safety performance, building operational capacity, and mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic through best practice initiatives and collaboration with industry peers and partners

A collaborative
approach to seamless
African skies

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Key Highlights for the Year 

CANSO Region: Africa

Building operational resilience

Transforming safety performance

Progressed the CANSO Africa ATM Safety Peer Review Initiative, now comprising 15 organisations split into five groups. Together these have been reviewing each other’s safety management system implementation statuses and exchanging best practices on the implementing of safety management systems (SMS) using the CANSO Standard of Excellence in SMS and the Guide to Safety Management Tools. In addition, the initiative has been adopted by ICAO APIRG and the AFI Plan, an ICAO regional implementation plan for aviation safety in Africa. 

Facilitated a number of virtual safety workshops and webinars focussing on just culture, human factors, safety risk management and SMS implementation. These attracted more than 400 participants around the globe.

Hosted the CANSO Africa Safety Series, starting with a webinar on the EUROCONTROL/CANSO SoE in SMS Measurement Questionnaire, where ANSPs explored how to build, implement and improve their safety management systems (SMS), and participate in the global benchmarking. This continued with sessions on safety risk management analysis and hazard identification, hazard analysis & assessment, and risk treatment and monitoring. In addition, we held a virtual Just Culture workshop establishing an effective reporting culture, essential to the successful implementation of safety regulation. 

Collaborated with ICAO on CANSO Africa / ICAO Global Reporting Format (GRF) implementation awareness webinar, in partnership with the ICAO Eastern and Southern Africa (ESAF) office. The objective was to create awareness of the new GRF for Runway Surface Condition ahead implementation, and the steps aviation stakeholders in Africa need to take to be prepared. 

Launched the implementation phase of the CANSO Mombasa ATFM Roadmap, a regional strategy for implementing ATFM based on the principle of proactive and collaborative engagement of industry partners and maintenance of shared processes and procedures. Watch the introductory video here and follow our journey here. In addition, the Africa ATFM Implementation Plan: CANSO Mombasa ATFM Roadmap outlines the tools required to establish air traffic flow management (ATFM) in Africa. The implementation plan has been endorsed by APIRG and is being implemented in line with ICAO initiatives. 

Collaborated with IATA on activities like ATFM, CDM and A-CDM. The CANSO Africa Operations Workgroup also formed part of Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) sub group and participated in the Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) Terms of Reference document. 

Coordinated with Directors General of Civil Aviation of Western and Central African (WACAF) and Eastern and Southern African (ESAF) on the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART), Take-Off guidance document and COVID-19 recovery efforts.

Explored potential for harnessing technology, sharing information and ASBU implementation in the region with IFATSEA. Proposal to form a task team to drive this.

Solidified our partnership with industry stakeholders like ICAO, IATA, ACI, Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) AGM on restart and recovery plans.

Hosted virtual regional event with Metron Aviation to explore how to optimise air traffic recovery in Africa, attended by 34 participants including 9 Africa members.

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Member Testimonial

CANSO Region: Africa

The CANSO Mombasa ATFM Roadmap is the flagship of the AFI regions steps towards seamless African Sky Operations. As the African region pushes towards the realisation of achieving the perfect flight, while ensuring safety, efficient and predictable operations, the Mombasa Roadmap is strategically positioned to ensure that this ambition becomes a reality. Implementation of the Roadmap will be a pivotal milestone for the AFI region and will ensure that all stakeholders are part of the decision making and information across the region is shared first hand. Being part of the CANSO Mombasa ATFM Roadmap team means that I can also contribute towards improving aviation in the AFI Region. There’s a great sense of anticipation and the energy shown by all stakeholders of the Mombasa roadmap is close to nothing African aviation is ready for a change. 

Simon Zwane  
ATM Planning and Research,  ATNS

Hai Eng Chiang
Director Asia Pacific Affairs, CANSO

These remain central to the work of the region despite the onset of the pandemic. What has changed is largely the delivery medium. While before the pandemic CANSO had presented at many ICAO and industry events in the region, we now do these virtually. Our regional workgroup meetings and workshops used to be held physically, but now we have virtual meetings and webinars. I was particularly heartened to see participation rates in Asia Pacific meetings and webinars far exceeding pre-pandemic days. Emphasis was placed on supporting members with information sharing webinars, the dissemination of CANSO COVID-19 guides and traffic demand prediction.

Although air traffic has plummeted in the region and the pandemic has consumed the attention of the industry over the past months, it is important not to lose sight of the future. Recovery will eventually take place and aviation will again play a vital role helping the region rebuild and regain its growth momentum. We have therefore continued to contribute to the transformation of ATM in the region through our participation in the meetings of APANPIRG and its sub-groups on priority areas such as ATFM, A-CDM and ADS-B as well as in those of the Asia Pacific Multi-Nodal ATFM Cross-Border Collaboration (AMNAC) Group. 

While the coronavirus pandemic has brought unprecedented disruption to aviation it has brought into sharp focus the importance of collaboration and partnerships. Helping each other navigate this crisis has never been more important, not just among ANSPs but with ICAO and our aviation partners.

Hai Eng Chiang
Director Asia Pacific Affairs, CANSO

The strategic objectives of the CANSO Asia Pacific region are to promote collaboration and best practices among our Asia Pacific Members, work with ICAO and aviation partners to transform ATM performance in the region, add value to CANSO Asia membership and to grow our membership.

Transforming ATM
performance
in Asia Pacific

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Key Highlights for the Year 

CANSO Region: Asia Pacific

Events 

Virtual meetings

Training Collaboration

Advocacy and Presence 

To strengthen CANSO’s profile and to push for greater collaboration among States, ANSPs and industry partners.

CANSO participated in the ICAO APANPIRG meeting and the RASG-APAC meeting in Bangkok in November 2019 as well as in the various meetings of their technical sub-groups:

Promoting Collaboration and Industry Best Practice

Held a successful CANSO Asia Pacific Operations Workgroup and Safety Workgroup in Hanoi, Vietnam hosted by the Vietnam ATM Corporation (VATM). 40 participants from 14 ANSPs and CANSO attended the two meetings. A significant outcome was the development of a CANSO Asia Pacific Regional Operations Implementation Strategy.

Prepared for the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2020 with a theme focusing on ATM technology to be hosted by PNGASL in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The conference however was postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic.

Conducted a Strategic Technology Workshop during the joint session of the Asia Pacific Safety and Operations Workgroups in Hanoi. Asia Pacific Members were provided information on emerging ATM technologies by facilitators from the CANSO Strategic Technology Workgroup.

Conducted a CANSO Safety Management Seminar for CAA Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar. The seminar covered the CANSO Standard of Excellence in Safety Management Systems and SEANS-safety and served as an important step in helping CAA Mongolia prepare for their SEANS-safety assessment in December. 

A record 70 participants from 19 ANSPs attended the CANSO Asia Pacific Safety Workgroup in June 2020. Participants shared information and experiences on how their ANSPs were managing safety risks including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic

CANSO Asia Pacific helped deliver a series of webinars:

CANSO worked with CAAS to deliver an ATFM course in Singapore in October to 24 participants.

Submitted a digital learning report to APC3 in June 2020 followed by a webinar which shared the findings of the project with 100 participants from 18 ANSPs.

A digital learning project was launched in partnership with Airways New Zealand involving more than 300 participants from 10 ANSPs and the use of Airbooks on topics such as PBN, SMS and ATC. The trial demonstrated the effectiveness and value of digital learning and proved timely as remote learning could help overcome restrictions imposed on classroom training by the pandemic.

CANSO participated as panel speaker and presented papers in a number of important aviation meetings in the region such as the APAC Directors General of Civil Aviation Conference, the China Civil Aviation Development Forum, the 3rd ICAO Global Aviation Cooperation Symposium and the IFATCA APAC Regional Meeting.

CANSO Director APAC Affairs was a speaker/presenter at the following events:

  • China Civil Aviation Development Forum on Intelligent Aviation in Beijing

  • The 3rd ICAO Global Aviation Cooperation Symposium in Phuket, Thailand

  • The 56th APAC DGCA Conference in Kathmandu, Nepal

  • The 36th IFATCA APAC Regional Meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal

CANSO presented the ATM perspective in the following ICAO APAC forums:

  • ICAO APAC DGCAs COVID-19 Information Sharing Sessions

  • ICAO APAC COVID-19 Contingency and Recovery Planning Group Meetings

  • CAPSCA-AP – Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation Asia Pacific

  • ICAO APAC COVID-19-Related ATM Operations and Contingency Coordination Meetings

DG CAAS Mr. Kevin Shum participated as a panelist in the DGCA Conference in his capacity as Chair of APC3 where he spoke on CANSO’s contribution in meeting capacity challenges.

At APANPIRG, we presented a paper highlighting CANSO’s efforts in support of the Beijing Ministerial Declaration and gave examples of how it collaborated with States, ANSPs and industry partners to drive implementation efforts in the region. 

At the 23rd ICAO APAC Communications, Navigation and Surveillance Sub-Group Meeting in Bangkok in September 2019, we highlighted CANSO’s work to develop a CANSO Standard of Excellence in Cyber Security. 

CANSO has continued to contribute actively to the APANPIRG work through our participation at ICAO virtual meetings following the cancellation of physical meetings due to the pandemic.

At the RASG-APAC, CANSO presented a paper publicising the CANSO Standard of Excellence in Human Performance Management. CANSO also delivered a paper publicising the CANSO SEANS-safety assessment programme at both APANPIRG and RASG-APAC to encourage States to take into consideration SEANS-Safety assessments in the safety oversight of their ANSPs. 

The CANSO ATFM/CDM Workgroup Co-Chair led two ICAO-CANSO APAC A-CDM Workshops in Bangkok in October 2019.

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Key Highlights for the Year 

CANSO Region: Asia Pacific

It has been a pleasure to work with CANSO on the digital learning project. Airways is committed to the CANSO community and the aims of this project were to foster greater collaboration, keep pace with technology and improve training outcomes among member ANSPs. I think we achieved these aims and special thanks to CANSO’s Director Asia Pacific Affairs, Hai Eng Chiang, for his efforts in facilitating this project. 

Sharon Cooke  
CEO, Airways International Ltd

Tanja Grobotek
CANSO Director Europe, CANSO

At the start of the crisis, we were quick to highlight the significant financial consequences for ANSPs resulting from the deferral of ATC fees by the airlines. Our goal was to ensure that States factored ANSPs into their financial recovery plans and that they were not regarded as a source of financial subsidies for airlines. A solution to the crisis should not move the problem from one part of the aviation industry to another.

Next, we worked with EUROCONTROL to secure a loan to help any struggling organisations to secure the finances to cover the revenue shortfall. Ten of our Members took advantage of this opportunity, while the remaining members secured a financial solution locally.

We also worked with industry bodies such as ICAO, IATA, IFALPA and A4E on issues related to the restart and recovery. As an example, we worked with EASA on Return Normal Operations (RNO) project.

And as the industry began looking to the future and in particular how ANSPs are paid by airspace users under the EU’s Performance and Charging Scheme regulation, influencing the discussions became a priority. The Commission’s initial proposal would have seen ANSPs lose around €1 billion in revenue for 2020. Following advocacy by CANSO and its members, the Commission’s latest proposal dropped this approach in favour of an alternative focused on controlling ANSP costs – a significant improvement.

Beyond the COVID-19 crisis another area of focus for CANSO Europe was working with industry on the safe integration of drones into European airspace and establishing the ANSP role in unmanned aircraft systems traffic management (UTM). We worked to develop an all-inclusive, cooperative approach and following intense advocacy efforts by the team, the European Commission amended a number of key requirements of the draft regulatory framework for UTM/U-space proposal that will allow ANSPs to play an active role as central information service provider (CISP) and U-space service provider (USSP).

We’ve also been working with our Members on plans to reduce the environmental impact of aviation. A key highlight was working on a cross-industry trial of Perfect Flights this summer. Looking further ahead, we are partnering with other aviation associations in an initiative to map out an European Sustainable Aviation Roadmap. The ambition is to plan a way for the European aviation sector to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

It has been a very busy year, with some complex issues to contend with. When we meet virtually at CANSO’s AGM, the Single European Sky SES2+ proposal will be published and this will be another major initiative in which we will represent the interest of our members. The CANSO team is looking forward to working with our Members towards the recovery from the current crisis and in building a bright future for European skies.

Tanja Grobotek
CANSO Director Europe, CANSO

2020 has been a year unlike any we’ve seen before in the aviation industry. As the COVID-19 pandemic began to take a grip, helping our Members navigate the crisis and lobbying hard on their behalf soon became a crucial area of focus for the CANSO Europe team.

Ramping up our
advocacy efforts

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Key Highlights for the Year 

CANSO Region: Europe

Navigating the COVID-19 crisis

Promoting sustainability

Promoting the ANSP role in UTM/U-Space

Influencing the European agenda

Improving safety

Promoting technology advances

Advocated on the financial threat posed by the deferment of ATC charges payment by the airlines and stressed that the crisis should not move the problem from one part of the aviation industry to another.

Worked with other aviation associations on the impact of the crisis producing a joint letter and coordinated press releases, with a focus on a green recovery.

Lobbied the European Commission on the Performance and Charging Scheme regulation – resulting in a change of approach and preventing the loss of around €1 billion in revenue for 2020. The latest proposal is focussed on controlling ANSP costs – a significant improvement.

Promoted and shared best practice with measures to contain COVID-19 health risks and to guarantee the maximum level of continuity in the provision of air navigation services.

In association with IATA, A4E, ERA, AIRE, IFATCA and the EUROCONTROL Network Manager, launched an ambitious environmental initiative to facilitate ‘Perfect Flights’ while traffic volumes were lower than usual.

Alongside other European aviation associations, ACI, A4E, ERA and ASD, commissioned and actively contributed to a study on the European Sustainable Aviation Roadmap (ESAR). This will identify pathways to substantially reducing aviation carbon emissions between now and 2050.

CANSO and IATA coordinated the efforts of 16 of Europe’s leading aviation associations to ask the European Commission to develop an all-inclusive, cooperative approach to ensure the safe integration of drones into European airspace. As a result, the EC amended the draft regulatory framework for UTM/U-space proposal allowing ANSPs to play an active role as Central information Service Provider (CISP) and U-Space Service Provider (USSP).

Developed a position paper to influence EUROCONTROL/NM proposals on its advisory structure, activities and processes. It covered:

  • Future role and tasks of the Network Manager (NM)

  • Governance and Finance of the NM and EUROCONTROL Agency

  • Evolution of the NM and EUROCONTROL advisory structure

  • ANSPs and CANSO involvement in NM and EUROCONTROL advisory groups

Positively influenced the setting of ANSP targets for the EU’s Performance and Charging Scheme for the years 2020-2024, ensuring ANSPs key concerns were duly considered and persuading the EC to consider local circumstances. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, years 2020-21 will be covered by amended regulation.

Participated in the development of an ATM Social and Human Dimension Roadmap – a joint initiative to set out a workplan to support the implementation of new initiatives for the Single European Sky with particular emphasis on the role of ATCOs as automation increases in the future.

Organised workshops on several topics such as ‘How to perform observations of normal operations’, ‘Incident investigations and gaining trust of operational personnel’ and ‘Safety management of Changes’. The outcome of the workshop is being used to develop Toolboxes that will contain the best practices identified. 

Contributed to the work of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) including preparing inputs to the European Plan for Aviation Safety (EPAS), ATM safety risk portfolio and rule making activities on the technical requirements for the provision of remote, data link services, update of the ATCO regulation, conformity assessment, etc.

Successfully influenced the 2020 edition of the European ATM Master Plan and the Airspace Architecture Study Transition Plan. 

Through our involvement in the European Aviation High Level Group on Artificial Intelligence (EAAI HLG), contributed to ‘Fly AI’ report which assesses its potential to transform the ATM sector.

Facilitated the sharing of best practices on CNS rationalisation and other technical topics such as PBN and ADS-B.

Successfully influenced the EU Cybersecurity Strategy and supported the harmonised implementation of the Directive on security of network and information systems (NIS Directive).

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Key Highlights for the Year 

CANSO Region: Europe

Communications and advocacy of CANSO Europe evolved to a new level, focussing on the key priorities of the members. For example, the advocacy of CANSO resulted in the amendment of the draft regulation on UTM/U-Space by the European Commission now leading to an approach integrating the important contributions ANSPs will play in UTM. This is an important milestone ensuring the safe and fair integration of drones in European airspace. 

Professor Klaus-Dieter Scheurle  
Chairman and CEO, DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH

In anticipation of the European Commission and its European Green Deal aiming to become a net-zero continent by 2050, CANSO Europe was proactive in an effort to identifying pathways to substantially reduce aviation carbon emissions. To do this, we partnered with the representatives of (regional) airlines (A4E), aerospace manufacturers (ASD), airports (ACI Europe) to develop European Sustainable Aviation Roadmap. Starting from a reference scenario, potential carbon emission reductions from aircraft and engine technology, air traffic management and operations, sustainable aviation fuels and economic measures are identified, modelled and assessed in order to identify the extent to which these efforts can help realise European and international goals. This way CANSO yet again demonstrated leadership to tackle challenges as well building cooperation with industry stakeholders. 

Michiel Van Dorst  
CEO, LVNL

At the start of the crisis, CANSO Europe was quick to highlight ANSPs feeling significant consequences resulting from the COVID-19 crisis. CANSO did an excellent job facilitating the exchange of best practices between ANSPs and providing essential guidance for the ATM industry on navigating the global COVID-19 pandemic. 

ANSPs need to continue to keep operations running safely as we cannot close our airspace, albeit the traffic is at a reduced level, as well bear the consequences we are faced with the deferral of ATC fees by the airlines. Change in approach by European Commission on the Performance and Charging Scheme regulation amendment, from considering ANSPs as a source of financial subsidies for airlines (Traffic Risk Sharing Mechanisms) to focusing on controlling ANSPs costs, was result of a strong CANSO Europe advocacy campaign that resulted in prevention of the loss of around 1 EUR billion in revenue for 2020.

In addition, CANSO managed to keep working on the 5 top priorities of the CANSO Europe Vision roadmap as originally planned, supporting the EU initiative for Digital European Sky and the ‘operational excellence’ programmes to improve the ATM performance of the Network. CANSO has also contributed to the development of a Human Dimension Roadmap – a joint initiative with staff representatives with particular emphasis on the role of ATCOs and ATSEPs to find if there are any issues when moving towards a more automated working environment.

Raine Luojus  
CEO of ANS Finland and new chair of CANSO Europe’s EC3

Just before this unprecedented crisis, we had completed the most challenging project in our relatively short history. Back in December last year BHANSA started to provide services in the upper airspace as well. And, instead of focusing on preparation for the first full and successful season ever, we almost ground to a halt. With all recent investments, this pandemic was literally leading us to a standstill.

And for a small provider from a small country, CANSO was not natural but also the only option we could count on. We knew we would not be left in the dark and through CANSO our voice would be heard too.

Indeed, it was a challenging, somehow hectic period. Nevertheless, it was CANSO who kept successfully communicating among all stakeholders and sending clear messages and proposals to those concerned. Finally, CANSO’s advocacy contributed to the first financial package for the ANSPs. And that support continues through the discussions with the EC about the future of Performance and Charging Scheme regulation. 

Mr. Davorin Primorac  
CEO, BHANSA

Javier Vanegas

Director Latin America and Caribbean Affairs, CANSO

It is not a secret, and like so many other parts of the world, traffic levels in the region have been hit hard. At the lowest point, traffic was more than 80 per cent down on 2019 levels and is only just beginning to bounce back.

This has clearly shaped much of our activity since we last gathered in person with our ANSP and industry colleagues at our highly successful Latin America and Caribbean Conference in Curaçao. We have helped share best practice and advice to our members through webinars and guides. We have collaborated with other industry associations to promote the important role the aviation industry plays in our society and the need for financial aid. We keep providing tangible benefits to our membership. 

Challenges are opportunities and during the past year there have also been some great achievements. One of the key highlights for me was the important role that CADENA has played throughout. The ability for aviation stakeholders from across the community to update each other on the fluctuating traffic levels has proved invaluable. It also proved a great tool for awareness during the recent Space-X take-off and its safe return to earth.

Safety is our industry’s number one priority and CANSO is delighted to be nominated as the international organisations’ and industry Co-Chair of the Regional Aviation Safety Group – Pan America (RASG-PA). It is a big responsibility to co-lead a regional safety group and CANSO is committed to contributing and supporting the implementation of safety management and collaborative decision-making processes, as well as identifying regional requirements and mitigating aviation safety risks in the region. Our good relationship and partnership with the industry strengthened our advocacy efforts throughout the pandemic and the ATM voice was heard in all the countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. 

It has been a year full of challenges and opportunities, but one which offers us the chance to become a stronger and more resilient industry.

Javier Vanegas
Director Latin America and Caribbean Affairs, CANSO

Like so many regions of the world, the Latin America and Caribbean region has been significantly impacted by COVID-19. The pandemic took its time to arrive on our continent and despite the delicate situation, ANSPs are committed to providing a vital service to the aviation industry and the region.

Harnessing the
power of collaboration

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Key Highlights for the Year 

CANSO Region: Latin America and Caribbean

Industry Collaboration

Advocating on behalf of our Members

Successes

CADENA continues to add value

Joined ICAO in organising the Fifth Air Navigation Implementation Working Group meeting.

Participated as a panellist in the ICAO CART webinar organised by the ICAO South America regional office. Over 500 delegates from the Latin America and Caribbean region participated

Participated in the ICAO South America Region Director General Virtual Meeting – Responding to COVID-19

Participated with ACI-LAC, and ALTA in a virtual round table organised by the ICAO South America Regional Director and emphasised the importance of industry-government collaboration in the recovery phase

Presented at the air navigation safety conference held in Guatemala. COCESNA briefed on behalf of CANSO and provided information about CANSO´s SEANS-Safety programme, SMS questionnaire (translated to Spanish) and CANSO´s work on SMS implementation

Highlighted CANSO ATFM and CDM best practice and the importance of ATFM at the South America Implementation Group (SAMIG) 23rd meeting

Contributed to The Regional Aviation Safety Group – Pan America (RASG-PA) Safety Advisory (RSA) on the ‘Recovery of the industry from the crisis of COVID-19’

Participated with ACI-LAC, and ALTA in a virtual round table organised by the ICAO South America Regional Director to discuss the importance of aviation, and why governments need to support the aviation industry 

Joined ICAO, IATA and the FAA in organising an ad-hoc safety meeting for Mexico 

Participated at the South America Implementation Group (SAMIG23) 23rd meeting – supporting the development of the ATFM Regional CONOPS

In response to IATA´s request for ANSPs to lower their air navigation charges and reduce their cost, CANSO with the support of COCESNA published a Spanish language press release “We must act now to keep our skies safe”.

Issued a joint Statement with ACI-LAC, ALTA, and IATA urging governments in Latin America and the Caribbean region to work in a coordinated and assertive manner to sustain the viability of the aviation industry.

Alongside ACI-LAC, ALTA, IATA and the World Travel and Tourism Council sent a letter to the Ministers of Transport and Health of the Latin America and the Caribbean region providing a strong signal that the industry is unified and that we all recommend quick implementation of ICAO’s CART Take-Off guidance. A total of 80 letters were sent to governments in 38 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean.

CANSO was elected the Regional Aviation Safety Group – Pan America (RASG-PA) Industry Co-Chair.

Organised a highly successful Latin America and Caribbean Conference with over 100 delegates including ANSPs and industry suppliers a main outcome of which was the approval of the CANSO Latin America and Caribbean region cybersecurity workgroup.

Ran a COVID-19 webinar CANSO sharing Insights, Updates and Best Practice from the region.

Helped draft the Strategic Framework for the Recovery of International Air Transport in the South America Region in response to COVID-19 including five focus areas: orderly reactivation, harmonised sanitary protocols, financial sustainability, communication strategy and user trust.

Supported the ICAO NACC office in developing a checklist of air traffic management needs that States should consider during the reactivation phase. The list was submitted to international organisations for their inputs and commitments.

Approved the RASG-PAs Procedures handbook fifth edition. CANSO led and provided input to the revision of the RASG-PA Procedures handbook fifth edition. 

Increased the number of ANSP and airline participants in CADENA, including FAA Space Operations office and Instituto Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil (INAC) ANSP Venezuela

Explored critical role space launch and recovery plays within the aviation industry and the importance of ensuring operational safety throughout the global airspace system during launches and recoveries, and the importance of timely operational collaboration, communication, and issuance of NOTAMS

Published the CADENA Procedures Manual 

Launched the CADENA OIS chat room feature

Airline advisories started allowing airlines to post information of their operations in the CADENA OIS

Created ANSP Contingency Form 

Developed LoAs templates (FMU to FMU)

Introduced ability for the CADENA OIS to allow ANSPs to assign Traffic Management Measures to multiple ANSPs

Developed CADENA Pre-Coordinated Routes following hurricane patterns and among city pairs – in coordination with ANSPs and airlines

Posted CADENA Update – COVID-19 Operational Limitations report to the CADENA OIS together with the airline’s operational outlook for the Latin American and Caribbean region, including details of each ANSP constraints and changes

Organised two tabletop exercises covering contingency Events

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

Key Highlights for the Year 

CANSO Region: Latin America and Caribbean

The CADENA initiative has promoted and fostered a greater level of collaboration between Trinidad and Tobago and our neighbouring CADENA FIRs, by providing an effective forum through which we can reach out to neighbouring ANSPs, airlines and other regional and international partners, in order to coordinate and share pertinent information that impact operations. This collaboration, through CADENA, has enhanced decision making, and improved our response to major operational constraints, particularly during the hurricane season, between June – November; and high demand periods, during the holiday season, December – March. 

Curtis A. Fraser  
Air Traffic Management Officer – Planning and Technical Evaluation
Air Navigation Services, Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority

The CADENA initiative has made and continues to make an invaluable contribution to the establishment of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority’s ATFM Programme. The facilitation of a collaborative environment through various types of forum and in particular the CADENA OIS Platform, and the provision of ATFM resources has allowed us to truly develop a system-wide approach of traffic management. The connectivity to industry stakeholders has been excellent, as it allows us to obtain input and instant feedback for the planning, development and execution of our programmmes. 

Deano P. Ledford  
Director, Air Traffic Management (Acting), Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority

Although the ATFM service is relatively new in our country, being part of the CADENA initiative has been crucial to achieving growth and sustainable learning outcomes in the development of these new national and regional operational concepts for ATFM.

The CADENA Team has been with us since our first steps and throughout the implementation of the FMU EZEIZA, providing all the necessary assistance, not only by exchanging information across borders, but also bridging the gap between ANSPs and stakeholders, at both regional and international levels.  

Thanks to this methodology, we were able to integrate the different operational concepts and to enhance procedures, as well as improving efficiency and effectiveness in the decision-making process by building on the experience and the lessons learned from our colleagues.

While the coronavirus pandemic has confronted the world with an unprecedented situation, the CADENA Team has been active in providing support and solidarity, endorsed by clear and accessible communication and pooling the efforts of all concerned in this large family that the CADENA Team has become.

Flavia Eliana Moreno  
Especialista ATFM en FMU EZE, EANA

Being part of CADENA has increased COCESNA’s information exchange among aviation community. Consequently the additional information has lead to better decision-making, enabling us to adapt and respond to changing conditions, such as equipment failures and of course the COVID-19. 

Fernando Soto McNab  
Coordinator ATFM, COCESNA

CADENA has assisted and allowed for the flow of informational data for launch and re-entry operations in the NAS. The need for timely exchange of information between ANSPs regarding launch and re-entry missions is critical to the safe and efficient management of the NAS and adjacent airspaces. 

Duane Freer  
Manager Space Operations, FAA 

IDAC TMU is pleased to be interacting with all these ANSP and friends, making our daily activities easier and more effective coordination than before CANSO. 

CTA-George A. Matthew  
IDAC TMU

CANSO participated in the joint ICAO/Arab Civil Aviation Organisation Global Aviation Safety Plan National Aviation Safety Plan Workshop, as well as the ICAO Regional Aviation Safety Group (RASG-MID) Steering Committee.

We presented CANSO’s work on cyber issues at the ICAO Cyber Security and Resilience Symposium in Jordan and contributed to the regional Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) workshop in Egypt.

We are an active participant in the regional Air Traffic Flow Management Task Force and the FIFA World Cup 2022 Task Force.

We have briefed the region on Latin America and the Caribbean’s approach to CDM via CADENA to help them develop their own plans and contributed to an ICAO Global Reporting Format seminar to assist the region with preparations for the new GRF standard.

The CANSO Middle East Region is currently without a regional director. CANSO’s programme managers and global workgroup chairs have continued to ensure effective representation of CANSO in safety and operational forums in the region.

Year in Review | CANSO Regions

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