International Civil Aviation Organization

World-wide CNS/ATM Systems

Implementation Conference

Rio de Janeiro, 11 – 15 May 1998

WW/IMP–WP/15

4/2/98

Item 2

Agenda Item 2:	Institutional issues

2.1	Organizational structures at the national level, including private sector participation

2.2	Co-operative and sub-regional approaches, including multinational air navigation facilities and services

2.3	The management of global ATM systems

2.4	ICAO's Global Plan for CNS/ATM systems

SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS PERTAINING TO THE ICAO

CNS/ATM SYSTEMS

(Presented by the Secretariat)

Information Paper

Summary
This paper, in support of action paper WW/IMP-WPs/4 through 6, addresses specific organizational aspects pertaining to the CNS/ATM systems, focusing first on background comments, then on organizational aspects pertaining to the satellite systems serving CNS/ATM communications needs, such aspects pertaining to the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and finally on organizational aspects pertaining to the air traffic management (ATM) component of the CNS/ATM systems. The text is based on Chapter 2 of the ICAO Manual on Air Navigation Services Economics (Doc 9161/3).

1.	Background

1.1	Implementation of the ICAO CNS/ATM systems will require considerable investments in the area of air traffic management (e.g. automation and support systems) as well as on the communications and navigation side. The latter involves space segment components as well as associated ground-based components of the systems (e.g. satellites or satellite transponders, ground earth stations, etc.). Different factors though will need to be considered depending on the means chosen to meet respectively communications requirements or navigation requirements. Common to both, however, is that the magnitude of the investments involved and the capacity that will be provided are such that, with extremely few exceptions, it is not feasible or practical for a State to implement such systems for its own sole use.

1.2	Insofar as the satellite components are concerned, two different types of satellite constellations will be involved, that is the satellites required to serve mobile communication needs and those required to serve navigation needs (the global navigation satellite systems, GNSS). A major effect of both, however, is that once they are fully implemented on a global scale, the need for States to provide and operate conventional communication and navigation systems will be significantly reduced. From an organizational point of view, this in turn will mean that the staff and facilities required to operate the associated facilities and structures would largely become redundant, although some could be redirected towards work associated with the provision of the new satellite-based communication services. The extent of the redundancy would also be influenced by the technical solution and implementation option chosen (see below). But because of the centralization inherent in satellite operations, redundancies would occur in most States in staff and facilities previously devoted to serving aeronautical communication needs if the economies of satellite application are to be realized.

2.	Communication satellite services − implementation and option selection

2.1	The satellite system serving CNS/ATM communication needs will require an extensive network of ground-based facilities, including ground earth stations and associated communication links to area control centres, etc. As there are different means of system access, States will have different implementation options. Depending on requirements and circumstances, different States or groups of States may choose different options. Relevant to the selection of an implementation option and the resulting organizational structure are also such economic factors as achievable economies of scale, scope for competition and requirements for economic regulation. But it should be stressed that the specific framework a State or group of States may select, cannot be established nor can the appropriate legal instrument covering its establishment be drawn up, until the States concerned have themselves determined what approach best meets their requirements.

2.2	While many States may operate some elements of the ground-based facilities themselves (e.g. ground earth stations), access to satellites or satellite transponders will primarily be through so called service providers that will provide satellite access either directly or by acting as co-ordinators for satellite operators. From an organizational point of view, though, a State has a number of implementation options or a combination of options. These cover a wide range according to which a State can:

a)	contract with certified service providers;

b)	commission existing multilateral State organizations such as ASECNA, COCESNA, EUROCONTROL, etc. to act on their behalf in dealing with service providers;

c)	join other States to form an ad hoc group of States or a new international organization which would negotiate for service; and/or

d)	use a mechanism within ICAO (for example along the lines of the Danish and Icelandic Joint Financing Agreements) to act on behalf of States in dealing with service providers.

2.3	Further to what was stated above, the selection of the implementation option a State may wish to apply is likely to be strongly influenced by at least two factors, namely the cost-effectiveness of the alternatives, and the extent to which the State concerned will continue to maintain the control it presently exercises over the provision of communications services to civil aviation. The latter also includes the extent to which existing facilities and personnel can continue to be utilized in the provision of CNS/ATM system services as opposed to being made redundant by the implementation option(s) selected.

3.	Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)

3.1	The GNSS will, at least initially, be composed of: a) the satellite systems which provide the standard positioning service (SPS)*; and b) system augmentation which may either have wide area (hemispheric) coverage or local area coverage (often referred to as up to 240 km or 150 miles). System augmentation is required for meeting the performance criteria imposed by aviation. The standard positioning service satellite systems are being offered free of charge by the two provider States concerned, up to the year 2010 by the Russian Federation (the GLONASS system) and for the forseeable future with six years advance notice of any change to that policy by the United States (the GPS system). Both these systems are military systems, which are being made available for civilian use. Until these systems are replaced by (civilian) systems requiring financial commitments from the civil establishment world-wide, the provision (as opposed to the use) of the standard positioning service does not appear to be dependent on organizational issues needing to be addressed by States other than the two provider States.

3.2	Systems augmentation gives rise to somewhat different considerations. For example, augmentation with wide area or hemispheric coverage could be provided by the same State(s) or entity that operate a satellite constellation providing global standard positioning service. However, a group of States or a regional organization might also undertake to operate the augmentation satellite service required, either by themselves (itself) or by contracting with a commercial or government organization to do so on their (its) behalf. Thus the same type of options as outlined in paragraph 2.2 apply. In each instance costs would be incurred that presumably would need to be recovered. From an organizational point of view such augmentation would in fact be a multinational facility or service, to which the guidance material on the provision and operation of multinational facilities and services described in WW/IMP-WP/17, could apply if the augmentation is to serve civil aviation only or primarily. On the other hand, if civil aviation is only going to be one and a minority user of the augmentation services provided, and the same operator would provide augmentation services worldwide, a joint concerted approach through, for example, ICAO, a regional air navigation services providers association or an international aviation user association in dealing with the service provider may be the best approach.

3.3	Augmentation with local coverage would probably not require international involvement provided that the facility would meet the specifications and standards required for it to be listed as an international civil aviation facility. The facility itself could be provided by the national or local government or under contract by a commercial entity.

4.	Air traffic management

4.1	With regard to organizational aspects, implementation of the ICAO CNS/ATM systems concept is perhaps of special relevance to air traffic management. This is because the advanced communication, navigation and surveillance technology involved offers the possibility to expand the capacity of individual area control centres (ACCs) in many parts of the world and particularly over the high seas, both in terms of geographical coverage and the more efficient technical means by which control functions could be carried out. As a result it would be possible and technically and economically feasible to merge many flight information regions (FIRs) into what could be termed a (single) air traffic management region and correspondingly reduce the number of ACCs. However, it should be assumed that the decision made by individual States as to whether or not to proceed in this manner would not so much be taken principally on technical or economic grounds, but would instead depend on the situation in the State concerned and would often be strongly influenced by government policy.

4.2	Even without an ACC a State may still need to incur costs associated with providing CNS/ATM systems services as well as other air navigation services for overflying traffic and during the en-route phase of traffic landing on or departing from its territory (e.g. participation in GNSS augmentation schemes, COM fixed links with one or more ACCs, and MET costs). Such costs together with the costs of closing an ACC would continue to be recoverable by the State(s) concerned. This would call for co-operation or agreement between that State and the entity operating the ACC serving the air traffic management region covering the State concerned. The entity could be an international or regional body, a joint operation by a few States, or another State. In essence the agreement or scheme would call for all costs attributable to the provision of air navigation services to air traffic during the en- route phase of flight, that would be borne by the State which has closed its ACC to be included in the cost base for and recovered through the charges levied through the ACC serving the air traffic management region (i.e. the expanded FIR). CNS/ATM costs attributable to services provided during the approach and/or departure phase of flight would, like the costs of other air navigation services attributable to this phase of operations, be recoverable through approach and aerodrome control charges.

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