Europe’s skies have never been busier. Flights criss-cross the continent every minute, connecting people, regions and economies. Yet as air traffic grows, so do the pressures. Environmental targets are tightening, and passengers are demanding faster, smoother journeys.
Steering this transformation on operational deployment side is Mariagrazia La Piscopia, Executive Director of the SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM) – the organisation responsible for turning the region’s air traffic modernisation plans into reality.
To understand this modernisation effort, it is important to recognise that SESAR is built on two complementary pillars: the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking (SJU), whose core-business is driving innovation and research to develop new SESAR Solutions, and the SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM), whose core-business is to deploy these solutions in a synchronised and co-ordinated manner across Europe. Together, they form a continuous pipeline from research and innovation to real-world operational implementation.
A passionate advocate for innovation, La Piscopia is guiding European aviation through one of its most ambitious technological transitions. “Technology is the way forward; it helps us manage capacity efficiently while reducing environmental impact,” she tells us. “But it’s not just about applying individual solutions in isolation, it’s about co-ordinating them across Europe, so airlines, airports and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) all move forward together.”
By aligning technologies and stakeholders across the continent, SESAR Deployment Manager is working to turn these co-ordinated plans into real-world improvements, though integrating them across dozens of airlines, airports and ANSPs remains a complex task.
Turning vision into action
At the heart of this transformation is Common Project 1, a co-ordinated programme of digital upgrades and procedures. By harmonising air traffic management across countries and operators, it enables more direct flight paths, smoother airport operations, and better use of shared data. The result: fewer delays, lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions – benefits that ripple across airlines, passengers, and the environment alike.
La Piscopia explains the role SESAR deployment plays here: “Our main activity is to facilitate the rollout of solutions that are mature for implementation. They need strong synchronisation.” Where adoption is possible, that synchronisation is producing results. “From cross-border free route airspace to more efficient airport integration and advanced data-sharing systems, projects are reducing delays and saving fuel.”
Thanks to the investments of over 100 organisations across the EU, several of CP1 technologies are already in operations across the whole European airspace, with many more to come before the 2027 deadlines.  “But it’s not just about implementation,” she notes. “What we deliver provides real-world advantages. Between 2014 and 2024, we already enabled around € 6 billion of economic benefits. By 2040, the programme these benefits could arise to  over €34 billion, whilst also saving 6.1 million tonnes of jet fuel, and reducing 19 million tonnes of CO₂.”
One of La Piscopia’s most anticipated advances is System-Wide Information Management (SWIM), a framework that enables seamless data exchange between airlines, airports, and ANSPs. This shared network improves situational awareness, supports faster decision-making, and keeps operations running smoothly even in complex conditions.
“Regional airlines have different investment capacities and operational challenges, but they are just as important as the big carriers.”
Everyone has a seat at the table
SESAR’s Deployment Manager model is unique because it is inclusive by design. Its consortium brings together major and regional airlines, ANSPs, airports, engineers, pilots and planning managers, ensuring that no perspective is left out.
“Regional airlines have different investment capacities and operational challenges, but they are just as important as the big carriers,” La Piscopia says. “Organisations like ERA help us understand these needs and ensure they are reflected in our planning.”
By embedding operational stakeholders directly within the organisation, SESAR Deployment Manager aims to ensure deployment strategies are practical, widely accepted and implemented efficiently. This inclusivity keeps the network moving forward together, avoiding fragmented progress and helping benefits reach every corner of the airspace.
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Balancing ambition and practicality
While SESAR has made impressive strides, deploying new technologies is not without challenges. Co-ordinating multiple stakeholders – from large and regional airlines to ANSPs and airports – can be complex, and smaller operators sometimes face stronger financial and operational pressures in adopting new systems.
La Piscopia stresses that SESAR Deployment Manager’s approach, which includes facilitating access to European funding and providing practical support, is designed to ensure that all participants, regardless of size, can benefit from modernisation. “Our role is to help everyone implement these changes, ensuring that even the smallest airlines benefit fully.”
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Building the sky of the future
For La Piscopia, the future of European air traffic management depends on continued investment, collaboration and inclusivity.
“We are among the fastest in the world at deploying co-ordinated ATM solutions, even compared with other fast-growing regions,” she says. “We need to keep investing in technology, stay inclusive and guide implementation carefully. That is how we will continue to improve efficiency, reduce emissions and ensure safe skies for everyone.”
SESAR Deployment Manager is working to turn this ambitious vision into reality, and as 2025 draws to a close, La Piscopia and her team can reflect on a year of tangible progress, with the groundwork set for further deployment the year ahead. One thing remains clear for 2026: all stakeholders must play their part.