Air Traffic Control Forum to discuss air traffic control challenges and innovations

Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) are working their ways to ensure smooth aircraft movements as several of them face what the EUROCONTROL calls “structural capacity shortfalls, and less airspace availability for re-routings.”

Globally, aircraft movements is expected to reach 178.1 million by 2042, up from 106.7 million in 2024. In 2042, international passenger traffic will reach the 8.7 billion mark and domestic traffic to 10.6 billion passengers, as per ACI World.

Several ANSPs will be showcasing from May 6 to 8 at the 24^th edition of Airport Show, the MENASA’s largest airport industry B2B platform, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). The Airport Show will have on display Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) systems needed to keep the skies safe, secure and efficient, and for delivering consistently high levels of service to airports and airlines. 

The 8^th edition of ATC Forum, a co-located conference supported by dans among others, will see experts and specialists discussing ATC modernization and innovation in the Middle East whose aviation market is expected to reach US$33.7 billion by 2029, with US$151 billion in airport investments and US$2.4 billion in aircraft investments.  

Ibrahim Al Ahli, Acting CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans), the ANSP for four airports in the UAE including DXB, remarked: “The focus of leading ANSPs is to develop, support and achieve optimum usage of their airspace by adopting new systems and technologies. This is being ensured through new air traffic management capabilities. Our relentless pursuit is for excellence since the 1980s and we continue our work to keep up high the status of the global aviation hub that boasts a thriving aviation ecosystem with unparalleled connectivity.  

The ANSP has been enhancing its ability to cooperatively manage aviation growth until 2030.

The Airport Show participation of over 160 exhibitors from over 20 countries, four of whom featured their dedicated pavilions and over 120 buyers from more than 35 countries, in the previous edition. There were 3,500+ meetings under its hugely popular Business Connect Program. It is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group.  The three-day show will have co-located conferences - the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF), Airport Security Middle East, the ATC Forum, and Women in Aviation (WIA). The platform is supported by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Airports, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, Emirates Airlines, Dubai Air Navigation Services, and dnata, among others.

May Ismail, Event Manager at RX, a global company that organizes about 400 events across 42 industry sectors in 22 countries including Airport Show, said: “Air Traffic Control (ATC), like the other civil aviation domains, has been witnessing tremendous transformation as new technologies and innovations emerge. The whole purpose is to enhance efficiency and safety of ATM and ATC. The technology-driven era is enabling the airports to become thriving hubs. There are challenges and opportunities of growth from disruptive technologies for the ATM. We have to explore what best in available now and what is going to come in the future. Airport Show is serving this niche phase.”

The ATC market faces challenges such as high deployment costs, system complexity, stringent regulatory requirements, and cybersecurity concerns related to flight data protection. Advancements in satellite-based navigation, NextGen ATC systems, and the integration of AI are anticipated to enhance efficiency and capacity in airspace management.  The Middle East will see until 2030 around 1,058 new aircraft delivered in the region. Passenger traffic in the Middle East is projected to grow by more than nine percent by 2027.