FAA, European Union sign NextGen research agreement

Posted by John McHale
WASHINGTON, 4 March 2011. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union (EU) formally signed an agreement to work together on research aimed at providing seamless air traffic service to aircraft flying between the U.S. and Europe. The agreement, signed in Budapest calls for both sides to research the interoperability of avionics, communication protocols, and procedures, as well as operational methods under the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and its European counterpart, the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR).
Carey Fagan, the FAA's executive director for international affairs, signed for the U.S. Pal Volner, state secretary for transport for Hungary, and Siim Kallas, EU vice president and commissioner for transport and mobility, signed on behalf of the EU.
The research agreement encourages industry participation on both sides of the Atlantic, ensuring the development, harmonization, and use of the best technologies available. The collaborative arrangement will lay the foundation for expanding air traffic modernization around the world, FAA officials say.