European GNSS Agency (GSA) Executive Director Carlo des Dorides is recognised, along with Member of the European Parliament Marian-Jean Marinescu, at the 2017 European Business Aviation Awards in Geneva.

The 2017 European Business Aviation Awards were presented to GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides and Member of the European Parliament Marian-Jean Marinescu, at a ceremony held on the first day of this year’s European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2017) on May 22. The prestigious awards were handed out by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

MEP Marinescu said that he was pleased about the EBAA award. “This is a recognition of the work which is done by the European Parliament to support the European business aviation communities. As the MEP representative within the GSA Administration Board, I am pleased to see that our satellite navigation technology EGNOS, managed by the GSA, is embedded by the aviation business community to support its development.”

Priority airports targeted for LPV

EBAA CEO Brandon Mitchener said in a statement that, as executive director of the GSA, des Dorides set the vision of the agency, and ensured Europe’s satellite navigation systems were effectively operated, well maintained and secure. “GSA and EBAA signed an agreement to promote EGNOS deployment in the aviation sector across Europe, and specifically LPV approaches, and together we identified a series of European airports where LPV is of key interest to business aviation,” Mitchener said.

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Under this agreement the GSA and EBAA have set up a specific working group to enable new routes that serve the specific needs of business aviation operators. A list of priority airports to be targeted for LPV publication has been drawn up based on operator interest. The GSA and EBAA are working closely together on this list to ensure quick LPV publication at airports of interest. “The collaboration between GSA and EBAA has been very good, and GSA hopes to continue working in the same way for many years to come, to keep serving specific business aviation needs,” des Dorides said.

Creating European jobs

Commenting on the award GSA Head of Market Development Gian Gherardo Calini said that the GSA was happy to receive recognition from the EBAA. “The EBAA is the most important user community for us in aviation. Our cooperation is an example, as business users need access to regional airports and EGNOS provides this without high investment and approaches with a CAT I decision height of 200 feet,” he said.

Gian-Gherardo Calini receives the award for the GSA on behalf of Carlo des Dorides

Highlighting the results for business aviation, Calini noted that this sector was the most advanced user community for EGNOS with 25% penetration of aircraft equipage, and more than 440 procedures currently in place. “This is contributing to the creation of European jobs and generating business for European citizens,” he said.

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