Gregory Nanidis

01/12/2011

Gregory Nanidis Project Leader for Greece in BLUE MED and member of Governing Body

He holds a degree in Mathematics from Athens University. He joined HCAA in 1977 as an Air Traffic Controller and worked for 10 years in Athinai ACC. He then moved to the Regulatory part of HCAA in the ATS Division / Domain of Airspace Organization and Design. His international experience during the last 24 years, covers extensive participation in ICAO, EUROCONTROL, EU and NATO activities. Moreover, he has served as : Alternate Representative of Greece to ICAO Montreal, for 5 years. Councellor in the Greek Representation to the EU and Representative of Greece to EUROCONTROL - Brussels, for 7 years.Director of the Greek National Supervisory Authority (NSA). Deputy Governor of HCAA, since last May 2011. Voting member for BLUE MED FAB in the NMB of EUROCONTROL Network Manager. Project Leader for Greece in BLUE MED and member of GB.

Greece and Italy are both Member States of the BLUE MED FAB. What's the actual state of progress of the ongoing BLUE MED FAB Project?

After the successful conclusion of the Feasibility Study in 2008, we are at this stage approaching the end of the second step of the project namely the Definition Phase. The bulk work of this phase is expected to be finalized upon the completion of the institutional framework as contained in the State Level Agreement (SLA). The final draft of the SLA will be presented in the next GB Meeting on 31 January and 01 February 2012 in Athens, Greece. After its approval the Agreement will be signed by the Ministers of Transport of the four member States and will be sent to the respective National Parliaments for ratification. The aim is to conclude all the actions required by the regulation EC176/2011, in order to be able to submit the full file of BLUE MED to the European Commission by the deadline of 24 June 2012, for the required assessment in view of the implementation phase starting on 4 December 2012.

In your opinion, which are the possible immediate benefits and the longer term advantages from the implementation of the BLUE MED  FAB?

-  There is clear evidence of the benefits coming from the BLUE MED FAB establishment in the areas of :
-  Flight Efficiency, by the given increased capability of the BLUE MED FAB ATM in granting each individual aircraft the possibility to fly a preferred and optimal profile in the shortest possible time and at the minimal cost.

-  Capacity, allowing a greater number of aircraft to be served by the ATC sectors at a given time, responding thus to the demand for increased airspace capacity.

-    ATCOs Workload, mitigated as a result of the optimized airspace organization.

-    Reduce of Delays on the en-route phase due to the improvements in capacity and ATCOs workload.

-    Cost Effectiveness of the flights by providing added benefits to the airspace users as a result of increased capacity and reduced delays.

-    Safety by minimizing the number of events below an acceptable threshold due to the FAB common SMS Roadmap leading to the aggregated improvement at FAB level.

-    Environmental Sustainability, based on a reduced impact of the air traffic on the environment, through the tangible improvements of flight efficiency to the airspace users.

How do you envisage ENAV's role within the European scenario also considering the appointment of Mr Massimo Garbini, ENAV CEO, as Chairman of the EU ATM Network Management Board?

The appointment of Mr Garbini, ENAV CEO as Chairman of the Network Management Board (NMB), as well as the appointment of myself as voting member in the NMB has been the result of the recognition of the strategic importance of the FAB and the extensive effort put particularly by ENAV and the ANSPs of the other member States towards the establishment of the FAB. Consequently BLUE MED is expected to play a leading role in the European ATM given its strategic location and through its enhanced and active presence in the Network Management Board under Mr Garbini' s leadership.

FAB initiatives and the SESAR programme are two fundamental elements of the Single European Sky. Can the BLUE MED FAB    assume a particular role also towards non EU Countries for the implementation and deployment of SESAR achievements?

SESAR, being the technological pillar of the Single European Sky, is expected to lead to the development of not only the European ATM/ANS but also to the implementation of an interoperable global ATM/ANS system. The BLUE MED FAB as the Mediterranean FAB, connecting the core of the European Network with Middle East and Africa, is investing in the cooperation between EU and the developing countries with the strong belief that bridging the differences will lead to the spreading of SESAR operational concepts to new areas, which will be of a great value for the ATM/ANS Community and the global ATM Network.