ESA is about to show a new interactive display that is part of the Iris project at the Air Traffic Control Global Exhibition and Conference from March 6 to 8.

The Iris Project is being developed as part of the European Union program called SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research), which has points in common with the American project NextGen (Next Generation Air Transportation System). Iris is also an element of the broader program called ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems), a collaboration for research and development in the field of satellite communications between the European Union and Canada.

The Iris Project is a satellite communications system that by 2020 will allow aircrafts cockpit crews to exchange digital messages with air traffic controllers in whatever position they are.

The interactive display, built by the University of Salzburg, will show the messages sent by air traffic controllers and the pilots’ answers. Different screens will show the controller’s point of view, the pilot’s one and the air traffic covered by the satellite.

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So far, the continental air traffic has been handled in a fragmented way and communications between pilots and controllers have been operated by radio, as in the ’50s. Air traffic is growing therefore new technologies are required to handle it efficiently but also with greater safety because the position of the various aircrafts will be known more precisely.

Thanks to Iris and the SESAR system it’s part of, there will be an integration in the air traffic control systems in Europe. The new air traffic management should improve the management of routes and thus shorten the flight of some minutes, resulting in saving fuel and thus in reducing the emissions of CO2.

The SESAR program is now in its development phase, during which various technological elements are produced such as Iris. Starting from 2014, its deployment phase is scheduled to start with the actual production and implementation of the new system of air traffic management.

It will take a few more years before the SESAR system is operating, for now we can start getting an idea of ​​how the traffic will be seen on the new interactive screen.