Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-19T04:45:55.303Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

SESAR: R&D and Project Portfolios for Airline Business Needs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2009

Peter Brooker*
Affiliation:
(Aviation Consultant)
*

Abstract

Even the longest journey must begin where you stand.

Lao-tzu

In the long run, we're all dead

J. M. Keynes

A version of this paper was first presented at the Royal Institute of Navigation NAV 08 Conference held at Church House, Westminster, London in October 2008.

SESAR is Europe's ‘Single European Sky Air traffic Research system’, targeted at post-2020. The vision is to integrate and implement new technologies to improve air traffic management (ATM) performance. The focus for planning and executing system operations will increasingly be aircraft navigating high-quality 4D trajectories: a 4D trajectory is the aircraft path, three space dimensions plus time, from gate-to-gate, i.e. including the path along the ground at the airport. A 20+year ATM plan has to use limited information on the success of innovations and the development of large-scale, often safety critical, software, which by its nature can take markedly longer and cost markedly more than early estimates. SESAR must be sufficiently flexible in deployment to maximise financial benefits to individual stakeholders using their specific financial criteria. Airline needs are the main ATM system/business drivers. Airlines do not want to commit to developing an ‘ultra-modern system’ per se, but rather to one that makes business-sensible investments in new technologies that are indispensable for achieving improved safety and meeting projected capacity requirements. The approach has been to use simple corporate finance ideas to examine the different viewpoints and business environments of air traffic service suppliers (ANSPs) and individual airlines. The key decision-making point is that ANSPs act as an agent for airlines as a whole. The key financial point is that a typical airline has to work hard to survive and needs quick paybacks on investment. The design of the SESAR R&D and project portfolios can learn lessons from information technology systems design and deployment. ‘Real option analysis’ of systems can increase business value by improving the sequencing and partitioning of projects, helping to ensure that the system is adaptable to technological innovation and changes in business needs.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Navigation 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Arthur D. Little Limited (2000). Study into the Potential Impact of Changes in Technology on the Development of Air Transport in the UK. Final Report to Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions. DETR Contract No. PPAD 9/91/14. http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/airports/ctat/changesintechnologyandairtra.pdfGoogle Scholar
Booker, D. M. (2007). Draft Rule for the Provision and Use of Data Link Services: Economic Appraisal. Edition No. 0.5, Status: Working Draft. http://www.eurocontrol.int/link2000/gallery/content/public/files/documents/Datalink%20IR%20economic%20appraisal%20v05.pdfGoogle Scholar
Brain, C. (2007). FASTI: Enabling change in en-route ATC. Skyway 46(Autumn/Winter), 101103.Google Scholar
Brain, C. (2008). FASTI Executive Programme Management Plan. Edition: 5. 0FAS-A-AA-1000-EPMP. http://www.eurocontrol.int/fasti_test/gallery/content/public/Documents/FAS-1000-EPMP-5_0140408.pdfGoogle Scholar
Brealey, R. A., Myers, S. C. & Allen, F. (2007). Principles of Corporate Finance. 9th Ed. McGraw Hill Higher Education.Google Scholar
Brooker, P. (2004). Future Air Traffic Management Systems and Financial Decision-Making Constraints. Transportation. 31(1), 120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brooker, P. (2008a). Air Traffic Safety: Continued Evolution or a New Paradigm? Aeronautical Journal. 112(1132), 333344.Google Scholar
Brooker, P. (2008b). SESAR and NextGen: Investing in New Paradigms. The Journal of Navigation. 61, 195208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CAA (2008). Recent trends in growth of UK air passenger demand (January 2008). http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/589/erg_recent_trends_final_v2.pdfGoogle Scholar
CAA [Civil Aviation Authority] (2005). Demand for Outbound Leisure Air Travel and its Key Drivers. http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/5/Elasticity%20Study.pdfGoogle Scholar
Copeland, T. & Tufano, P. (2004). A Real World Way to Manage Real OptionsHarvard Business Review. 82(3), 9099.Google ScholarPubMed
de Neufville, R., Hodota, K., Sussman, J. M. & Scholtes, S. (2008). Using Real Options to Increase Value of Intelligent Transportation Systems. Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2007 Paper 08–0679. http://ardent.mit.edu/real_options/Real_opts_papers/Hodota%20paper%20revised%20for%20final%20TRB.pdfGoogle Scholar
Delarche, M., Le Foll, B., Maugis, L. (2007). FASTI CBA WP 1: Strategic Fit. http://www.eurocontrol.int/fasti/gallery/content/public/Documents/D1_FASTI_StrategicFit_10.pdfGoogle Scholar
Dixit, A. & Pindyck, R. (1994). Investment Under Uncertainty. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dow, S. (2007). CRISTAL UK: ADS-B in South East England. Cost Benefit Analysis, CRISTAL-UK/WP6/DPR1/D1.0. http://www.eurocontrol.int/cascade/gallery/content/public/documents/CRISTAL-UK_Cost%20Benefit%20Analysis%20for%20Distribution%20v%201.pdfGoogle Scholar
EC [European Commission] (2008). Emissions Trading: Commission Welcomes EP vote on Including Aviation In EU ETS. Press Notice IP/08/1114, 8th July. At http://europa.eu/press_room/index_en.htmGoogle Scholar
EIA [Energy Information Administration] (2008). Table 5.18 Crude Oil Domestic First Purchase Prices, 1949–2007. http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/txt/ptb0518.htmlGoogle Scholar
Eurocontrol (2004). Challenges to Growth 2004 Report. CTG04. EUROCONTROL/ESC/SNP/PERF/Doc10. http://www.eurocontrol.int/eatm/gallery/content/public/library/CTG04_report.pdfGoogle Scholar
Eurocontrol (2006). Long-Term Forecast: IFR Flight Movements 2006–2025. DAP/DIA/STATFOR Doc216. http://www.eurocontrol.int/statfor/gallery/content/public/forecasts/Doc216%20LTF06%20Report%20v1.0.pdfGoogle Scholar
Fichman, R. G. (2004) Real Options and IT Platform Adoption: Implications for Theory and Practice. Information Systems Research. 15(2), 132154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FOIPS (2008). Flight Object Interoperability Proposed Standard. Eurocontrol Website. http://www.eurocontrol.int/eatm/public/standard_page/foips.html]Google Scholar
Gibson, W. & Morrell, P. (2005). Airline finance and aircraft financial evaluation: evidence from the field. ATRS World Conference 2005. http://www.airbusiness-academy.com/files/air_business_academy/Aircraft-Financial-Evaluation--evidence-from-the-field.pdfGoogle Scholar
IFAC [International Federation of Accountants] (2007). Project Appraisal Using Discounted Cash Flow. International Management Accounting Statement. Exposure Drafts. http://www.ifac.org/Guidance/EXD-Details.php?EDID=0083Google Scholar
iTEC (2008). iTEC Consortium Website http://www.itec-fdp.com/Google Scholar
Jensen, D. (2003). Miami ARTCC: Ground Zero for CPDLC. Avionics. July. http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/categories/atc/962.htmlGoogle Scholar
Jiang, H. & Hansman, R. J. (2006). An Analysis of Profit Cycles in the Airline Industry. 6th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration and Operations Conference, 25th–27th September 2006, Wichita, Kansas. AIAA 2006–7732.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langhams, W. (2005). Multilateration takes off in Europe. Skyway 38(Autumn), 3234.Google Scholar
Lester, E. & Hansman, R. J. (2007). Benefits and Incentives for ADS-B Equipage in the National Airspace System. MIT, ICAT. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/38468Google Scholar
Marais, K. & Weigel, A. L. (2006). Encouraging and Ensuring Successful Technology Transition in Civil Aviation. MIT ESD-WP-2006-07. http://esd.mit.edu/wps/esd-wp-2006-07.pdfGoogle Scholar
Meier, I. & Tarhan, V. (2007). Corporate Investment Decision Practices and the Hurdle Rate Premium Puzzle. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=960161.Google Scholar
Mott, MacDonald (2002). Review of Large Public Procurement in the UK. HM Treasury.Google Scholar
NERL [NATS En-Route Plc] (2005). SIP 2005: Service & Investment Plan (SIP). Final Issue – Post Consultation. http://www.nats.co.uk/uploads/SIP2005_Final_Issue_300305.pdfGoogle Scholar
Newbery, D. (2005). Infrastructure Pricing and Finance. Microeconomics Lecture Series, May 2004–June 2005. HM Treasury. http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/3/4/hmtmicrolectures030306.pdfGoogle Scholar
Perez, C. (2007). Finance and technical change: A long-term view. Hanusch, H. and Pyka, A. eds., The Elgar Companion to Neo-Schumpeterian Economics, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham). Available at http://www.carlotaperez.org/papers/basic-Finance-technology.htmGoogle Scholar
Petricel, B. and Costelloe, C. (2007). First ATC Support Tools Implementation (FASTI) Operational Concept. Edition 1.1. http://www.eurocontrol.be/fasti/gallery/content/public/Library/FASTI%20Operational%20Concept%20Edition%201_1_released_20032007.pdfGoogle Scholar
PHARE (2008). Experimental Flight Management System (EFMS). Eurocontrol Webpage. http://www.eurocontrol.int/phare/public/standard_page/EFMS.htmlGoogle Scholar
PRC [Eurocontrol Performance Review Commission] (2007). ATM Cost-Effectiveness (ACE) 2003 Benchmarking Report. ACE 2005 Final Report. http://www.eurocontrol.int/prc/gallery/content/public/Docs/ace2005/ace2005.pdfGoogle Scholar
PwC [Price Waterhouse Coopers] (2004). NATS -Cost of Capital for CP2. November 2004 Version. http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/5/ergdocs/sp11_costofcapital.pdfGoogle Scholar
Redeborn, B. (2005). SESAR: what does it really mean, what will it really deliver? http://www.eurocontrol.int/corporate/gallery/content/public/docs/pdf/pressopenday/SESAR.ppt.pptGoogle Scholar
Rivey, D. (2007). A Practical Method for Incorporating Real Options Analysis into US Federal Benefit-Cost Analysis Procedures. MIT MSEE Thesis. http://ardent.mit.edu/real_options/Real_opts_papers/rivey_thesis.pdfGoogle Scholar
Roman, M. (2003). CPDLC deployment starts over European airspace. Eurocontrol Skyway 30(Autumn), 2427.Google Scholar
Scovel, C. L. III (2007). Challenges Facing the Implementation of FAA's Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast Program. Statement to Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Aviation, USA House of Representatives. http://www.oig.dot.gov/StreamFile?file=/data/pdfdocs/ADS-B_Testimony.pdfGoogle Scholar
SDG [Steer Davies Gleave] (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: Final Report. [NB: SESAME=SESAR] http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air_portal/traffic_management/sesame/doc/2005_06_24_sesame_final_report.pdfGoogle Scholar
SESAR Consortium (2007). The ATM Target Concept. DLM-0612-001-02-00. http://www.eurocontrol.int/sesar/gallery/content/public/docs/DLM-0612-001-02-00.pdfGoogle Scholar
SESAR Consortium (2008a). Compute and Map Operational Concepts & Airspace KPIs Based on Identified Available Tools and Methodologies. DLT-0706-231-00-06. http://www.sesar-consortium.aero/mediasandfiles/File/05_docs/D4_DLTs/DLT-0706-231-00-06_D4_ModellingPerformanceAssessment.pdfGoogle Scholar
SESAR Consortium (2008b). Consolidate and Update the CBA Model with Data Supporting the Trade-Off and Financial Plans. DLT-0612-142-00-13. http://www.sesar-consortium.aero/mediasandfiles/File/05_docs/D3_DLTs/DLT-0612-142-00-13_D3_Consolidate%20and%20Update%20CBA%20%20model.pdfGoogle Scholar
SESAR Consortium (2008d). The ATM Deployment Sequence D4. DLM-0706-001-02-00. http://www.eurocontrol.int/sesar/gallery/content/public/docs/DLM-0706-001-02-00.pdfGoogle Scholar
Steffens, P. R. & Douglas, E. J. (2007). Valuing technology investments: use real options thinking but forget real options valuation. International Journal of Technoentrepreneurship. 1(1), 5877.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steinbach, M. & Giles, S. (2005). Developing a Model for Joint Infrastructure Investment. MITRE CAASD. NASA ICNS Conference. http://www.mitre.org/work/tech_papers/tech_papers_05/05_0529/05_0529.pdfGoogle Scholar
Tallon, P. P., Kauffman, R. J., Lucas, H. C., Whinston, A. B. & Zhu, K. (2002). Using Real Options Analysis for Evaluating Uncertain Investments in Information Technology. Communications of the Association for Information Systems. 9, 136167. http://www.crito.uci.edu/publications/pdf/CAIS.pdfCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turner, S. & Morrell, P. (2003) An evaluation of airline beta values and their application in calculating the cost of equity capital. Journal of Air Transport Management, 9, 201209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WAM (2007). Wide Area Multilateration Workshop 4 & 5 June 2007. Eurocontrol Webpage. http://www.eurocontrol.int/surveillance/public/standard_page/sur_WAMevent.htmlGoogle Scholar
Whysall, P. (1998). Future Area Control Tools Support (FACTS). 2nd USA/Europe Air Traffic Management R&D Seminar Orlando. http://www.atmseminar.org/all-seminars/2nd-usa-europe-atm-r-d-seminar/paper_014Google Scholar