System Wide Information Management (SWIM) is a concept of governance, standards and infrastructure that enables the management of Air Traffic Management (ATM) information and its interoperability between appropriate parties via information services.
The UK’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy sets out a concept for SWIM in the UK. We are looking for a UK airspace system wide approach that will reliably and systematically maintain high standards of safety for existing as well as new users. The strategy also outlines a number of other concepts such as Future Air Traffic Management, Communications, navigation and surveillance technologies that will all need to work in system wide harmony.
In October 2023 we published our Final Decision for the NR23 price control review which set out our decision for the UK En route, London Approach and Oceanic price controls that apply for the five calendar years from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027.
In this we confirmed that our Final Decision was unchanged from our Provisional Decision, that NATS (En Route) plc, known as NERL, "should provide services to new users where to do so would be consistent with its licence obligations and the TA00” and “in the medium term and by no later than 30 June 2025, NERL should submit a proposal for a new user charging mechanism to us.
Before doing so, NERL should have engaged broadly on the new proposal, including:
- ensuring there is a well-developed, transparent and robust evidence base; and
- demonstrating that it had consulted on its proposals with all relevant stakeholders and responded to their feedback.”
We also set out our view that, “On this basis, it is reasonable to task NERL to do some development and consultation work, with a view to making a proposal to the CAA. However, for clarity, any new charging mechanism must still be consulted on, and can only be implemented by us through our statutory and regulatory powers. Specifically, NERL will not be able raise any charges for its regulated activities without our intervention. We expect that we will monitor NERL’s work in this area and actively engage in the development of its proposals, ahead of NERL making any submission to us for formal consideration and action.”
Following that decision, NERL is consulting on a possible service (which it has termed OpenAir) and its associated charging mechanism.
In line with NR23 once NERL make a proposal to us we will review it and consider how it might work in the UK.
NERL’s concept looks reasonable and we support NERL carrying out a consultation with its stakeholders to develop the concept further.
If NERL were to be selected as having a formal role in the provision of any new services beyond the scope of its existing licence obligations, the CAA would undertake a formal consultation on any required licence modification.
We are open to hearing from others who might want to put forward similar system wide ideas.
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