NATS takes equity stake in Aireon to help accelerate technology revolution in global aviation surveillance - Seite 2

Don Thoma, Aireon Chief Executive Officer, added: "We are ecstatic to welcome NATS to the Aireon investor family. NATS was among the first air navigation service providers to see the benefits of space-based ADS-B, and now it only makes sense that they would become a more formal part of Aireon. The enhancements Aireon's space-based ADS-B service will allow in the North Atlantic are a game changer for the aviation industry and will connect North America and Europe unlike ever before."

Marc Courtois, Chair of the Board of Directors for both Aireon and NAV CANADA stated: "Adding NATS to our ownership group further confirms what the industry has largely already realised, that Aireon is on track to fundamentally improve flight safety worldwide. The technology is real, the system is already performing beyond expectations, there are just a few more launches to go, and we are eager to start seeing the improved benefits to the aviation industry and the flying public."

Baroness Sugg, the UK's Aviation Minister said: "We welcome the agreement between NATS and Aireon which will see UK skills and expertise play a leading role in developing the next generation of global air traffic management technology. Our world class aviation industry has a proud and accomplished history, from the invention of the jet engine to pioneering air traffic control. This agreement will help ensure that we remain at the forefront of this vibrant sector.

In addition, it will further enhance safety by enabling the monitoring of aircraft anywhere in the world, as well as improving the sustainability of our aviation sector. These are all central to the Government as we develop our Aviation Strategy."

In order to ensure a safe operation today without the technology to automatically monitor flights in real time, aircraft over the Atlantic follow very prescriptive speed and separation restrictions along a rigid track structure that both limits the capacity of the airspace and forces the airlines to fly trajectories that burn more fuel and generate more CO₂. Air traffic controllers can only track a flight's progress by receiving around five position reports from the pilot every hour.

Fulfilling future traffic demand and delivering service improvements whilst maintaining a safe operation isn't possible using today's technology without operational constraints being applied to our customers. The analysis jointly undertaken by NATS and NAV CANADA, endorsed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), projects an approximate 76% reduction in safety risk from using the Aireon service. This would allow NATS to meet ICAO's safety targets while also meeting the growth needs of the North Atlantic as well as giving customers more flexibility in how they fly across the ocean.