On February 18, 2026, at the ENAV Area Control Centre (ACC) in Rome, SJU, air traffic controllers (ATCOs), pilots, and industry and ATM stakeholders gathered for the GALAAD Real-Time Simulation 3 (RTS#3) Open Day. The shared objective was clear: validating operational solutions to make terminal airspace operations smoother, more efficient, and more sustainable.
Bridging Rome and Toulouse
A key activity of the event was the live connection of ATCOs and pilots in a simulated environment. The team successfully linked the ENAV RTS Industrial Based Platform in Rome directly with the Airbus flight crew real-time cockpit simulator in Toulouse.
Walking through various operational scenarios, project partners showcased the dynamic allocation of Performance Based Navigation (PBN) arrival routes. Powered by an enhanced Arrival Manager (AMAN), this setup allows controllers to issue early clearances and dynamically assign shorter routes. The live demonstration assessed how to improve sequencing and airspace performances while strictly maintaining safety and human performance standards.
The Milan Stress Test: Assessing Operational Potential
The open day built upon the rigorous testing conducted during the two-weeks RTS#3 in early February. During this phase, the GALAAD concept was tested in the highly complex Milan terminal environment under both peak and low traffic conditions.
To understand the potential of the concept, ATCOs and pilots were involved in reference scenarios and then exposed to the new GALAAD solution to feed a comparative and controlled assessment. The focus was to assess the theoretical expectations of GALAAD’s dynamic shortcut logic against the current operating method evaluating how the system interacts with varying traffic complexities.
Empowering the Human Operator
New technology must avoid adding complexity for the user. With this in mind, the GALAAD concept was designed from the ground up to be a practical enhancement that supports controllers rather than burdening them.
During the simulation, ATCOs reported highly positive feedback regarding the implemented concept and the Human Machine Interface (HMI). The AMAN route proposals were well received, providing better predictability and helping controllers maintain situational awareness. By relying on dynamic routing suggested by AMAN rather than constant tactical interventions, the system naturally reduces airspace variability and supports smoother arrival flows.
A Stepping Stone to the Digital European Sky
GALAAD is a concrete example of how operationally grounded innovation delivers measurable value. It easily complements today’s AMAN environments while providing a solid foundation that aligns with future Trajectory Based Operations (TBO). Because its logic is scalable, it can adapt to different airspace structures and traffic densities across Europe.
The RTS#3 Open Day highlighted the undeniable value of collaboration, bringing together experts from ENAV, Honeywell, Airbus, NAIS, Leonardo, EUROCONTROL, Frequentis, Deep Blue, and the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking. Crucially, none of this would have been possible without the immense dedication of the Validation Team and the broader Project Team, whose collective effort behind the scenes drove the success of these simulations.
"The GALAAD RTS3 has shown how far we can go when innovation, teamwork, and operational excellence come together to shape the future of ATM," noted Aurora Giovanna Simonetti, GALAAD Solution Leader.
Echoing this sentiment and looking toward the future, Fabio Mangiaracina, ENAV Project GALAAD Coordinator, added: “The results achieved in this phase have established a robust and demonstrable foundation, one that stands as a pivotal milestone for the future evolution of the GALAAD concept. These outcomes not only validate our approach, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed concept, but also provide a compelling springboard for any potential follow-up activities."
