At the RPAS 2014 conference in Brussels, Belgium on June 23rd, Denis Koehl [Major General French Air Force (rtd)] will discuss the European Commission’s European RPAS Roadmap Initiative from the SESAR perspective.
Established by the European Commission in 2012, the European RPAS Steering Group (ERSG) has recognised a need to identify, plan, coordinate, and subsequently monitor the activities necessary to achieve the safe integration of RPAS into a non-segregated ATM environment. Given that the full integration of RPAS into the European ATM System is vital and that the mission of SESAR is to create the new generation of ATM systems and operations, RPAS will need to be incorporated into future SESAR solutions.
Against this background, in February 2013, the SESAR Joint Undertaking (SJU) launched a call for proposals in order to select and co- finance a series of projects offering SESAR integrated RPAS demonstration activities. As a result of the call, 09 out of 22 RPAS Demonstration Projects were selected, with a co-financing of EUR 4.2 million.
At the end of 2013, the SJU took the initiative to launch a “Definition Phase of the RPAS insertion into the European Aviation System in the context of the Single European Sky initiative”, which relies on the implementation of the R&D activities described in the European RPAS roadmap, and the validation of its contents & overall costs. An essential result shall be a detailed RPAS R&D Programme complemented by the necessary validation activities to be performed in the context of the SESAR 2020 Programme.
SESAR is working with other regions as well as ICAO. Under the Memorandum of Cooperation between the EU and the USA, SJU is also building areas of cooperation with the FAA for NextGen and is fully involving our service & supply industrial partners.
Denis Koehl [Major General French Air Force (rtd)] joined the French Air Force as a fighter pilot in 1976. In 1987, he is detached to serve within the Navy and obtained all Navy fighter pilot qualifications, and performed seven tours including operations on board aircraft carriers. In 1990, Denis was given command of a Fighter squadron and performed two operational detachments (Golf War & Africa).
Promoted in 1993, Denis was assigned at the 12th Fighter Wing level. During this assignment, he participated in several operational detachments in the Balkans and in Saudi Arabia. In September 1997, he entered the Joint War College in Paris. The following year, he was posted as Assistant Chief for Air Operations of the Air Operations Command and took the post of Assistant Chief of Staff “Policy”.
In 2000, Denis is assigned to the MOD as chief of the “Yugoslavia” Crisis Cell made responsible for all French military operations conducted in the Balkans. He was posted as Commander of Orange Air base in 2002 and from June to September 2003, he was detached in Uganda in charge of the Combined Joint Support Base for the EU operation “Artémis”. In 2004, he receives an assignment as Chief of Staff to the Air Forces Command and was promoted to Flag Officer in Oct. 2005.
In Sept. 2007 he was posted to NATO in Lisbon as French Representative to Commander. Promoted to Major General in 2009, Denis ended this military career and joined SESAR Joint Undertaking in Brussels in May 2010, as Senior Advisor to the Executive Director for Military Affairs.
Denis has a total of 4000 flying hours including 206 war missions and 99 landings on aircraft carriers. He is “Commandeur” in the National Merit Order & Officer in the Legion of Honour and his awards include serial War and Combattent Crosses for Overseas operations.
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All additional information, including the registration form, can be found at www.rpas-2014.org