Controlling The Skies

HAVING DEVELOPED AN INTEREST IN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AFTER READING ABOUT IT IN A NEWSPAPER, BEN KIFF IS NOW A LEADER IN THE INDUSTRY AS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF NATS MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA–PACIFIC.

- Jordan Murray

When National Air Traffic Services (NATS) CEO Martin Rolfe sat down with The CEO Magazine last year, he spoke about the implementation of digital systems in airspace safety. Ben Kiff, Managing Director of NATS Middle East and Asia–Pacific (MEAP), is similarly eager to talk about these technologies. With fiber networks, high-definition cameras and remote sensing technology, he says air traffic management is on the verge of a “revolution”.

“With these new technologies, we won’t need traditional towers full of air traffic controllers and equipment because we’ll have cameras that can send images and data to separate control centers hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometers away,” he explains. “We’ll have live imaging that can be used with other operational data, like radar labels on individual planes or the location of closed taxiways.”

In his capacity as Managing Director, Ben says smart tower projects are already being delivered in a number of places including Singapore, providing a testing ground for advancing new technologies without interrupting ongoing operations. “It’s an exciting time for us, and this is part of a number of initiatives including the development of artificial intelligence [AI] operational performance tools that allow us to provide improved solutions for airports and air navigation service providers [ANSPs] in their quest to deliver operational and cost efficiencies.”