Boeing announced at the Moscow Air Show earlier it has signed a memoranda of understanding to cooperate in increasing the efficiency and capacity of leading Russian airports.

The manufacturing giant will work with the Basel Aero Company, operator of Sochi Airport in Basel and with Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography.

The Boeing Flight Services Air Traffic Management (ATM) group and Jeppesen, a Boeing subsidiary, will help the airports analyze and optimize their ground operational plans and introduce new procedures with the goal of improving the safety and efficiency of Russian airspace.

“Modern technologies of air traffic management and air navigation will allow us to reduce the risk of closing our airports in low visibility conditions, update our ground operations as well as optimise airspace utilisation,” said Sergey Likharev, chief executive officer of the Basel Aero Company.

“In order to stay competitive and offer the best services to airlines and their passengers, especially prior to such high profile events as the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2018 World Cup, we need to work with the best experts and introduce proven and modern solutions.”

Airport and airspace capacity can be significantly increased using the existing capabilities of the systems on-board today’s commercial jetliners combined with air traffic management technologies.

Upon completing definitive agreements, Boeing’s highly-skilled specialists will work with the Russian organizations in modernisation initiatives including increasing the capacity of the largest Russian airports and transforming the overall design of the air navigation system in Russia prior to the Sochi Winter Olympic Games.