The aerospace giants of Europe and the U.S. that have been working separately to design a future global air traffic management (ATM) system yesterday announced they will collaborate to ensure they don't negate each other's efforts by coming up with incompatible answers.

Boeing's ATM division and Europe's Air Traffic Alliance -- which includes EADS, Airbus and Thales -- signed an agreement at the Paris Air Show promising to cooperate with each other as they develop roadmaps that are designed to harmonize international ATM efforts, and demonstrate satellite-based technology to support it.

Boeing ATM President John Hayhurst said the two groups "have decided to join together in this important work because we are equally committed to increasing the safety, security, capacity and efficiency of the current ATM systems." Air Traffic Alliance President Lionnel Wonneberger said the partnership with Boeing "is an important step toward addressing interoperability issues on both sides of the Atlantic."

The two groups will meet regularly to discuss how they can "accelerate and shape global air system changes," and to "explore opportunities to cooperate, possibly in partnership with other companies and public organizations, on projects that support their mutual goals." They may jointly demonstrate operational concepts on a mix of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The companies will still "pursue near-term business opportunities separately" but may also collaborate on specific business opportunities as they arise.

Boeing created its ATM division in November 2000, and a global ATM roadmap has always been one of its core objectives. Boeing has consulted with air system users around the world to establish requirements, and has also secured ATM contracts from the FAA and Eurocontrol. At the Farnborough air show last year, the European companies announced the formation of an alliance to pursue similar objectives.