Workshop - Supporting Air Traffic Management transformation with Iris - 13 NOV - Rome
Thursday 13 November 2025, Rome, Italy
Workshop: 'Supporting Air Traffic Management transformation with Iris Satcom Datalink'
09:00 - 16:30 CET
This event is organised by ESSP, hosted by ENAV and facilitated by SESAR Deployment Manager
Iris, funded by the European Space Agency in collaboration with the aviation industry, is the only satellite-based data link technology operational today providing digital satellite communications that can complement VHF data. This workshop is organised to present key facts and figures on Iris, with a particular focus on how to deploy and use the service, the related costs for Air Navigation Service Providers and Airlines and its expected benefits.
The Workshop will be held in person on Thursday 13th of November in the ENAV Convention Center at the Rome Area Control Center (A.C.C) in Italy, in the immediate vicinity of Ciampino Airport.
Agenda
09:00 - 09:30 Registration & Welcome
09:30 - 10:00 Keynotes
Alessandro Ghilari - Head of International Activities - ENAV
Charlotte Neyret - Chief Executive Officer - European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP)
Lendina Smaya - Policy Officer - DG MOVE - European Commission
Laurent Jaffart - Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications - European Space Agency (ESA)
During the entire workshop, all participants will be able to ask questions to the panelists.
10:00 - 10:30 PANEL 1 - Network perspective: how datalink services can support improvement of Operations
Véronique Travers Sutter - Head of NMD CNS - Network Manager - EUROCONTROL: Mitigating the Single European Sky inefficiencies
Thierry Salée - Data Communication Team Leader - Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC): MUAC perspective on the benefits of datalink services
Davide Tomassini - IRIS Project Implementation Manager at the European Space Agency - European Space Agency: Deploying Iris in and outside of Europe: an opportunity to trigger TBO deployment benefits.
10:30 - 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 - 11:45 PANEL 2 - Iris Technology and Readiness for Deployment
Alex Holt - Regional Director, Business Development (EMEA)– Viasat- from technology to pre-commercial flights
Javier Murcia - Iris Programme manager – ESSP - from pre-commercial flights to the operational service
Rui Fernandes - Datalink and Cockpit Communication Systems Marketing Manager - AIRBUS: The new satcom terminals: capabilities, availability and expected benefits for airlines AOC and ATM.
Greg Saccone - Technical Fellow/Senior Systems Engineer - Boeing: Plans for Iris for Boeing fleet (ATN IPS) and expected benefits.
11:45 - 12:20 PANEL 3 - Sharing Experience on Initial Iris Deployment
Armin Schlereth - Product Manager - DFS: An ANSP perspective on the Iris service and pre-commercial flights.
Hugh McConnelogue - Director of Airport Operations & Navigation & Kieran Murphy- Aircraft Connectivity Manager - easyJet: easyJet’s experience during the pre-commercial flights: why joining, achievements and operational feedback.
12:20 - 13:00 PANEL 4 - Benefits of Iris
Pierre Lahourcade - Chief Strategy & Development Officer - ESSP: Iris services: why/how the charging model was developed, Iris cost vs cost of SES inefficiencies.
Ghislain Nicolle - VP Aviation Safety - Viasat: Airline business case: benefits enabled by the capabilities of the satcom terminal for ATM (Iris) and AOC.
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch & Networking
14:00 - 15:00 PANEL 5 - Deployment and Adoption Perspectives
Nicolas Eertmans - Senior CNS Expert - EUROCONTROL: Iris in the CNS Evolution Plan Scenarios.
Heiko Teper - Head of Strategy and Technical Execution - SESAR Deployment Manager: SESAR Deployment Manager perspectives, SATCOM as option for datalink and its role to enable ATM modernisation.
Thierry Lelievre - Iris Sales Manager - ESSP: Deployment perspective: coverage expansion plans, incentives available in the awarded Digital Sky Demonstrator “AMEA”.
Ricardo De Sousa - CNS Strategy Lead – NATS -
Datalink and Iris perspective for NATS
15:00 - 15:45 Q&A session: “Towards a Pan-European Service”: How to Deploy Iris Service in a Timely and Synchronised Approach?
15:45 - 16:00 Coffee Break
16:00 - 16:30 Conclusions & Next steps
Mariagrazia La Piscopia - Executive Director - SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM)
Charlotte Neyret - Chief Executive Officer - European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP)
Objectives of the workshop
Datalink services are acknowledged as a key enabler to the Air Traffic Management (ATM) Transformation, supporting more efficient and sustainable operations. These services today exclusively rely on the first generation of technology using VDL2. The 2nd generation of technology, based on the Iris satellite communication (SATCOM), is operational and ready to gradually complement VDL2.
The workshop will present key facts and figures on Iris and it will also explore how the recently awarded Digital Sky Demonstrator project is an opportunity to boost entry into service with incentives to airlines and reduction of Iris costs for ANSPs. Finally, this workshop will trigger an open discussion that will help stakeholders to consolidate their future plans for Iris services.
What you can expect
Key organisations and Iris' leading partners will provide detailed information on the service as well as on the expected benefits. Speakers from EUROCONTROL, SESAR Deployment Manager, European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), European Space Agency (ESA), Air Navigation Service Providers, Airspace Users and Original Equipment Manufacturers will present various perspectives using their experience during the Iris pre-commercial flights.
This workshop is a unique opportunity for participants to get feedback from early users, discuss the proposed deployment options, associated challenges and appropriate mitigation options (e.g. Incentive framework) to speed up the deployment of Iris service in Europe.