Aerospace is a global industry that is subject to extensive international collaboration, standardization, and certification. Unlike many other large nationally-driven and supported industries, aerospace, particularly the commercial segment is essentially regulated by many governments and international bodies. This presents special challenges for the industry, resulting in inordinately long technology cycles, and, to some extent, stifling innovation. Yet some of the brightest engineers and innovators work in the aerospace industry. They have to meet and overcome these institutional challenges, introducing new technologies that are backward compatible, yet accommodating unrelenting growth and endlessly increasing demand for capacity. Unlike almost any other industry, the compatibility requirements span many technology cycles over several decades.

Industry Dynamics

For a specialized or “niche” industry, aerospace is huge, responsible in the U.S. alone for over 5% of GDP. With aviation travel demand set to double in the next 10 years, nations are struggling to implement the infrastructure to handle the growth, from airport terminals and parking lots, to next generation terminal and en route navigation, surveillance, and communications systems. While most air traffic control services are run or overseen by national governments, airports are run by municipalities or private corporations, and governments, for the most part, have long ceased running or supporting airlines. Therefore the major stakeholders in this massive industry operate on very different business models, ranging from cost recovery and guaranteed margins to complete free market conditions. While the futures of our airports and our air traffic services organizations for the most part are guaranteed, our airlines are subject to ever-occurring global events that impact demand and the cost of operations.

Add to this backdrop the need to continually introduce new technologies to provide capable and effective communications, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management. This requires commitment and collaboration within the aerospace industry to ensure practical solutions that offer significant improvements in efficiency and performance while offering significant benefits to all stakeholders. SepiaWave supports the aerospace industry with the standardization, development, and implementation of practical solutions for a variety of aviation businesses.