Phillippe Merlo has been appointed the new director of air traffic management (ATM) at Eurocontrol, the European provider of air navigation services said Monday, Jan. 6.
Merlo will oversee the organization’s ATM and research and development, including relations with international bodies such as ICAO. Most recently he served as the deputy CEO of the Direction des Services de la Navigation Aérienne (DSNA) of France.
“Philippe Merlo is a perfect fit for us at Eurocontrol — a senior manager with hands-on experience managing an ATC Center, who has had senior roles in finance, research and development and in managing major projects,” said Frank Brenner, director general of Eurocontrol.
Merlo takes over following a recent report issued by the Eurocontrol Performance Review Commission that the U.S. ATM system is outperforming Europe’s more fragmented system. According to the report, the U.S. controls 59 percent more Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flights with fewer air traffic controllers and facilities than Europe.