Future Chinese pilots will undergo training validated by the EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) and the CAAC (Civil Aviation Authority of China). This training will enable them to obtain a dual pilot licence: a European licence and a Chinese licence, opening up career prospects both in China and internationally. ENAC stands out as the only European ATO (Approved Training Organisation) authorised by the CAAC to train Chinese cadets. This agreement reinforces ENAC's role as a world leader in aviation training.

As part of the project, user tests were conducted in simulated Remote Digital Tower (RDT) environments, with the final validation taking place at ENAC’s ACHIL simulation platform during the first two weeks of March 2025.

About the Experiment

This validation exercise brought together 17 expert ATCOs to assess how transparency and explainability properties of an AI-based system can foster trust, while monitoring a remote airfield under multiple operating mode conditions. The controllers had to manage two airfields:

Air Traffic Regulations form an essential foundation for air safety and civil and military traffic management. Introduced in response to the gradual increase in air traffic and the need to prevent collisions, they now provide a rigorous and coordinated framework for airspace use.

To support the pedagogical and digital transformation undertaken as part of the 2021-2025 Objectives and Performance Contract, ENAC has modernized the teaching of this essential subject.

Today, Air Traffic Regulation at ENAC means:

What is SIGN-AIR

SIGN-AIR is a SESAR Fast-Track project focused on enhancing multimodal travel by automating the management of data-sharing agreements between Transport Service Providers (TSPs). Through Data Sharing Agreements (DSAs) and Smart Contracts (SCs), SIGN-AIR enables seamless data exchange while ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks.

Simulation Environment

The experiment takes place in a dedicated test room at ENAC, utilising the GENETICS Airbus Defence and Space platform, which includes:

ENAC’s role in PRIAM

ENAC contributes to the project by extending its optimisation methods for multimodal transport networks to new emerging mobility modes like IAM. Our work focuses on the development of an optimisation model that synchronizes IAM services with other transport modes, leveraging multimodal data sharing to enhance passenger experience while considering IAM-specific constraints like battery charging.

ENAC’s role in ATMACA

ENAC is researching ATMACA applications for Green Route Operations. The new ATMACA communication protocol, with its Air-to-Ground instant text messaging capability, would enable aircraft to share real-time weather information (wind and temperature) with ground units.

Accurate real-time weather data will enhance:

What’s new and what improvements?

• Replacement of the former lamp projectors with latest-generation laser technology
• Reduction of the number of projectors by a third: two projectors needed for 120° instead of three and therefore reduction of the maintenance burden and its cost
• Increase in resolution from 2K to 4K, guaranteeing an even more realistic simulation that allows better visibility of distant traffic and obstacles

A technological challenge successfully met

One of the major challenges of this upgrade was to adapt the image

Simulation Environment

The experiment took place in a dedicated test room at ENAC, using the GENETICS Airbus Defence and Space platform. The setup included: