The Small Air Transport (SAT) focused on the new affordable, accessible, energy effective component of Air Transport System (ATS). It filled niche between Surface Transport and Scheduled Large Aircraft Air Transport.
This future SAT system will provide enlarge choice of transportation mode, and the wider use of small aircraft served by small airports will create access to transport to more communities in a cost effective way and in a short time.
The goal of the SAT-Rdmp study (CSA-SA) proposal was to improve the understanding of the commercial role that small-size aircraft operating on scheduled or non-scheduled flights can play as a component of the Air Transport System, in order to satisfy the needs of transportation in regions where transport networks (especially surface transport) are underdeveloped.
Main issues of the SAT-Rdmp study (CSA-SA) proposal were:
- Definition of a common vision of the small aircraft transport system for inter-regional mobility through the identification of the corresponding requirements. The requirements will identify the technology needs and regulatory issues to be addressed.
- Definition of a business case compliant with the identified requirements which describes the relations among all the system’s components.
- Assessment of current capabilities versus the ATS demand, collection of previous results and involvement of the stakeholders in Europe among all actors (manufacturers, research establishment, EASA, airspace users, infrastructure providers, airport managers, small aircraft service providers).
- Definition of a roadmap to fill the technology/regulatory/operative gaps in order to fulfil the requirements considering the current capabilities. Identification of dissemination actions and establishment of a network of stakeholders.
- Assessment of risks and benefits of the identified new system’s concept.
The SAT-Rdmp study (CSA-SA) will be a very important tool to support the European Commission in defining appropriate actions and a roadmap to implement the Agenda for Sustainable Future in Business and General Aviation. This was recommended by the EU Parliament Resolution on 3rd February 2009.
The SAT-Rdmp study (CSA-SA) is building the European synergy in that segment of Air Transport System, and will create European General Aviation Community by discussing, agreeing, finding common approach of European Key Players: Users, ATM, Manufactures, Regulators, Research establishments.
The SAT-Rdmp study used the results from the previous EPATS (European Personal Air Transportation System) project. It has also kept in close contact to the PPLane (Personal Plane) project funded by the Commission. Organisations that were and are involved in the EPATS and PPlane projects are involved in SAT-Rdmp. This prevented a situation that studies are done twice and will ensure that SAT-Rdmp is complementary.
The SAT-Rdmp (CSA-SA) proposal fitted in the framework of FP7-AERONAUTICS and AIR TRANSPORT (AAT)-2010-RTD-1 Topic AAT.2010.7-12 “Assessing and further developing the role of small aircraft in the air transport system”.
SAT-Rdmp Project Coordinator was Krzysztof Piwek, MSc. Eng.
More about the project can be find here
