Look out at the Paris Air Show for NEXA Capital’s NextGen fund as it looks set to unveil at least one customer by mid 2013. NextGen was set up to help US airlines pay for upgrades that will bring benefits from the FAA’s satellite-based air traffic management (ATM) system. Operators will start to see real benefits from satellite-based ATM when 60%-65% of the fleet is upgraded and thus this company is having a tough time breaking into the market – it is true to say that the airlines that move first will lose out as they are in the minority and advantages on approach will not be able to be realized.
A NextGen package, including avionics for full Automated Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), RNP, and pilot/controller data communications costs about $500,000-$1 million. NEXA says that the investment will pay off in less than a year, provided about 75% of the fleet is similarly equipped.
NEXA’s NextGen fund is a public-private partnership authorized by Congress. The FAA deadline for having ADS-B installed is January 1, 2020. Europe this date is January 2015 for new aircraft and early December 2017 for retrofits. Operators that fail to equip will be banned from some airspace. There will be a race to get hanger slots in the end, look out for this.
NextGen fund to announce customer
