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Implementation of the Single European Sky initiative

FACT SHEET NO.: Cat-No.4 / Subcat-No.4.5-1

General Information

Title

FACT SHEET NO.: Cat-No.4 / Subcat-No.4.5-1

Category

4. Internal market

Subcategory

4.5 Internal Market (intramodal): air

Transport policy measure (TPM)

Implementation of the Single European Sky initiative

Description of TPM

The transport policy measure SESAR (Single European Sky ATM (Air Traffic Management) Research) is the infrastructure modernisation programme for the Single European Sky (SES) initiative and represents its technological pillar and operational dimension. The Single European Sky initiative, launched by the European Commission, aims to reform and harmonise the European air traffic architecture by proposing a legislative approach to increase aviation capacity and safety on European level.
The European air traffic control infrastructure modernisation programme (SESAR) will be implemented (from 2013) and meet the projected traffic by the year 2020. SESAR will quote a paradigm change in ATM by closing rank between ground and air by fastening and simplifying the exchange of information. ATM concerns ground based controllers which primary tasks are to organise and expedite the flow of air traffic. The improvement of technologies exchanging these information will not only be restricted between air traffic controllers and pilots, but also improve the information flow from airline operation centres, meteorological services and airports, hence the overall network performance. Founded by the European Commission and Eurocontrol, the SESAR program members cover the whole aviation industry including airport operators, air navigation service providers, equipment makers and aircraft builders. [1]
SESAR aims at developing the new generation European air traffic management network which has hardly been modernized since the 1960s. ATM includes Air Traffic Controlling (= managing the synchronisation and separation of aircrafts on the ground and in flight), Air Space Management (by establishing permanent or dynamic air space structures in order to accomodate the different types of air activity, the traffic and the resources) and organisation of Air Traffic Flow and Capacity Management (by creating an orderly flow of air traffic). In Europe the ATM services are provided by Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs, typically one per country) and Eurocontrol. The purpose of the SESAR programme is to develop new flight procedures and to design the future European ATM system as an integrated and distributed system, which is interoperable and based on a single ATM architecture and common standards.

Implementation examples

Objectives of TPM

The development of a better exchange of information by SESAR will lead to an overall improvement within the European aviation sector by:
- increasing safety
- increasing of system capacity and the manageable number of flights
- environmental benefits
- a better planning of flights leading to less congestion
- increasing the fluidity of air transport by a higher predictability of departures and arrivals and avoid unnecessary waiting times
- lower costs for airlines and tickets by increasing efficiency; lower maintenance and procurement costs
- increasing cost
-efficiency regarding economies of scales
- development and avoidance of fragmentation
- EU community level standards [1] [3] [4] [9]

Choice of transport mode / Multimodality

No change

Origin and/or destination of trip

No change

Trip frequency

Increase of possible trip frequency due to higher capacity / predictability / manageable number of flights

Choice of route

No change

Timing (day, hour)

Improvements in flight planning (operators, ground control) will increase capacity

Occupancy rate / Loading factor

No change

Energy efficiency / Energy usage

Improvement of energy efficiency. Less energy usage, because of reduction no delays (ground / air)

Main source

[1] European Commission (2010): The future of flying. SESAR Joint undertaking, Brussels.
[2] European Commission (2006): The SESAR Initiative. Research paves the way for the Single European Sky. Brussels
[3] SESAR Joint undertaking at http://www.sesarju.eu/
[4] Steer Davies Glaeve (2005): SESAME CBA and governance. Assessment of options, benefits and associated costs of the SESAME Programme for the definition of the future air traffic management system, London.
[5] European Commission (2008): Communication from the Commission - The Air Traffic Management Master Plan (The ATM Master Plan). COM(2008)750. Brussels.
[6] European Commission (2008): SESAR Consortium - SESAR Master Plan. SESAR Definition Phase - Milestone Deliverable 5
[7] European Commission (2011): Assessing the macroeconomic impact of SESAR. Final report.
[8] European Commission (2008): Commission Staff working document accompanying the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliamant and Council amending regulations in order to improve the performance and sustainability of the European aviation system. Impact assessment. SEC(2008)2093, Brussels.
[9] Council of the European Union (2009). Council resolution on the endorsement of the European Air Traffic Management Master Plan [30/03/2009]. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/trans/106966.pdf

Traffic Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Travel or transport time

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Risk of congestion

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Vehicle mileage

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Service and comfort

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Implementation phase

2013

Operation phase

2020

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

- Increasing flight efficiency [5] (reduction of delays, increase of punctuality). [6]
- Increasing capacity. [5]
- Service and comfort level will arise because of less delays and higher flight predictability. [5]
- Air transport operators reduce their vehicle mileage.

Quantification of impacts

European Commission stated several high level goals until 2020 for the SES and its technological pillar (SESAR (ATM)):
- 73% increase in capacity from 2004 which will reduce delays on ground and air. [5]
- 50% reduction of cancellation and delays for passenger aviation (2013 - 2020). [7]
- Reducing ATM costs by 50%. [1]
- Reducing environmental impacts by 10%. [1]
- Increase of safety by a factor of 10. [1]

Economic Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Transport costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Private income / commercial turn over

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Revenues in the transport sector

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sectoral competitiveness

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Spatial competitiveness

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Housing expenditures

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Insurance costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Health service costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Public authorities & adm. burdens on businesses

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Public income (e.g.: taxes, charges)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Third countries and international relations

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Implementation phase

- Increase of asset costs for airspace operators (airlines), air navigation service providers, airports.
- Research and development, implementation and deployment of SESAR will burden costs for public authorities (EU and national bodies) and aviation businesses. "The total estimated cost of the development phase of SESAR is € 2.1 billion, to be shared equally between the European Union, Eurocontrol and the industry (€700 million European Union, €700 million Eurocontrol, €700 million industry)" [3].

Operation phase

- Reduction of costs to maintain legacy systems [5]
- Reduction of operating costs for air navigation service providers (ANSP) [5]
- Increasing demand for aviation equipment after roll-out of SESAR - growing business revenues for aviation equipment manufacturers [5]

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

- Competitive advantages for European air transport industry (equipment manufacturing, research & development sector) because of similar programmes being duplicated in other parts of the world. [5]
- Deployment costs are expected to to be significant. [EE]
- Aviation industry directly impacts the level of economic activity; more efficient air travel improves the productivity (added value) in the transport sector, which positively affect wages. [5]
- Aviation equipment manufacturers will experience increase in demand [5]
- The aviation sector increase of output (capacity gains),will accommodate the projected growth in traffic demand, which will have positive direct, indirect and induced effects on wider economy. [5] [EE]
- Increasing efficiency in air transport (passenger and freight) -> generates economies of scales in resource allocation -> increases competitiveness of European industries and consumers ->lower prices for import, export, travel -> positive for trade, investments and economic activities -> consumer have more choices and lower costs. [5]
- SESAR directly aims to enhance the spatial competitiveness of air transport operators

Quantification of impacts

- The European aviation sector (without manufacturing) accounts for about 0.9% of GDP (ACARE study, 2003), with indirect and induced impacts it accounts for 1,5%. [5]
- 2008 - 2020: Cost savings due to direct ATM (SESAR) costs per flight will account for around 8 bn € for commercial airlines. [6]
- 2013 - 2020: impacting the GDP by 419bn € (41% direct effects). [7]
- Aviation equipment manufacturers will experience limited increase of benefits by 10%. [7]
- Cost reduction for airspace users of 50% until 2020 compared to 2005. [5]

Social Impacts
Environmental Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Air pollutants

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Noise emissions

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Visual quality of the landscape

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Land use

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Climate

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Renewable or non-renewable resources

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

- The reduction of noise will have very positive impacts on residential areas near airports
- The reduction of air pollutants will have positive impacts on residential areas near airports

Implementation phase

Operation phase

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

- Improvement of flight path efficiencies reduces the amount of fuels and emissions per flight.[5]
- Environmental savings by a reduction of air pollutants (CO2, NOx, SOx) [5]; dependent on growth in air traffic according to the implementation of SESAR. [5]
- Less noise emissions, dependent on growth in air traffic according to the implementation of SESAR. [5]
- Reduction of pollutants causing climate change. [5]
- Increasing number of flights lead to more people exposed to aircraft noise if technological improvments do not keep pace with traffic growth. [EE]

Quantification of impacts

- "The enhancements in air traffic management through the optimisation of horizontal and vertical flight profiles have the potential to trim down the in-flight CO2 emission cumulated over the 2008 to 2020 period with around 50 million tons." [6]
- 2008 - 2020: Flight fuel efficiency savings 17 million tons (app. 8 bn €). [6]
- Reduction of 50 million tons of CO2 during 2013 ad 2030 [7]
- Until 2020 10% reduction of environmental effects compared to 2005 [5]

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