Air Navigation Research and Development Platform Established in Hungary

On 8 May 2015, HungaroControl Hungarian Air Navigation Services Pte. Ltd. concluded a Memorandum of Cooperation with eleven higher education institutes and with the Institute for Transport Sciences (KTI) and the Institute of Computer Science and Control of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (SZTAKI) about the establishment of a Research and Development Platform. The purpose of the cooperation is to explore areas of research, development and innovation closely related to air navigation activities, to coordinate common projects, to support the research work of students and teachers, to support the development of international relations, and to use the benefits of possible EU funding.

Initiated by HungaroControl, the development of a national air navigation knowledge base will start by coordinating Hungarian universities and institutes active in the development of the aviation industry. The purpose of the cooperation is to support research work in Hungary, to create the link between Hungarian research and development efforts and European initiatives, and this way to lay the foundation of a regional air navigation knowledge centre. By supplementing each other’s knowledge capital, participants of the platform will perform successfully in national and international research and development programs, will test new methods more efficiently, and will implement new technologies faster. By improving its research, development and innovation activities, HungaroControl will respond to challenges that the air navigation service providers of Europe are facing due to the increase of air traffic on the continent and the efforts of the regulatory framework of the European Union’s Single European Sky (SES) for integration and for the improvement of efficiency.

Within the framework of the cooperation HungaroControl will work together with the renowned experts of the Institute for Transport Sciences (KTI) and the Institute of Computer Science and Control of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (SZTAKI), as well as with the researchers from the following higher education institutes: Corvinus University of Budapest, Department of Marketing and Institute of Management; Budapest University of Technology, Faculty of Transportation Engineering and Vehicle Engineering and Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics; University of Debrecen; Kecskemét College; National University of Public Service; College of Nyíregyháza; University of Pannonia; Széchenyi István University. The international air navigation research, development and innovation centre of HungaroControl will offer unique training and simulation infrastructure opportunities for the experts of the institutes participating in the cooperation platform.

’With its constant innovations, and with the use of its research and development results, HungaroControl is one of the leading ANSPs in Europe in the field of flight safety improvement, capacity increase, cost reductions for airlines, and environmental protection. The intensive cooperation with these higher education institutes will give a new boost to our developments, and it will contribute to the establishment of a regional air navigation knowledge centre. Furthermore, the effective use of the common knowledge capital will encourage the development of high added-value products and solutions that can be interesting for international markets as well’ – says Kornél Szepessy, CEO of HungaroControl.

The cooperation between HungaroControl and Hungarian higher education establishments has in recent years contributed to the quality improvement of university education related to technical developments in aviation. It has also contributed to providing well-prepared teachers based on the human resources demands of the industry. The cooperation partners have achieved significant results internationally by developing tools which serve flight safety and help determine the exact route and position of aircraft more accurately. The new agreement will further improve the opportunities provided by the synergy between Hungarian and European institutes.