On 29 April 2025, the first Stakeholder Workshop of the FCA project took place, welcoming over 50 participants from across Europe. The event was held in a hybrid format, combining in-person attendance at DLR Brussels offices with online participation. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all those who joined us—your active involvement, insightful questions, and thoughtful feedback made the day a resounding success.
The workshop was structured around four key thematic blocks. It began with an overview of the project and the Flight Centric ATC concept, outlining the motivation behind the approach and how it aims to transform en-route air traffic management. This was followed by an in-depth look at the simulation methodology used in the project, including technical frameworks and experimental setups. A highlight of the event was the presentation of initial results from real-time simulations conducted as
part of the project’s validation activities. These early insights already indicate notable effects on operational efficiency, controller workload distribution, and the coordination mechanisms required under the FCA concept. In the final session, we explored the key implementation challenges ahead, ranging from human factors to system integration, and the regulatory and procedural adaptations necessary for future deployment.
The impressions, questions, and ideas gathered during the workshop are now being fed into the ongoing work. The stakeholder input plays a critical role in shaping our direction and helps ensure the concept’s practical relevance and feasibility.
We are also pleased to already announce that the second SESAR FCA Stakeholder Workshop is scheduled for April 2026. We look forward to building on the foundation established this year and continuing the dialogue with the community as the project progresses toward its final stages.
