“A picture is worth a thousand words.” A better phrase may be “an altas is worth a thousand words” for the influence the countries of the former Soviet Union have on global air traffic management.

Russia, the CIS and the Baltic States cover an enormous portion of the world’s airspace — airspace that prior to the break up of the Soviet Union was largely closed to international air travel. Russia alone controls 20 times more airspace than the European Union and some 8 million square kilometers of oceanic airspace.

Modernizing the airspace over Russia, the CIS and the Baltic States is a huge task and one that has only just begun. By some accounts, modernizing Russia’s air transportation management system will cost $10 billion over the next 10 years.

Increasing the safety and capacity of the region’s airspace is not only essential for the economies of the countries in the region, but for international air travelers between Europe, Asia and North America seeking shorter and safer routes.

Many Western aviation companies have been lured to the region, with hopes of quick cash rewards. Most have found, however, that slightly more sophisticated business models, with longer range goals and horizons, are required. The promise of substantial economic return on investment for Western aviation companies still exists, but only for those that understand the potential and unique circumstances of the region.

In this issue of Access PBN, The PBN Company’s aviation consulting team provides a snapshot of the region’s efforts to establish an air traffic system fully compatible with neighboring regions, and one that spurs economic development and foreign investment opportunities in the aviation and aerospace industry.