Press Release
Challenges ahead for new Borealis Alliance chairman
27-10-2020
Ásgeir Pálsson has been an influential and important expert in the field of air traffic management in Iceland and globally for more than three decades. He has been chairman of the board of the Borealis Alliance for the last two years.
The end of October is also the end of an era, as he is leaving both his post at Borealis and as Chief Executive Officer of Isavia ANS, the Icelandic Air Navigation Services Provider (ANSP).
How has the Borealis Alliance been working?
The Alliance has a dual purpose. It serves as a conduit for implementation projects, where the pooling of resources from the nine Alliance members brings added value and efficiency. Moreover, projects that bring greater benefits to our customers when implemented over a larger airspace have a greater chance of success. Secondly, The Alliance has been and continues to be a contributing entity to the policy and regulatory developments in Europe by presenting a common position on the issues relating to Air Navigation Services. Obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic has had the effect that all ANSPs are dealing with unprecedented financial challenges. That has obviously affected the Borealis work, but in my view, it is a temporary setback.
What has the Borealis Alliance provided for customers and what are its successes?
There are quite a few common projects that have come out of the close relationship between the nine ANSPs, these projects do not always involve all the members, but rather have been identified as opportunities for a few members, taking advantage of the Borealis structure to coordinate and facilitate. One large project has the involvement of all members that is the Borealis Free Route Airspace initiative that is already implemented in the larger part of the airspace serviced by Borealis members. This successful project saves massive amounts in fuel cost for our customers and decreases emissions.
What have been the major challenges and successes during your time as Borealis Chairman?
My belief is that the most important part of the Chairpersons role is to ensure that the Alliance is an active participant in evolution of ANS. Nine ANSPs together as a single coordinated voice ensure that, along with the fact that the Alliance has proved that it can successfully implement beneficial programmes. Clearly, this is the result of work done over many different Chairpersons. But, to name one thing I believe in the last two years our coordinated input into policy and regulations has been noticeable.
What are the main challenges and projects for the alliance going forward?
There are two new activities that the Alliance has started. One is Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) as we see it, the ANSPs will play an essential role in any future system for managing the increasing use of drones and other autonomous Aerial vehicles. The other is coordination and collaboration between the ANSPs on Cyber Security. There are several other opportunities the Alliance is planning and exploring where one is the setup of an activity on Environmental Performance. On the policy side we need to be an active partner in the structural changes that the ANPs business faces in the future as regard Communication Navigation Surveillance and the management of aeronautical-and flight data.
The future is bright, and the Alliance will continue to be an important player in this area and field of expertise. I wish the new chairman every success in continuing the important Borealis Alliance projects on the horizon. The sky´s the limit.
Facts about Ásgeir Pálsson
Pálsson was born in Reykjavík in 1951. He entered Air Traffic Control in 1974, with basic training in Iceland and at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City and radar training in Nashville, Tennessee and Iceland.
Ásgeir Pálsson was installed as Director of ATM, Icelandic Civil Aviation Administration, in April 1995. He has been director of air navigations services at airport and air navigation operator Isavia in Iceland and later CEO of Isavia ANS.
He has been an influential voice in the global air navigation services arena as Chairman of the ICAO North Atlantic Systems Planning Group (NAT SPG) for 20 years, Chairman of the North Atlantic Implementation Management Group (NAT IMG) for 18 years and Chairman of the Borealis Alliance for the last 2 years.
