Airways hosts the 12th Thales Users Group Conference in Christchurch

Airways New Zealand hosted the 12th Thales Users Group (TUG) conference in Christchurch from 16th to 20th March 2008. The event has been organised every 18 months since 1991 by customers of Thales's air traffic management activities. Over the years, the TUG conference has proved to be a great opportunity for the worldwide civil aviation authority to share their operational experience and set the basis for discussions regarding technology progress, service and system functionality, and harmonisation.

Ashely Smout, CEO of Airways New Zealand, says the Thales Users Group Conference provides a unique opportunity for ATM organisations to work together to continue making air travel as safe, efficient and effective as possible for their airline customers.

'This focus on working together is becoming increasingly important, as our industry works to develop ways to cope with some key challenges that are facing us. Costs, security, efficiency, capacity and now environmental sustainability are all converging to make the work that ATM providers and our technology suppliers are doing to face these challenges, of increasing importance to our airline customers and our regulators and owners,' said Mr Smout.

'I would like to recognise the work that Thales puts in to making this forum happen every 18 months. The relationships that are forged and the exchange of information that occurs here is valuable to us all.'

This year's TUG Conference was attended by 75 Air Traffic Service Provider delegates from 26 countries. The conference programme included 13 presentations by customer representatives and 5 by Thales staff. Workshops are also an important part of the TUG conference format, and this year's conference included sessions on Aeronautical Services, EUROCAT system, Training, Surveillance and Navigation & Airport Solutions.

TUG members made a formal Upload at the end of the Conference for Thales to implement specific proposals that had been formulated during the sessions. Solutions will be prepared over the next 18 months and presented at the next TUG. This process plays a crucial role in building and maintaining constructive, long-term partnerships and in guiding future strategy in the light of the customer feedback. The 7 proposals selected by the customers at this Conference cover a range of topics including communication, products, support and green ATM.

The next TUG Conference will be held in Croatia in October in 2009 and will be organised by Croatia Control Ltd.

ENDS

 

Corporate Communications Manager
Ph: (04) 04 471 1888
Email: insite@airways.co.nz

 

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