NATS OpenAir – shaping the skies of the future

Now the results are in from the recent consultation on NATS OpenAir, we are moving into the next phase of our project aimed at designing a digital data backbone to pave the way to an integrated UK airspace of the future.

Work is already under way to develop and trial four initial data services enabling airspace authorisation, geographical awareness, traffic information and a flight noticeboard and, having gathered and analysed your consultation responses, we are drafting a detailed proposition to submit to the CAA in June.

OpenAir is the response of NATS En Route Ltd. (NERL) to the challenge of meeting increased future demand for access to a safe and efficient integrated airspace that is open to all crewed and uncrewed aircraft on a fair and equitable basis.

We are not proposing to provide airspace management services directly to airspace users; OpenAir would function as an aeronautical information platform serving the data needs of new and existing service providers as they build their own service portfolios according to the demands of their airspace user customers.

OpenAir would provide the assured data that is essential as a foundation for system-wide information management (SWIM). Without it, the industry will be unable to effectively scale and achieve the growth potential that is sitting just out of reach.

With more and more new and diverse airspace users seeking access to our future skies, demand from an increasingly wide variety of crewed and uncrewed aircraft is inevitably on the rise – we are committed to designing a safe and equitable airspace environment that works for the entire aviation community, including general aviation (GA).

Assimilating your viewpoint

We were pleased to hear all your views on the shape of our OpenAir proposals so far and would like to thank everyone who responded to our consultation. Overall feedback was supportive of our vision of an integrated future airspace and the OpenAir concept, and most respondents agreed with our views on the need for a UK-wide SWIM data network for lower airspace.

As an assured aeronautical data platform, OpenAir could herald a transition away from the use of temporary danger areas, an airspace change likely to make our skies easier to navigate, but GA pilots who responded to the consultation anticipated OpenAir services would not offer them any direct benefit.

Many GA respondents expressed their broad aversion to a modernised airspace environment dependent upon the requirement for mandated electronic conspicuity, and most were concerned their own airspace access costs would increase.

Mark Watson, OpenAir’s product owner, commented:

“With our OpenAir proposition still under development it is perhaps not surprising that many respondents registered an appetite for greater detail, both general and specific, before committing their full support to the project and our proposed cost recovery model. However, we are pleased to see that new airspace user respondents were enthusiastic about the prospect of receiving, from their commercial service provider, a range of traffic management services that are built on the foundation of OpenAir airspace data, with traffic information, flight noticeboard and airspace authorisation services at the top of their priority list.

In turn the responses from service providers, as potential OpenAir customers, indicated a clear recognition of the benefits OpenAir could deliver to their businesses. Although mindful of commercial sensitivities, new and existing service providers are broadly supportive of data-sharing principles at reasonable cost and assuming adequate safeguards are put in place.”

Taking the next step

Now, informed by your consultation responses and extensive industry and stakeholder engagement, and guided by our ongoing technical design and development work, we are preparing a full OpenAir proposition for detailed scrutiny by the CAA.

The OpenAir project has come a long way since its inception; both the concept and the data services under development have been shaped through collaboration with government, aviation, and other aeronautical stakeholders.

We remain committed in our support of airspace integration and the CAA’s modernisation strategy, and we believe OpenAir would fulfil a vital role in safely future proofing our skies for all who wish to fly in them.