ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the major legal, technical and transversal aspects of modern Air Traffic Management (ATM). It begins with a discussion of the applicable regulatory, organisational and business frameworks. The chapter also focuses on the European situation, but has relevance to other dense air traffic areas such as the US, and to areas experiencing rapid air traffic growth such as from the Middle East through to South East Asia and China. Air transport is vital for Europe's competitiveness. The safe, orderly and expeditious flow of this air traffic is ensured by the provision of airport and ATM infrastructure, and air navigation services (ANS). The current ATM regulatory framework is mainly prescriptive and requires comprehensive regulatory guidelines prescribing detailed acceptance criteria for meeting regulatory requirements. ATM/ANS include more services than 'air traffic management' and 'air navigation services' together. In network management, safety translates primarily into protecting traffic control centres from over-deliveries.
