CATS Global Council and the Future of Airspace in the LAC Region Interactive Working Session – Shaping the Future Together

As airspace users diversify and traffic volumes grow, the need for an inclusive, interoperable, and forward-looking approach to airspace management has never been more urgent. The Complete Air Traffic System (CATS) Global Council, initiated by CANSO, brings together leaders from across aviation and aerospace—ANSPs, UTM providers, airlines, regulators, innovators, and space actors—to co-create a vision for future skies and drive transformation in how we manage airspace globally.

This session is your opportunity to bring the CATS Vision and CONOPS into the LAC regional context—and help shape a unified pathway to future skies in the region.

Part 1: Shared Reality Check – Understanding Today to Shape Tomorrow
We will start with a collaborative shared reality check” to capture key insights from across the region. What are LAC’s biggest enablers and blockers in shaping tomorrow’s skies?

Participants will reflect on:
• Operational and technical barriers to seamless airspace
• Airspace user diversity and integration challenges
• Capacity and infrastructure gaps
• Regional fragmentation and coordination opportunities
• Local innovations or success stories that show the way forward

This grounding exercise will ensure the session reflects the true realities of the LAC region and lays the foundation for actionable next steps.

Part 2: From Vision to Regional Action – CATS as a Strategic Accelerator
Building on the shared context and the insights from the CEO Workshop on strategic planning, this segment will focus on translating the CATS CONOPS into concrete, regional actions.

Participants will work in small, facilitated groups to explore:
• Interoperability and cross-border collaboration: How can we ensure digital and procedural alignment across LAC States to support seamless service provision and future operations like space vehicles and drones?
• Cost-effectiveness and financial sustainability: How can the CATS vision be used to guide regional investment strategies and sustainable business models?

Each group will propose:
• Key regional priorities or milestones aligned with the CATS roadmap
• Ideas for pilot initiatives or collaborations
• How to integrate CATS thinking into ICAO SAM/NACC and regional programmes

Outcome and Way Forward
The session will conclude with a brief plenary exchange, where key insights and proposals from each group will be captured to:
• Inform a LAC-specific implementation pathway under the CATS umbrella
• Strengthen stakeholder alignment across ANSPs, States, and industry
• Establish momentum for follow-up workshops and knowledge exchange

This is not just a discussion — it’s a step toward a shared future.