IMPROVING ATM NETWORK PERFORMANCE Skyway SUMMER 2014 magazine

WILD NATURE Building resilience into Europe’s ATM network

IN THIS ISSUE:

EUROCONTROL’S STRATEGY AND VISION

ENABLING MILITARY MISSION EFFECTIVENESS

NEW ATM SATELLITE SERVICES

CONNECTING AIRPORTS TO THE NETWORK AIRBUS PROSKY IMAGINE THE FUTURE OF AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

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NUMBER 61 | SUMMER 2014

EDITORIAL FOCUS VIEWPOINTS

5 Strategy and vision 14 Climate change: long-term planning is 38 Achieving reasonable and fair regulation Frank Brenner, Director General, key Klaus-Dieter Scheurle, CEO of DFS EUROCONTROL 18 Making the network more resilient to 40 For London Heathrow, climate turbulent nature resilience strategies matter WAYPOINTS Graham Earl, Head of Environment and 20 Military aircraft operators are key to Climate Change Strategy at Heathrow 7 Second i4D test flight crosses MUAC SES success Airport Limited airspace successfully Georgia joins EUROCONTROL 24 Philippe Merlo Interview 42 Teaming up for safety Loïc Michel, ECA Technical Policy Advisor, 8 NAV Portugal and MUAC assess new 26 A new airport ATM information and Álvaro Gammicchia, ECA Board surveillance standard network is under construction Director for Technical Affairs Florence Air Transport Forum AENA contracts EUROCONTROL for 30 Advancing the use of satellites for ATM 44 Warmer, wetter, wilder weather will air port charging impact ANS service provision 33 Sixty thousand nautical miles a day Olav Mosvold Larsen, Avinor and ACI 9 Network improvement plan delivers wasted Europe Environmental Strategy Committee continued savings News in Brief 36 A key role in improving ANS TAIL END performance DATA 46 Calendar of events 46 Advertising index

10 Flight Trends in 2014

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European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL) June 2014. All rights reserved. The entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of EURO- CONTROL. The reproduction of advertisements in this publication does not in any way imply endorsement of their content by PMI Media Ltd or EUROCONTROL. The views expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policy of EUROCONTROL.

Skyway Summer 2014 www.eurocontrol.int EDITORIAL 5

STRATEGY AND VISION

he world of air traffic management (ATM) has importantly, by helping other stakeholders to improve Tchanged vastly over the last twenty years. their performance. This can be seen in our response Operationally, we are all much more interconnected to disruptive weather and also the Flight Efficiency and interdependent and that is now being reflected Initiative, both of which are described in this issue. in how we organise ourselves. This is clearly the case These fundamental changes in how ATM works in Europe where the classic, fragmented approach to have a major effect on EUROCONTROL. In many ways, ATM is being abandoned in favour of a more unified, we are very well placed to bring a major contribution network way of doing things. We see this in the creation to the future of European ATM. For example, we of the Single European Sky (SES); in the move towards have forty Member States (still growing, with Estonia regulation at a European, rather than national level; next in line to join us) and so we can provide a truly in the single European voice at the International Civil pan-European contribution. This is important because Aviation Organization (ICAO); and in the work of the there are significant benefits if the network covers the Network Manager (NM). whole of Europe and not just those countries in the At the same time, we see that there is a much European Union. In fact, we are now looking beyond “What will not change greater focus on performance. Airspace users Europe in order to develop operational and other is our commitment to are under tremendous pressure to be ever more connections wherever they can help to improve the efficient and environmentally friendly, as well as performance of the network. driving excellence in maintaining the high levels of safety we have seen in We also have a strong and established civil-military ATM performance.” recent years. ATM has to play its part in this process. component. This has been recognised by our Frank Brenner EUROCONTROL is committed to helping, both by stakeholders as one of our particular strengths and improving performance directly where we can (for we are looking to build on this, for example through Director General, example by reducing our own costs) and also, more the Advanced Flexible Use of Airspace initiative, EUROCONTROL

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Driving excellence in which is one of the new Centralised Services. These Centralised Services are expected not only to generate ATM performance cost and operational efficiencies but also to create and open up a market for the provision of services across means improving network performance by: Europe. We are already seeing a lot of interest from air • achieving the Single European Sky objectives, in particular navigation service providers (ANSPs) that are keen to through contribution to the performance scheme targets and look beyond their own borders. through the Network Manager (NM) and Performance Review Looking further ahead, we need to build on the Board (PRB) mandates success of the Single European Sky ATM Research • supporting airspace users, States, air navigation service provid- (SESAR) programme. That means implementing the ers (ANSPs), functional airspace blocks (FABs), military, airports projects already developed and also undertaking and the European Commission the research that will enable future improvements. • reinforcing EUROCONTROL’s business intelligence and data We cannot afford to stand still and EUROCONTROL analysis capabilities, statistics and forecasts (STATFOR), cost- has a significant role here. In part, this is to look at benefit analysis, network data repository, etc. the network and architecture elements where we • embedding the civil-military coordination transversally in all have particular expertise; however, we also see the activities need to make sure that we do not neglect the longer • extending EUROCONTROL’s geographical coverage/global term, exploratory research that will underpin the ATM influence through membership and agreements. system in thirty or forty years’ time. As an intergovernmental organisation with forty means fulfilling the role of planner/architect for future Member States and many, many stakeholders, ATM (air transport) evolutions by: there are of course a wide range of views on what • providing an independent and impartial civil-military EUROCONTROL should be doing – on all the above platform to guarantee optimum ATM developments from topics and on others such as Functional Airspace operational, technical and financial perspectives Blocks (FABs), the Maastricht Upper Area Control • supporting the implementation of the Single European Sky Centre, training and the Central Route Charges Office. on a pan-European basis That is why we have been consulting them and also • acting as the European air traffic management (ATM) centre why we are discussing how the EUROCONTROL of expertise to contribute to International Civil Aviation Organisation and the Agency should evolve in order Organization (ICAO) decisions/evolutions to make it fit for purpose. We have an ongoing, wide • demonstrating technical leadership in research – both at stakeholder consultation on the vision and strategy working level through the quality of our deliverables, and by for EUROCONTROL which we developed on the basis fully contributing to and exercising our joint governance role of a stakeholder survey. Part of that is internal – how of the SESAR-JU (Single European Sky ATM Research Joint we align ourselves in order to meet the needs of our Undertaking). stakeholders. We have recently commenced a process of looking at our legal structure and how that might means acting to improve the cost-efficiency of European have to change. ATM and make it more flexible by: What will not change is our commitment to driving • contributing pro-rata to the European Union cost-efficiency excellence in ATM performance. This is at the heart targets of all we do and it is the single guiding principle on • implementing Centralised Services to reduce the cost of which our strategy and vision are based. ATM infrastructure • diversifying EUROCONTROL’s funding and proactively look- Frank Brenner ing for new opportunities. Director General, EUROCONTROL

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WAYPOINTS

SECOND I4D TEST FLIGHT CROSSES MUAC AIRSPACE SUCCESSFULLY GEORGIA JOINS EUROCONTROL

› On 1 January 2014, Georgia became EUROCONTROL’s 40th Member State. Georgia joined ICAO in 1994 and ECAC in 2005. Its Air Navigation Service Provider

AIRBUS (SAKAERONAVIGATSIA) has been a full member Air travel will become even within a real traffic situation. former Executive Director of the of CANSO since 2006 and ›more predictable in the future Enabled by further refined SESAR Joint Undertaking. the Georgian Civil Aviation thanks to the work undertaken airborne and ground systems and According to the SESAR JU Agency (GCAA) was created within the Single European Sky procedures, as well as enhanced “Throughout the flight, the in April 2011. ATM Research (SESAR) Programme Human Machine Interfaces (HMI), aircraft’s trajectory information Tbilisi, the capital and the to develop and validate initial 4D the latest flight trial builds on the containing current and predicted largest city of Georgia, is home (i4D) trajectory management – results of an extensive validation positions were exchanged with to Tbilisi International Airport connecting aircraft and ground process made up of a significant the concerned air navigation where there were on average systems to optimise the aircraft amount of real-time simulations service providers and airports. 30 flights per day in 2013. trajectory in three dimensions involving pilots and air traffic The Airbus A320 test aircraft flew In 2013, Georgia handled plus time. controllers. from Toulouse in France through approximately 110,000 flights, Prepared by SESAR members The flight trial further confirmed the EUROCONTROL Maastricht representing roughly 300 Airbus, EUROCONTROL, that i4D offers important safety Upper Area Control Centre flights per day. Air traffic in Honeywell, Indra, NORACON and environmental gains, as well (MUAC) airspace to meet a time Georgia is forecast to grow (NORth European and Austrian as increased flight predictability constraint at a metering point at a remarkable annual rate CONsortium) and Thales, a flight and overall network efficiency. close to Copenhagen airport. of almost 6% over the next trial on 19 March 2014 from “Through this i4D flight trial, The flight then continued into seven years, compared with Toulouse to Copenhagen and SESAR members are showing Nordic Unified Air Traffic Control the 1.8% average annual then Stockholm, successfully that the Programme’s research (NUAC) airspace to demonstrate traffic growth rate expected validated the sharing of trajectory and development can bring an optimised descent to for European air traffic over information both in ground and about immediate and positive Copenhagen, after which it the same period. airborne operations, and the impact to Europe’s air traffic climbed to a cruise level and then Frank Brenner, capability of the aircraft to comply management (ATM) system. This descended into Swedish airspace EUROCONTROL’s Director with time constraints in the en- wouldn’t have been possible to a second metering point General, said that Georgia route and approach phases of the without the operational support before landing at Arlanda Airport. would be well placed to help flight. The core characteristic of and validation by pilots and air After a change to another Flight implement the pan-European i4D is to ensure that trajectories traffic controllers, who are making Management System (FMS), the Sky and help EUROCONTROL are always synchronised between 4D trajectory management a aircraft departed from Stockholm raise the levels of aviation air and ground. While a previous reality. Thanks to their hard work, towards Copenhagen to meet safety, efficiency and cost- flight trial in 2012 demonstrated passengers will experience an two further time constraints effectiveness in Europe, while the feasibility of i4D, this second enhanced travel experience, which before climbing towards MUAC limiting the impact of aviation flight demonstrates the maturity is an important goal of the SESAR airspace and returning to on the environment. and the robustness of the concept Programme,” said Claude Chêne, Toulouse.”

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WAYPOINTS

NAV PORTUGAL AND MUAC ASSESS FLORENCE AIR NEW SURVEILLANCE STANDARD TRANSPORT FORUM

› NAV Portugal has selected On 24 March 2014 in Florence from joint procurement or joint The Forum discussed how EUROCONTROL’s Maastricht › an Air Transport Forum was provision, either at the level of the creation of new monopolies Upper Area Control Centre held at which Frank Brenner, Functional Airspace Blocks or at a could be avoided, what the role (MUAC) to support the EUROCONTROL’s Director pan-European level, as seen in the of the EU in a pan-European Portuguese Surveillance General, gave a keynote speech new Centralised Services. context should be, how a new and Data Processing Team (see the speech at www. Such an approach would market should and could be in the validation of their eurocontrol.int/speeches/ save money, would be more regulated and also what the role surveillance data processing director-general). The Forum operationally efficient, would of EUROCONTROL might be. system against the new considered the implications result in more effective, inter- There was widespread EUROCONTROL Specification for an emerging market in operable and synchronised recognition that this is an for ATM Surveillance System the provision of ATM support implementation of SESAR and important field for debate in view Performance (ESASSP), services, in particular the need would create a market for ATM of the overall direction of EU which complements and for effective regulation. services. This market would thinking, the existing competition refines EC Implementing It has become increasingly not only encourage ANSPs to in some areas such as Terminal Rule No 1207/2011, clear that, in the absence of operate beyond their national ATC provision, the progress being “Surveillance performance wholesale consolidation of boundaries, it would also made with Centralised Services and interoperability ATC centres, there is a need to strengthen Europe’s global and the desire to improve the requirements”. MUAC determine what elements of air position in the provision of ATM competitive performance of and NAV Portugal have traffic management might benefit services. European ATM more generally. cooperated in applying MUAC’s methodology to support the validation of the Portuguese surveillance AENA CONTRACTS EUROCONTROL chain (sensors and tracker). NAV Portugal now uses the FOR AIRPORT CHARGING Tracker Quality Monitoring tool, which is built on top of In September 2013 Spain’s air and it made economic sense to EUROCONTROL’s Director the EUROCONTROL ARTAS ›navigation service provider, confide this extra service to them.” General, Frank Brenner, said: and SASS-C products. In this AENA (Aeropuertos Españoles y The Central Route Charges “It is heartening to see the effective configuration, the Navegación Aérea), concluded Office, CRCO, bills and collects economic decision being taken assessment of surveillance a bilateral agreement with route charges for 43 States to reduce costs by making use of performance is achieved EUROCONTROL for the billing and and has signed 14 bilateral a very good service available to through the best use of on- collection of terminal charges at agreements with States for them: extending the billing and line tracker and off-line tools. their airports. terminal charges. Given this collection of en route charges to The Tracker Quality On signing the agreement, wide scope, the CRCO is able to include terminal ones. In addition Monitoring tool provides a AENA’s Director of Air Navigation, make considerable economies to AENA, another Air Navigation continuous assessment of Ignacio González Sánchez, of scale and has extremely high Service Provider has decided trackers. Trend profiles are remarked: “EUROCONTROL’s levels of productivity, with a to use the advantageous CRCO established for the early Central Route Charges Office has recovery rate typically over service. With this, we see evidence detection of performance been billing and collecting route 99%.Its administrative fees for that ANSPs increasingly entrust degradations or to identify charges for us since 1986. They the collection of air navigation our Central Route Charges Office coverage deficiencies. have proved to be competent, charges – that is, both route with managing a complete quick and efficient in all their and terminal charges – are package of valuable services on dealings with us over the years competitively low. their behalf.”

Skyway Summer 2014 www.eurocontrol.int www.eurocontrol.int Summer 2014 Skyway NEWS 9

NETWORK NEWS IN BRIEF

› On 9 April 2014, EUROCONTROL’s European Safety Culture IMPROVEMENT PLAN Programme was awarded the President’s Medal by the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (IEHF) – the DELIVERS CONTINUED world’s longest established and second largest professional society for human factors and ergonomics. IEHF’s principal role is to foster the evolution of the discipline and in SAVINGS doing so to uphold standards of competence. The award was given to EUROCONTROL’s Safety Culture programme, According to the Information Regulation And which the Agency has been carrying out with 30 Member ›latest European Route Control (AIRAC) cycle. It States over the past ten years. EUROCONTROL’s Safety Network Improvement Plan describes the airspace design Culture Programme began its existence as a safety research Implementation Monitoring improvements put in place since project in 2003, following the Überlingen mid-air collision. After three years of exploring the concept and adapting it Report (ERNIP) published in April the end of the previous AIRAC from other industries, such as nuclear power, oil and gas, 2014, the EUROCONTROL Flight cycle, pointing out changing it was tested in 2006 with the AVINOR and NAV Portugal Efficiency Initiative continues traffic patterns and traffic ANSPs. Both these ANSPs reported back positively to to make improvements to composition. For example, the EUROCONTROL’s Safety Team (the forum of European ANSP the quality of flight planning. monitoring report for AIRAC 1401 Safety Directors and Managers), and other ANSPs quickly When it was launched in May (9 January– 5 February) shows joined the process. EUROCONTROL has now surveyed 29 2013 only invalid flight plans that the airspace enhancements countries (30 including its own Maastricht Upper Area (affecting 5% of Europe’s total implemented and the airspace Centre – MUAC), and many of these more than once. The traffic) were scrutinized in order design improvements put in Agency has surveyed its own safety culture, using the same to offer improvement proposals. place offer potential savings methodology. The acceptance rate by the flight equivalent to 328,000 fewer plan originator is increasing nautical miles (NMs) flown › On 6 March 2014 , Kyrgyzstan completed its migration in absolute value with more compared with the equivalent to the European AIS Database as it finalised its PAMS airline operators becoming AIRAC cycle in 2013. This would connection (Published Aeronautical Information aware of the process. However, translate into potential savings Publications Management System). EAD is a centralised only 27% of the re-route of 1,971 tonnes of fuel, or 6,569 reference database of quality-assured aeronautical information which provides significant benefits for proposals are taken up by the tonnes of carbon dioxide, the both data providers and data users. Although originally operators, compared with the equivalent of €1,642,000. intended for European use, it has proved to be popular total number of improvement No losses were recorded across the world, with data providers including New proposals offered on the day on the last filed flight plan Zealand, Canada and the Philippines. As part of its of operation. To increase net data during AIRAC cycle 1401 Centralised Services initiative, EUROCONTROL intends savings, the Network Manager compared with the equivalent to build on the success of EAD with the creation of the took additional steps to improve AIRAC cycle in 2013; however, European ATM Information Management Service, the the quality of flight planning. the actual uptake represents “Centralised Service number 5” , which will increase the The valid flight plan database only 10% of the potential efficiency and the coverage of EAD. is now progressively being savings offered. treated as well so as to identify Based on the last filed flight › EUROCONTROL has announced the appointment of Helen further improvement proposals plan indicator, the actual savings Feetenby as the new Head of Internal Audit. Ms Feetenby for shorter route options on the calculated during the AIRAC who took up her post on 1 February 2014, has worked for remaining 95% of the traffic. cycle 1401 amount to 35,000 nearly twenty years as an auditor in both national and The ERNIP also gives an fewer nautical miles (NMs) flown international settings. Her most recent post was as Board overview of the airspace compared with the equivalent member of the International Board of Audit for NATO (IBAN), on secondment from the UK’s National Audit Office design improvements and its AIRAC cycle in 2012. This (NAO) where she has been a Director since 2008. contribution to flight efficiency translates into 213 tonnes of fuel, based on proposals implemented or 709 tonnes of carbon dioxide, 28 days, or the Aeronautical or €177,000.

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FLIGHT TRENDS IN 2014 MODEST GROWTH FOR EARLY 2014 IN LINE WITH LATEST FORECASTS

Monthly European flight counts for the first Actual traffic of 2014 compared with the Forecast of February 2014 quarter of 2014 have shown positive growth over the same period in 2013. In January 2014 there were 2.2% more flights than in 2013, in February they were up 2.2% and in March up 2.4%, in line with EUROCONTROL’s latest forecasts. According to EUROCONTROL’s Statistics and Forecast Service (STATFOR) following two years of traffic declines in 2012 and 2013, traffic in Europe is expected to recover to a moderate rate of 1.2% (±1.2 pp) in 2014 and by 2.7% (±1 pp) in 2015.

According to STATFOR’s short-term outlook (2014-2015) a weak economic outlook for 2014 combined with the mixed traffic trends since the beginning of the winter schedule will lead to a moderate growth for 2014.

Load factors have been at consistently Main changes to traffic on the European network (Jan 2014-Mar 2014) high levels during the last four years, so the scope for further growth now depends mainly on capacity, meaning more or longer flights, or more seats, according to the latest EUROCONTROL analysis. European airlines are still cautious about adding capacity. Legacy carriers, which are still involved in cost- reduction programmes, are either cutting capacity for summer or keeping growth low. Meanwhile, low-cost carriers look set to step up capacity growth in the summer but this is limited by aircraft deliveries. From 2015, deliveries are expected to grow faster in Europe; significantly, Turkish and Russian carriers will account for at least a third of the European deliveries.

Skyway Summer 2014 www.eurocontrol.int thalesgroup.com

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TopSkyATM14_English_C33465.044_297x210_Spring14_Skyway_v1.indd 1 28/04/2014 16:42 12 DATA

The first three months of the year have seen on traffic was felt from the last week of March traffic growth has also been revised upward traffic levels developing at different rates in and is not fully represented in this quarter’s but this is owing to the recent change in different parts of the continent. Turkey has statistics. Meanwhile, France saw 83 fewer routing patterns for the jet stream, leading to been the main contributor to traffic growth, daily flights in the first quarter due mostly to more southerly routings. adding over 200 daily flights each month. industrial action. Norway accelerated from 42 additional The latest short-term forecast for Spain Traffic losses in Egypt are having an influence daily flights in January to 142 in March. But has been revised upwards to 1.8% from across Europe and especially on the South- renewed political unrest in Egypt saw 57 the previous forecasts, partly boosted by East axis over-flights. However, these losses fewer daily flights (departures/arrivals) during the Canary Islands flow and higher-than- are partly compensated for by shifts of tourist the first quarter of the year as traffic shifted expected local traffic. The current shift in flows to Spanish Islands and Morocco, and to Morocco (up 13%) and Canary Islands tourist flows from Egypt to Spanish islands higher-than-usual traffic growth to Greek (up 11%). There were further downturns has led to an upwards revision of the forecast Island airports in the summer schedules in Ukraine: traffic went from plus 54 daily for Canaries to 12% (±2 pp). This is also (+9%). On the positive side, dynamic Russian flights in January to 14 fewer daily flights in driving Lisbon flight information region (FIR) traffic growth observed in 2013 is expected March. The main effect of the Ukraine crisis growth upwards to 6% (±1.6 pp). Santa Maria to continue stimulating growth in Europe, together with Turkey – which will remain the biggest European contributor to the network Market segments growth. Traffic growth forecast for Turkey is set for stable increases of 7.3% (±1.5 pp) in 2014 and 7.1% (±1.5 pp) for 2015.

“In 2014 and 2015, over-flight routings are expected to change due to the KFOR (Kosovo) sector re-opening along the South-East axis – which will add to the disparities in the growth rates in the region. This will accelerate growth over the next 18 months on some flows, while others will see reductions as aircraft operators use more efficient routings that are now available. The forecasts for the South-East axis States are also highly dependent on

Skyway Summer 2014 www.eurocontrol.int DATA 13

the potential changes in routings due to growth, tourism demand and changes in average annual growth rate (4.2%, ±1.5 the conflict in Syria and, most recently, route-choice, as a result of the civil war pp) amongst the FABs over the next seven by the closure of Crimean airspace which in Syria and the crisis in the Ukraine, for years. FAB Europe Central (FABEC), the has led to re-routings particularly of some example. busiest European FAB, and UK-Ireland FAB Middle-Eastern flows,” says Joe Sultana, will experience more limited average annual Director Network Manager. After 2015, traffic growth in Europe stabilises growth rates of around 1.8% by 2020. In its at around 2.6% increase per year, showing low-growth scenario, FABEC will experience Out of the five busiest European States, higher rates in 2016 and 2020, but these are the lowest rates of the FABs with a 0.5% the forecast for Germany has been revised due to the extra growth from the leap-year increase only. downwards compared to the September effect. In fact, when comparing average daily forecast. It is now expected to see no growth traffic growth rates, the growth rate of 2.7% MUAC HANDLES MORE FLIGHTS SAFELY, (0%, ±1.3 pp) in 2014. This can be explained per year in the 2015-2017 horizon will slow REDUCES COSTS by a complex mix of influencing factors – down in 2018 (+2.2%) due to the lack of economic growth recovery coupled with capacity in the European network as a result Traffic volumes and productivity levels up, recent declining trends in all flows and of airport capacity constraints. However, the costs down. That is the story of 2013 for stagnation in the low-cost market share. new airport in Istanbul, to open in 2019, will the Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre France, still showing a weak economic partially lift the constraints and growth rates (MUAC), operated by EUROCONTROL on outlook for 2014, has seen its traffic forecast will accelerate averaging at rates of 2.8% in behalf of four States, providing air traffic revised downwards to 1.5% (±1.2 pp). Flight the 2019-2020 horizon (after removing the control for the upper airspace (above forecast for UK has also been slightly revised 2020 leap-year effect). 24,500ft) of Belgium, the Netherlands, downwards compared to September to Luxembourg and north-west Germany. In a growth of 0.8% (±1.1 pp) in 2014. UK Growth is not uniform across Europe. While 2013 MUAC managed 1.6 million flights – arrival/departures flow is now expected to the growth (in percentage terms) is much 1.6% up on 2012, with punctuality levels at grow faster while over-flight and internal weaker in the more mature markets of 99.5% of unimpeded flights. The average forecasts have been revised downwards. Western Europe, it is still the busiest States delay per flight was 0.07 minutes. The total Lastly, forecast flight growth in Italy remains (France, Germany followed by Italy, Spain and economic cost per flight-hour (€2013) unchanged for 2014 to 0.8% (±1.3 pp). UK) which will see the greatest number of was €256 – 4.3% down on 2012 and total extra flights per day. Turkey will both see the service provision costs were €137 million, For the longer term, the new fastest growth rates (6.9% as average annual 5.3% down on 2012. Controller productivity EUROCONTROL Seven-Year Forecast of growth rate over the seven years) and the (measured as a composite flight-hour per Flight Movements and Service Units 2014 highest number of extra flights per day (1,800 controller-hour on duty) was 1.99 – 2.5% – 2020 is for 11.2 million IFR flights (± 0.9 additional flights per day in 2020), being the up on 2012 while employee numbers fell to million) in the EUROCONTROL Statistical biggest contributor to the growth in Europe. 642, 4.6% down on 2012. Most importantly Reference Area (ESRA) in 2020, 19% more MUAC’s safety performance was very strong: than in 2013. Since the previous forecast The Danube Functional Airspace Block one Category B incident was recorded for was finalised in September 2013, the (FAB) is expected to have the highest the entire yearly traffic. economic outlook in Europe appears to have slightly improved in the first years, but not consistently. Some States continue Growth % of market segments in 2014 to 2013 to look fragile. If slight growth is expected Avg Daily Flights Growth Market for this summer, specific local events have 2014 on 2013 Share 2014 changed the forecasts locally in 2014. At a Traditional Scheduled European level, the traffic forecasts remain 13,162 1.7% 57.6% mostly unchanged: a moderate growth of Low-Cost 5,435 5.7% 23.8% 1.2% (±1.2 pp) for 2014 and more steady growth of 2.7% (±1 pp) for 2015. Business Aviation 1,612 -0.4% 7.1% Charter Within the overall average expected flight 926 -4.2% 4.0% growth of 2.6% per year (low 1.2% to 3.7% All-Cargo 852 -1.3% 3.7% high) in ESRA during RP2 (2015-2019), widely-differing rates of growth across the Other 876 3.8% 3.8% Member States continue to be observed, All Flights 22,863 2.3% 100.0% driven by different patterns of economic

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CLIMATE CHANGE LONG-TERM PLANNING IS KEY

The weather is changing, with increasingly extreme events becoming more frequent. Planning now for a changing climate will lower future costs and decrease disruption.

limate change is happening now: prevailing wind directions (see Table one increase in disruptive weather events could Ctemperatures are rising, rainfall patterns overleaf) are expected to have an increasing impact capacity and predictability, while are shifting, glaciers and snow are melting, impact on the continent’s aviation sector, in the medium- to longer-term, sea-level and the global mean sea level is rising. We according to the study. It is an issue which rise could threaten runway capacity at expect that these changes will continue, has been on the EUROCONTROL radar for more than 30 European airports. The 2011 and that extreme weather events resulting some years. A first analysis was carried out report concluded that “the future impact on in hazards such as floods and droughts will in 2008 as part of its third Challenges of runway operations could be very significant become more frequent and intense. These Growth study, and in June 2011 the Agency for the European ATM system. Of particular latest words from the European Environment published a series of case studies on climate significance is the number of secondary Agency paint a stark picture of the impact of adaptation. The Challenges of Growth studies or diversionary airports which may also be climate change on Europe. have highlighted a wide range of potential closed if the main airport were closed.” In its fourth Challenges of Growth study, short- and long-term issues – from the risk But how much of a problem is climate published in June 2013, EUROCONTROL of flooded airports due to a lack of drainage, change for airports and air navigation service highlighted climate change as an issue to long-term trends of capacity demand providers (ANSPs)? What are the real threats, which had emerged as a growing cause and supply if, for example, passengers’ the cost implications and what can be for concern for aviation stakeholders over travel preferences change as traditional done to mitigate the impact? And is there the last few years. Stormier weather, rising holiday destinations gradually become agreement across the aviation community water levels, heavier rains and changes in uncomfortably hot. In the shorter term, an about the size of the challenge?

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“The time to act is now rather than waiting for problems to become urgent.” Rachel Burbidge, EUROCONTROL analyst

“I think it is still an emerging issue,” seventh-framework study completed in 2012 Table one: The challenges to aviation of said Rachel Burbidge, an analyst in – suggested that the current annual cost of climate change, Challenges of Growth, 2013 EUROCONTROL’s Directorate Pan-European extreme weather on the European aviation n Europe should prepare for higher Single Sky. “Perhaps because of the timescales network was €360 million a year, which could temperatures and an increase in involved it can seem like a distant problem double by 2050. The cost is not evenly spread precipitation. An exception is South- compared to more current challenges throughout the continent. “From a regional ern Europe where precipitation will such as the economy. But I think there is a perspective, the most penalised area is decrease. Increased summer heat growing awareness of the issue and more Western Europe, and in particular the North and humidity in the Mediterranean organisations are starting to look at it. Sea coast (including the British Isles),” said Basin may influence the amount and However, there’s a big difference between one of the conclusions of the research. “First, location of demand as traditional organisations. Some have taken action and these regions are most directly affected by destinations could become uncom- in some cases have quite comprehensive weather activities entering Europe from the fortably hot during the traditional adaptation plans. For others it’s not yet seen Atlantic Ocean. Second, the relatively mild but summer season. This would lead to as a major concern. But perhaps part of the varying climate makes infrastructure operators, both a temporal and geographical reason for this is a lack of information to including airport authorities, take less care for shift in demand. Increased tempera- inform any action they might take.” effective but expensive winter preparation tures would also reduce aircraft climb But that could be about to change. A measures.” These short-term intermittent events performance, which in turn would number of States – France, the UK, Spain – unexpected weather, heavy precipitation – affect the distribution of local noise. and Norway, for example – have drawn have an impact on capacity and operations, n Heavy precipitation events will up climate change adaptation strategies so at EUROCONTROL, the Directorate Network reduce airport throughput and which are beginning to effect investment Manager is already developing processes and challenge an aerodrome’s surface decisions throughout the national transport tools to deal with such disruptive weather drainage capacity. infrastructure, and the studies have revealed events. This can be augmented by access to n Snowfall will generally decrease for the first time just how vulnerable the good meteorological information. throughout Europe although there aviation network could be to the impact In 2013 the Network Manager launched may be heavy snow events in new of climate change. In the UK, for example, the development of a natural hazards and areas and an increase in more chal- as a result of the Climate Change Act, the weather resilience tool. The objective is to lenging wet-snow conditions. Snow 10 largest airports and NATS, the national analyse the impact of weather on ATM with in locations where it is not usually ANSP, provided climate change adaptation particular focus on developing weather experienced has the biggest effect plans in 2010. Spain has published a report translation models for risk assessment (see on airport operations due to relative on the adaptation needs of the nation’s core article on page 18). lack of preparedness. Overall, more transport network, aviation included, with The tool has a map displaying all en-route snow-clearing and de-icing equip- different strategies for different airports. sectors and airports which are at risk of ment may be required. Norway’s Avinor has revised its airport-design reduced capacity due to weather and/or other n The strongest storms are expected handbook to include new requirements for natural hazards. The tool provides the Network to become larger and more power- erosion protection and a stipulation that new Manager with an overall view of how the ful. Convective weather can impact runways should not be built lower than 7m weather will impact on network operations (a flight predictability and punctuality above sea level (See “Warmer, wetter, wilder risk score is calculated for each airport/sector, while having implications for flying weather will impact ANS service provision”, based on both the hazard probability and pre-determined 4D trajectories. this issue). At the start of 2014, 17 European the impact severity). The impact is calculated n An increase in larger and more in- Union (EU) States had published national with a sophisticated Risk Assessment Model tense convective systems may affect adaptation plans while the EU’s own climate (RAM) and disseminated to all stakeholders via multiple-hub airports in a region. change adaptation strategy was adopted by a web-based graphical user interface, so that n Changes in prevailing wind direc- the European Commission in April 2013. situational awareness can be properly shared. tion are also expected, leading to an Recent research has highlighted the The tool is intended to become a common increase in crosswinds. Associated particular challenges that aviation will most reference platform that will trigger all network changes in procedure may have an probably face from climate change (see alerts for weather and other natural hazards. environmental impact while capacity Table two). Some of the cost implications It is not just on the ground where problems will be reduced at airports with no are starting to be more clearly understood. will occur. Dr Paul Williams from the University crosswind runway. One of the conclusions of the WEATHER of Reading (UK) and Dr Manoj Joshi from the Source: EUROCONTROL research programme – a European Union University of East Anglia (UK) have run super

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computer simulations of the atmospheric jet There is a growing realisation by both States said Rachel Burbidge. “As a sector, we need stream over the North Atlantic Ocean and and individual aviation organisations that, to start developing awareness material on concluded that by the middle of this century although the greatest impacts might be longer how to identify specific local risks so that the chances of encountering significant term, relatively modest action now might individual aviation organisations can identify turbulence will increase by between 40% result in substantial savings in the future. Some their own solutions. Organisations need to and 170% as a result of climate change. The of the adaptation measures required may look at integrating adaptation planning into most likely outcome will be a doubling of the already exist within current strategic capacity their ongoing operational and infrastructure airspace containing significant turbulence at improvement plans. For example, many of the improvement programmes. But they don’t any time. The average strength of turbulence Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) each need a sudden multi-million euro will also increase, by between 10% and 40%. capacity improvement measures could also climate change adaptation programme – they According to Dr Williams: “The total cost to help to address climate change impacts. can address it as a gradual, ongoing challenge, society is about £100 million (US$150 million) “The time to act is now rather than while benefitting from the experience of early each year.” waiting for problems to become urgent,” movers such as Avinor.

Table two: European airports and the risk from climate change

Climatic pressures Risks Timeframe of expected event Regions mainly affected

Greater need for ground cooling Southern Europe (2025), Medium negative (2025; Summer heat Degradation of runways and runways foundations West, East and Central EU 2080) to high negative (2080) Higher-density altitudes causing reduced engine-combustion efficiency (2080)

Heavy precipitation Flood damage to runways and other infrastructure Medium negative (2025) to Europe-wide events Water runoff exceeding capacity of drainage system high negative (2080)

Extreme storms Wind damage to terminals, navigation equipment, signage No information No information

Sea-level rise Flooding of runways,outbuildings and access roads Medium negative (2080) Europe-wide

Source: European Commission

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MAKING THE NETWORK MORE RESILIENT TO TURBULENT NATURE

EUROCONTROL is developing a new way to assess how the appearance of natural hazards and storms will impact capacity throughout the European aviation network.

t the start of April 2014 the operational calculated that two-thirds of weather-related Aevaluation of a natural-hazard and delay is avoidable,” said Tzvetomir Blajev, who weather-risk assessment tool began in leads the weather project in EUROCONTROL’s the EUROCONTROL Network Manager Network Manager Directorate. “We don’t Operations Centre. know what the corresponding figures are in Metron Aviation and the Danish Europe but any good aviation-management Meteorological Institute (DMI) were system should start with a common shared commissioned by EUROCONTROL in August view of what we should anticipate and this 2013 to develop a system which could tool responds to that.” assess the risk to Europe’s aviation network The tool comprises two major elements: capacity from natural disasters such as forecasting and risk assessment. volcanic ash, nuclear emissions, hazardous “The tool estimates risk of occurrences via chemical spills, fires, earthquakes, flooding a probabilistic forecast model run by the DMI and space weather, along with outbreaks of based on ensemble forecasting methodology,” severe weather which could disrupt aircraft said Tzvetomir Blajev. “Forecasts are based on operations at airports or en-route. analysing 14 forecast ensembles for each point “The Federal Aviation Administration has in the European Civil Aviation Conference

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(ECAC) airspace. Forecasts are produced changing the size and shape of sectors when every six hours, running on a super computer, the traffic load is high. THE NATURAL HAZARDS covering every hour 48 hours ahead, for The tool was delivered to EUROCONTROL AND WEATHER RESILIENCE everywhere in Europe. in the middle of December 2013 and INITIATIVE “The risk-assessment model is an input underwent a technical trial period aimed which identifies the meteorological variables at reviewing the human-machine interface The Network Manager is working for the airspace and combines this with an and functionality before being delivered to closely with stakeholders on a Natural impact model which suggests what the the NM Operations Centre. Operational trials Hazards and Weather Resilience Initia- average impact might be for any given started in April, lasting for a year. During these tive. The objective of the initiative is point,” said Tzvetomir Blajev. “So if the forecast trials more detailed data on the airports and to enhance the Network resilience by suggests a 70% likelihood of a 45-knot wind en-route sectors from participating ANSPs are offering the Network Manager Opera- at 3,000ft above London/Heathrow, for due to be loaded into the system to refine the tions Centre (NMOC) flow management example, this calculates an average capacity impact assessments. positions (FMPs) and ATC supervisors reduction at the airport. It is a pre-tactical, “Our plan is for a gradual integration of an explicit and clear view of possible pre-assessment tool, giving the potential actual stakeholders’ impact models into the risks and the potential impact on for capacity reductions. It’s not there to system,” said Tzvetomir Blajev. “Where we have capacity. suggest reactive measures but to improve the detailed parameters the tool will indicate the resilience of the network and to avoid that the maturity of the model is high and A tool has been developed to provide imposing regulations in the first place.” can be used for pre-tactical communications. a view on the forecasted risk which It can also help improve safety. For example, Where we don’t have the detailed data it will then facilitates a Network-wide aligned if an en-route convective weather occurrence be used for information only. We will continue planning for extreme weather. As noted is forecast, the air navigation service provider to develop it over the next year so it can in this article the weather and natural (ANSP) operating a sector near the impacted become an on-demand service.” hazards impact the performance of area would be given an early warning of Part of this work will also involve monitoring the Network and can increase daily potential disruptive traffic flows. With enough the accuracy of the forecasts and seeing if – delay targets by between 25% to 75%. warning the ANSP can alert controllers on and why – events occurred as predicted and For more information please contact standby to expect changes in traffic demand resulted in the forecast impact on the network. [email protected] and or even start planning to modify the airspace Information will be made available to partners [email protected] structure. It is not the best time to start via a password protected website.

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MILITARY AIRCRAFT OPERATORS ARE KEY TO SES SUCCESS

EUROCONTROL is playing a vital role in ensuring that military aircraft operators will have cost-effective access to the benefits of the Single European Sky.

ilitary aircraft operators in Europe with airliners and other airspace users, a highly this can only be accomplished if the needs Mcurrently face a number complex air complex technical and institutional challenge. of military aircraft operators are taken fully traffic management (ATM)-related challenges. Military aircraft operators face a tightening into account. Integrating advanced military The Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale of defence budgets, so money available to aircraft in future SESAR structures will and Saab Gripen can automatically locate, meet these challenges is severely limited. entail the recognition and performance- track and engage several targets over 100 km And as military organisations operate a wide based re-utilisation of modern military away, operating within a communications variety of military aircraft types and variants, capabilities to support some specific ATM/ network involving space, ground, naval with different avionics fits and different CNS (communications, navigation and and other airborne information-generating operating procedures, the task of integrating surveillance) functions. platforms. Soon they will be working the continent’s military aircraft into the future “Military aircraft operations have to be alongside remotely-piloted air systems (RPAS), European ATM system is highly complex. It tackled properly within the institutional sharing information-gathering and long-range involves a major re-thinking of many current framework,” said Luc Tytgat, Director of strike duties. But training for beyond-visual- institutional, technical and procedural Pan-European Single Sky at the Agency. range network-enabled operations with arrangements. “Everything has been done for the military to fifth-generation fighters and RPAS platforms EUROCONTROL is uniquely placed to contribute to the establishment of SES; the requires huge amounts of dedicated military provide pivotal assistance to military aircraft European Commission wants EUROCONTROL airspace, a resource which is in short supply. operators in confronting these challenges. to become involved in this process. In The aircraft will also need to be fitted with While the main driver for the Single European March 2014, the Commission and the Single European Sky ATM research (SESAR) Sky (SES) is the need to create an operating Agency signed an annex to their high-level compliant avionics and RPAS platforms will environment where airlines can fly their agreement which set out the modalities of need to be accommodated in airspace shared aircraft in the most efficient way possible, co-operation between the two organisations. EUROFIGHTER

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Visit our new website from 1st of July www.groupead.com 22 FOCUS

EUROCONTROL will advise the Commission regulator, aircraft operators, airport operators on military ATM, which allows the Commission and service providers can talk together.” to integrate these requirements into its own For military aircraft operators the key issue regulatory programme.” is to ensure that they receive the same level EUROCONTROL is also working with the of ATM service and access to airspace and European Defence Agency (EDA) on an EDA airports as their civil counterparts – while project to identify which military requirements allowing military assets to operate at their will need to be taken into account within maximum effectiveness – within the SES the recently-launched SESAR Pilot Common process, without facing huge retrofit bills and Project (PCP) to assess which technological technical integration constraints related with improvements will be mature enough to start new avionics. In the language of the SES this deployment in the 2015-2020 timeframe. is called “mission effectiveness”. This involves “Before that, the Commission established a mix of high-level institutional arrangements a Single Sky Committee for consulting States and “bottom-up” operational initiatives and “Many civil aircraft before adopting new rules and the military EUROCONTROL is engaged at all levels. operators still don’t use have a seat with each State in the committee,” The work to integrate military aircraft said Philippe Merlo, Director ATM. “With operators within SESAR is particularly the military airspace extension of the SES to include the European important at the moment. EUROCONTROL which is opened up for Safety Agency (EASA) as an ATM regulator, the has contributed to a “gap analysis” study on them.” military should be also associated in the rule- which military systems could be identified making programme, with a technical advisory as SESAR-compliant and how much it would Michael Steinfurth, group and a regulatory advisory group. cost to fill in the gaps. “The Commission, Head of Civil-Military They are also involved at a national level. the SESAR JU, EUROCONTROL and the EDA ATM Coordination Within EUROCONTROL we have set up the have all reached a collective figure,” said Civil-Military Interface Standing Committee Luc Tytgat. “So we’ve looked at areas such Division, (CMIC) – to help States achieve a national as System Wide Information Management EUROCONTROL view of civil-military coordination ATM – and (SWIM), for example, and seen whether the Military ATM Board (MAB), where national specific military systems would be compliant ATM directors representing military as with civil network-centric architectures and protocols. Now we are assessing within the SESAR programme whether the military data links could be connected through ground interfaces to meet SESAR requirements for future data-link communications. We’re looking at the Eurofighter mission-planning tool to see which elements could already be integrated within SESAR without additional costs.” EUROCONTROL has unique expertise in developing shared civil-military ATM operational concepts. For example, over the last 10 years the Agency has worked on harmonising military operational air traffic (OAT) rules and in October 2013 published a single reference source for aircrews flying under OAT within the European airspace, enabling better safety and predictability. The Agency is working closely with military aircraft operators who are seeking advice on mid-life upgrade strategies to ensure they will be SESAR compliant without major expenditures. It is also advising civil CNS/ ATM equipment planners to ensure that

AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE AND DEFENCE AIRBUS equipment rationalisation programmes will

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not mean removing legacy ground-based planning,” said Michael Steinfurth. “In terms means operating the systems in mobile navigational aids providing vital local services of accessing military airspace, airlines want blocks of segregated airspace.” at military air bases. to have the data on opening and closing Another key area for the Agency is to Through the Maastricht Upper Area Control times at least one day before, but the military produce a range of documents to show Centre (MUAC), the Agency has developed wants to shift it to as close to the take-off military applications of civil CNS technologies a “Shared ATS System” (SAS) with the Royal time as possible. Our aim is bring these closer and procedures. Netherlands Air Force (RNALF) (Skyway, together to improve predictability for airlines “On the basis of the International Civil Winter 2013 “Crossing the civil-military while ensuring the military can do their job.” Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Performance- divide”) which has involved the creation of But for such concepts to succeed Based Navigation (PBN) manual (document a “virtual” military ATC centre within MUAC, the operational initiatives need to be 9613) advanced navigation requirements will comprising a dedicated flight data processing complemented by high-level political ones be introduced in Europe. A PBN regulation system (FDPS) of live MUAC traffic data and – so diplomatic clearances and cross-border will be published to make mandatory a human-machine-interface (HMI), both area operations can be developed for French the implementation of a number of systems customised for the military user. military aircraft to operate in German airspace, PBN applications and functionalities,” “We are probably the only organisation for example, and vice versa. said Jorge Pereira, Head of Civil-Military which combines civil and military technical Communications, Navigation and Surveillance expertise,” said Philippe Merlo. “Within the Unit at EUROCONTROL. “The trend will be to Centralised Services concept it could be use more satellite-based signals, although we possible to multiply this example.” cannot get rid of all terrestrial navigational EUROCONTROL is currently working on aids to cope with possible satellite outages. concepts such as Advanced Flexible Use In Europe we will be introducing also of Airspace (A-FUA) – giving civil aircraft global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) operators access to military airspace – and augmentation systems for approach and is now planning to integrate this within the landing. PBN is based on area-navigation Centralised Services concept (Skyway, Winter concepts, not conventional navigational aids, 2013 “AFUAS will optimise civil-military co- and the military operate enablers in many operation”). cases not matching PBN requirements. As “The military has made tremendous consequence, there is a need to determine efforts to manage this flexibility,” said Michael the best options to accommodate military

Steinfurth, Head of Civil-Military ATM NATO aircraft in PBN structures preferably re- Coordination Division at EUROCONTROL. utilising military capabilities on the basis of “But they haven’t really seen any benefits In terms of remotely-piloted air systems performance-based certification processes.” themselves from this. Many civil aircraft (RPAS) integration within civil airspace, EUROCONTROL’s work to develop operators still don’t use the military airspace EUROCONTROL has produced a document harmonised equipment programmes and which is opened up for them. So we are Specifications for the Use of Military the right institutional framework for future working to see whether civil aircraft operators Unmanned Aerial Vehicles as Operational Air civil/military cooperation is also being can be told earlier of new airspace openings Traffic Outside Segregated Airspace which is complemented by new approaches to finding and see whether the military might benefit now in regular use by military operators. But common procedures in future airspace through more tailor-made airspace reserved there are some outstanding issues which still management concepts. The cost of not for particular operations. One A-FUA concept need to be addressed before full integration accommodating the military comprehensively is to have mobile airspace that moves to becomes possible. will degrade the performance of the SES for all accommodate exercises such as air-to-air “The major issue is likely to be the airspace users, believe many. refuelling.” availability of dependable sense and avoid “We think that SESAR needs to grasp the The introduction of a centralised A-FUA systems for RPAS,” said Michael Steinfurth. idea of performance-based certification,” said service (CS4) to support the sharing of “And in terms of developing the right sense Michael Steinfurth. “This means you don’t information will enable better exploitation of and avoid technologies there’s no industry certify the box itself but the performance of available airspace. agreement on standards because of concerns the box – or a mix of boxes – is certified. If “What EUROCONTROL wants to provide over sharing data with competitors. This the military can provide performance-based for the military within the A-FUA concept, means we are likely to end up with different navigation accuracy for their aircraft but this is a free-of-charge airspace planning and standards. Sense and avoid equipment is not acknowledged by the civil side then booking tool which generates information should be designed for civil and military the whole performance of the airspace is for the civil side on necessary collaborative operators and RPAS need to be able to act reduced, as separation distances will need to decision-making on a wide range of services like a manned aircraft. But the military will be increased when military aircraft transit civil – from airspace design to tactical movement always be able to find a solution, even it airspace.”

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PHILIPPE MERLO INTERVIEW

“WE ARE THE ONLY AGENCY TO HAVE A COMPLETE VIEW OF ALL EUROPEAN TRAFFIC” FOCUS 25

Philippe Merlo joined EUROCONTROL in January 2014 as the Director of Air Traffic Management (ATM). He is responsible for ATM, research and development and relations with international bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

hilippe Merlo has spent his entire career How has your perception of the Agency What are your priorities for 2014? Pin ATM, having worked for the Directorate evolved? This will be a very important year for General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) of France We have major contributions to make to the European ATM. We are approaching key since graduating from the Ecole Nationale de European ATM system. The function of decision points, when the Commission is l’Aviation Civile. Most recently he was Deputy Network Manager has been assigned to due to publish the Pilot Common Project Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Direction EUROCONTROL by the European Commission. – Implementing Rule and set up work des Services de la Navigation Aérienne (DSNA) It is a key operational role and it gives for the deployment manager. These new in France, where he was responsible for crisis EUROCONTROL a unique position within programmes could impact our activities management, international relations and European ATM. We are the only Agency to as we may be asked to contribute. We are major projects. Previous posts have included have a complete view of all European traffic also launching the Centralised Services Director of the Direction of Technology and and we are therefore able to see the big Programme. Meanwhile we will continue to Innovation, Head of the Bordeaux En-Route picture. So for me, this is probably the most support the SESAR work programme. As we Air Traffic Control Centre and Head of the Air important role of EUROCONTROL today. But are today in a very tense budgetary situation, Navigation Financial Department. Philippe we also have an extraordinary pool of expertise and resource-limited as is everyone in Europe; Merlo has a degree in Engineering from the in terms of ATM research and development we may have to adjust our plan and resources Ecole Polytechnique and a degree in Civil and I think we must try to preserve this level of to better meet all these priorities. Aviation Engineering from the Ecole Nationale expertise. We can use it to provide advice to de l’Aviation Civile in France. various actors – the European Commission, the What are your objectives for the next five States, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), years? You took up your post as Director ATM at airspace users, the Performance Review Board In the next five years, with the development EUROCONTROL in January this year, how – it allows us to discuss technical issues with of a Vision and Strategy, I think EURO- did you approach your new assignment? the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) CONTROL’s role will evolve; in medium term, With confidence and excitement. Confidence, on an equal footing and to be one of the with ATM research and development, I because I think that with my background within major contributors to the International Civil think we have to position ourselves more in the DSNA I have the appropriate experience to Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal. So an architect and planning role. We have to take on this position. Excitement, because I’m this pooling of expertise allows Europe to play propose a coherent ATM strategy for Europe, fully aware of the importance of the European in the first league. taking into account the deliveries of the position that EUROCONTROL holds. It’s an SESAR JU. We also have to ensure consistency interesting challenge. EUROCONTROL has to with the external world, such as coordinating slightly reposition itself within the European with the military in ATM issues and the FAA ATM landscape. We’ve seen new emerging IF YOU WERE … and ICAO externally. And last but not least actors, such as the Single European ATM in the next five years we have to preserve Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking (SJU), the a colour, you would be... blue and develop our pool of expertise within European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and EUROCONTROL. the European Defence Agency (EDA) and we a season, you would be... summer are now discussing the formation of a new Did you know or read Skyway prior to join- deployment manager. So this is quite a new an object, you would be... a bike ing EUROCONTROL? landscape. EUROCONTROL has a very important In my previous position I read it with great contribution to make and a role to play, but its a country, you would be... Canada interest. I think it is the voice for the integrated position has to slightly evolve to avoid overlap ATM community in Europe. I think Skyway should and duplication with other European bodies. a town, you would be... Casablanca continue to insist on the necessity to accelerate ATM integration in Europe. We have huge cost What were your first impressions of the a natural phenomenon, you would savings and efficiency improvements ahead of us Agency? be... a river if we are able to improve ATM integration. My first impressions of the Agency were very positive. I’ve met with the internal teams and a word, you would be.... patience So what is the most important message I realise that inside EUROCONTROL we have you would like to convey? a tremendous amount of skills and expertise. a film, you would be... Night of the We have great potential to integrate the And I have also met with external partners Iguana ATM systems in Europe. We are in the middle and I have been assured that this expertise of the wave and I am sure we will reach a and the key role for EUROCONTROL are fully a book, you would be... The Grapes of positive outcome if we can accelerate this recognised by them. Wrath process of integration.

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A NEW AIRPORT ATM INFORMATION NETWORK IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

EUROCONTROL is pioneering a range of information-exchange programmes at airports which will minimise delays and disruptions to the European travelling public over the next few years.

t is half past six in the morning and the first An important element of the network benefits. As A-CDM deployment becomes Iflurries of snow are about to fall on London/ is the deployment of airport collaborative more widespread it will allow airports to Heathrow as a huge snow storm sweeps into decision-making (A-CDM) at the continent’s measure their own performance in areas such Europe from across the Atlantic. Snow ploughs major hubs, linking operational staff at as optimal use of gates, turnaround times and are on stand-by and the de-icing teams are the airport within a single data-exchange de-icing operations. already busy moving from aircraft to aircraft, network. Each airport will eventually have A-CDM is also the baseline system for the blasting away accumulated ice on the wings its own operations centre and these will be deployment of future SESAR (Single European and fuselage of departing aircraft. The storm automatically linked to the airlines’ operations Sky ATM Research) airport technologies and threatens to disrupt not just Heathrow but the centres and the EUROCONTROL Network a catalyst to co-operation between different entire European aviation network. Throughout Management Operations Centre (NMOC) via stakeholders in the airport. “One of the the continent, airline operations staff are trying the integration of the Airport Operations Plan biggest challenges we have faced is a cultural to calculate what impact the possible delays (AOP) and the Network Operations Plan (NOP), change, with people at an airport now talking at Heathrow will have on their schedules and allowing for the fast, accurate exchange of to groups they may not normally engage when the storm might hit their own hub. critical operational data. Eventually these will with,” said Paul Adamson. By addressing Aircraft and crews could be stranded, flights be further linked together into a System Wide this important aspect, A-CDM has created cancelled, passengers left wondering what Information Management (SWIM) web. the environment necessary for successfully their best options might be. Some aircraft are “A-CDM deployment has started to deploying future developments. already in the air heading towards London and accelerate,” said Paul Adamson, Head of Another major change has been the way in will probably have to be diverted. But when Airports at EUROCONTROL. “Last year we which airports are now working more closely and where to? went from four fully-deployed A-CDM with the EUROCONTROL Network Manager. The scene is set for several days of airports to eight and by the end of this year “There is a major change for the better here confusion, delays and disruption for the we plan to have 20.” The initial deployments – the Agency has realised airports have a travelling public. But soon this scenario might have been made at the major hubs – Munich, bigger role to play in the network and when well be a thing of the past. Brussels, Paris/Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt, we talk to airports it is amazing to see how EUROCONTROL is pioneering a series of London/Heathrow, Helsinki, Dusseldorf, and willing they are to become involved,” said initiatives which will, over the next few years, Zurich. Oslo was connected in January this David Booth, EUROCONTROL A-CDM Project develop into a vast, interconnected network year and Rome in March with Madrid and Manager. “By making the airport a little more of traffic forecasting, monitoring, decision- Berlin Schönefeld the next airports to come efficient we are making the network more making and information-exchange tools on stream in 2014. efficient and that benefits everybody.” linking all the continent’s aviation stakeholders. By sharing operational data and “The Centralised Services, in particular The aim is to minimise the disruption caused information between all the different airport CS2, the Centralised Service on 4D Trajectory by bad weather – or any major incident – in stakeholders – including air traffic control Calculation for Planning Purposes (4DPP), one part of the network and its potential and airlines on the ground – A-CDM helps will provide very accurate estimated arrival/ impact on the overall aviation system. The optimise the use of scarce airport capacity, landing times in support of the airport last few months have seen an accelerated leading to an average two- to three-minute operators and the ATC at the airport,” said deployment of the key building blocks to reduction in aircraft taxiing time per Herman Baret, the CS Programme Manager. this new information-exchange network, as movement, for example, in the airports where “In turn the airport operators and the institutional and technical barriers are being it has been deployed, saving €20.8 million in local ATC will provide the local constraints breeched at long last. fuel costs for airlines a year. There are other impacting the 4DPP – resulting from runway

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A NEW AIRPORT ATM INFORMATION NETWORK IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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”Last year we went from four fully-deployed A-CDM airports to eight, and by the end of this year we plan to have 20.” Paul Adamson, Head of Airports at EUROCONTROL

configuration, taxi times and standard Position (FMP) whether and when to apply “Just connecting up similar processes, having instrument departures (SID)/standard the regulation.” The risk-assessment tool shared goals for a given day’s operation terminal arrival routes (STAR) – and improved covers a wide range of weather phenomena, or a crisis situation – and sharing up-to- A-CDM information in the Departure Planning giving us a means to better improve our co- date information – will make a significant Information (DPIs) process for the benefit of ordination with and service to airports. difference to the ATM system in Europe.” 4DPP and the other Centralised Services.” A great deal more needs to be done to Bob Graham is also keen to see regional “In the ATM world we see airports are establish a complete pan-European network and smaller airports being able to deploy an now starting to understand what the with airports fully integrated. affordable version of A-CDM to help improve network means and this has been helped a “Once we have 20 or so airports then maybe resource management and communication, great deal by having ACI (Airports Council we can start to be more targeted in our which are particular challenges. International) on board,” said Paul Adamson. approach,” said Paul Adamson. “For example “Not only will this provide better “Airports are starting to understand the we can then start looking at connecting information to the passenger,” he said, “but it benefits of the network. A specific example smaller airports to network via a programme will lead to improved resource allocation and took place last year when we had several called “Advanced ATC Tower”, where they don’t better turnaround times. It is totally feasible weeks of bad weather and we had put in deploy the full A-CDM concept, but can share through airports’ network integration to place a trial exchange, on a pre-tactical information with the NMOC on traffic status. dramatically increase the value of information; basis, of information between airports and We also have to see how we can best get the the Network Manager is already moving on the Network Manager Operations Centre. It medium-sized airports involved.” this by opening its portal to permit smaller helped us to better understand where and In parallel some of the larger airports are airports to provide updates. A lot of things when we needed to employ air traffic flow developing their own airport operations can be done very, very simply.” management (ATFM) regulations due to poor centres (APOC) which is part of the total There is a new sense of urgency behind weather, to put them in place at the right airport management (TAM) concept pioneered the work to connect Europe’s airports within time and to remove them at the right time.” within the SESAR programme. a single operational information-exchange The trial was a good early example of “This effectively brings the airport landside network. Traffic growth is starting to return to how network-wide information exchange and airside operations together and gives Europe at the same time as the deployment will work and engaged airports such as operations managers a complete view phase of SESAR starts. The benefits of deploying Dusseldorf, Munich, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, of overall airport performance,” said Bob A-CDM concepts, as a short-term performance London/Heathrow, Paris/Charles de Gaulle, Graham, EUROCONTROL’s Head of Airport enhancer as well as a longer-term technology Zurich and Geneva. Research. “So when challenging situations building-block to future SESAR system “The objective was to reduce delays at such as over-demand or a loss of capacity deployments, are now becoming clearer. airports due to bad weather,” said Giovanni arise, or passengers can’t get through the European Union (EU) Ten-T funding support to Lenti, Head of Network Operations Services at terminal quickly enough, the airport is airports to deploy A-CDM has also helped. By EUROCONTROL. “In terms of delays, weather aware and the different stakeholders can be 2016 a substantial part of the integrated APOC/ has become the most serious problem – since brought together to solve the problem.” NOP network should be ready for deployment, 2012 we have seen a 20% improvement in Europe’s larger airports have started bringing us improved means of mitigating capacity-related airport delay problems but developing or indeed extending APOC the threat of delays and disruption from bad bad weather remains a serious issue. We facilities – including London/Heathrow, Paris/ weather or any other major incident. need better forecasts and then better ways of Charles de Gaulle, Zurich, Amsterdam and Airports have always been a critical part of sharing the information with stakeholders ”. several of the larger hubs in Germany. In the the European aviation system and are now “We are now prototyping a risk assessment future, network managers will benefit from being more closely integrated within the tool in the NMOC, a weather-assessment tool, the integration of A-CDM, APOC and the NOP, network. This has been both a technical and which assesses the risk and potential impact providing improved predictability within a cultural challenge, given the large numbers on an airport of the weather phenomenon,” the overall ATM system. “If we can increase of stakeholders involved. But, at last, there he added. “With good forecasts we can start predictability in the network then we can is a new spirit of cooperation between all simulating the impact of the weather on start to ask questions about sector buffers the key players and an understanding of an airport in the tactical phase and then and look at enabling SESAR concepts such how everything, in the ATM world especially, communicate to the Flow Management as target-time-of-arrival,” said Bob Graham. connects.

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G&D_Skyway_A4_Mai_2014_V1.00.indd 1 06.05.2014 13:49:22 30 FOCUS

ADVANCING THE USE OF SATELLITES FOR ATM

EUROCONTROL is playing a critical role in advancing satellite-based ATM services for new en-route navigation services and precision approaches at remote airfields; surveillance to allow for more flexible routes in oceanic areas; and weather monitoring for precise four- dimensional (4D) trajectory management.

Skyway Summer 2014 www.eurocontrol.int FOCUS 31

n November 2013 the European Parliament operational usage of GNSS by providing other capacity available from Inmarsat,” said I agreed €7 billion of funding to complete the reliable predictions of its integrity and its Luc Tytgat. “The Agency is considering new development of Galileo and the European performances through the Centralised Services satcom capabilities to be one of the enablers Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service CS7-3,” said Herman Baret, who is in charge of the Air/Ground Telecommunication (EGNOS) to 2020. The full constellation of 30 of the Centralised Service Programme at the Centralised Service infrastructure (CS9-1)” satellites and associated ground systems is Agency. said Herman Baret; “moreover, satellites are due to be fully operational by 2020 and the “We are offering our support for those expected to play a key role in tracking flights in-orbit validation of Galileo – with the first regional airports who want to employ GNSS over the oceanic and remote areas for Search four satellites – was achieved in February approaches,” said Philippe Merlo, Director of and Rescue purposes, this is being considered 2014. Air Traffic Management at EUROCONTROL. in the Centralised Service CS9-2, the A/G Data Implementing Galileo services is the job of “We are very keen to see EGNOS used at communication services centralised servers,” the European GNSS Agency (GSA) but there is regional airports, where it will be much less he added. still a long way to go before aircraft operators costly than instrument landing systems (ILS) to Luc Tytgat further pointed out that will be routinely using Galileo for precision purchase and deploy. There are many remote “EUROCONTROL has invited the European navigation throughout the world. It is just airports in Europe where you have one or two Commission to study very quickly the one of four satellite navigation constellations movements a day so there is no justification position we should adopt in Europe in terms in use or under development. Operating for an ILS. But if there is no ILS, there is no of accessing these capabilities – the sort of in parallel to Galileo are the USA’s latest traffic and the town or village served by the standards required and the types of airborne version of its global positioning system (GPS), airport will remain remote. GNSS offers a receivers that will be needed to ensure cost- China’s Beidu and Russia’s Global Navigation solution alongside the possibility of deploying efficient solutions for airspace users.” Satellite System (GLONASS). Together, these a remote tower. The two new technologies Another area where EUROCONTROL constellations will have over 100 navigation are closely related in this respect.” is taking a leading role in developing satellites in orbit available for precision It is not just in the area of precision satellite services for ATM is in the area of navigation once all are deployed. navigation that EUROCONTROL is helping earth observation. Future 4D trajectory “For everyone to use GNSS we will need a to pioneer satellite services to enhance management procedures will require a much global agreement on what would be the level safety and operational efficiencies. Across more detailed understanding of current and of safety we want to impose on the signals the Atlantic, aircraft operators are finding predicted weather conditions to ensure the we want to use,” said Luc Tytgat, Director that the ability to use flexible tracks to take most efficient flight profiles are adopted. of Pan-European Single Sky at the Agency. advantage of prevailing weather conditions Future airspace management systems will also “We will decide either on two constellations is saving increasing amounts of fuel and need to be able to dynamically reconfigure – a primary and secondary – or a multi- time over the previous fixed-route network. flights to exploit changes in the wind and constellation approach. We are still preparing Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast pressure. For this, a new generation of earth the minimum operational performance (ADS-B) services based on satellite technology observation satellites might be required and standards (MOPS) for the receivers. We and ICAO’s future air navigation system – EUROCONTROL has begun to look at the are there to protect the interests of the communications, navigation, surveillance/ requirements of these. airspace users to ensure there is a logic in the air traffic management (FANS CNS/ATM) “I also see the volcanic situation as a very deployment of GNSS solutions – so that cost system have been introduced but there are pertinent application,” said Luc Tytgat. “We savings can be achieved by reducing systems limits to their use, mainly as a result of airlines will need satellites able to characterise the on the ground while making sure the new deploying different equipment and the fact density of the ash and the nature of the ADVANCING THE USE system will meet the safety requirements.” that voice and data communications still clouds so we could take – or advise airlines to Increasingly EUROCONTROL is playing have to rely on legacy VHF or HF links. If a take – re-routing decisions based on precise a vital “linking” role in ensuring that new satellite communication (satcom) link is faulty information. OF SATELLITES FOR ATM technologies will meet the operational for whatever reason the back-up messaging “This is a complex requirement and aspirations of aircraft operators, air navigation system will be based on technologies we are currently talking to the satellite service providers, safety regulators and all deployed many decades ago. community on the types of sensors and other aviation stakeholders. As well as working But a new network of communications detectors that will be required. We might with the GSA to ensure aviation requirements satellites is due to become available within ask for some demonstrations because will be fully met within the Galileo deployment the next few years which could ensure the current configurations are simply not and management plans, the Agency is also more reliable and widespread application of sufficient. We are also talking with the helping to spread the use of GNSS services position broadcast services. European Commission on whether there within Europe for precision approaches into “We will have a full satcom constellation might be opportunities within the Horizon remote airports. “The Agency also intends capacity available by 2018 with the 65 2020 research programme and space research

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comsoft_skyway_issue2_2014.indd 1 08.05.2014 11:43:44 FOCUS 33 SIXTY THOUSAND NAUTICAL MILES A DAY WASTED Europe’s aircraft operators are wasting millions of euros in fuel costs every year, and burning millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide, flying needlessly long routes. EUROCONTROL is pioneering a number of significant initiatives to improve flight efficiency.

here are two major European cities 375 Operations Planning Unit. “We currently have Tnautical miles (nm) apart. Seven airlines fully – or partially – implemented free route regularly fly between these cities. Three airspace in 23 area control centres in Europe airlines fly a route which is 423nm long, and the aim is to achieve 25 by the end of this one airline flies a route of 492nm and the year.” (See “Implementing free route airspace in “We currently have fully – or remaining three airlines fly a route of 535nm Europe”, page 34). partially – implemented free between the two cities. In other words three The process of redesigning airspace to airlines are regularly flying 112nm further than allow for more direct routes is a continual route airspace in 23 area they need to on a single route. one: since 2008 “route extension” caused by control centres in Europe and On an average day in Europe aircraft airspace design – the margin by which routes the aim is to achieve 25 by operators file more than 8,000 flight plans – are longer than the optimal level – has fallen covering 1,800 city pairs – where the route from 3.65% per route at the end of 2007 to the end of this year.” is longer than the best route available. If 2.67% today. Razvan Bucuroiu, all aircraft operators were to flight-plan But there are many challenges to improving Head of EUROCONTROL’s the shortest-available route they would, flight efficiency further and some of them come collectively, fly about 60,000 fewer nautical from unexpected areas. Two of the biggest Operations Planning Unit miles a day, according to EUROCONTROL challenges are based on new technology and flight efficiency experts. human nature. Improved aircraft performance There are three main reasons why aircraft has allowed new aircraft to fly at higher levels operators are flying these needlessly long than in the past – which makes individual flights routes: the need for increased awareness on more economical but also has a knock-on improvements in the design of airspace; the impact on the overall network. disconnect between the flight plan filed and “Before, we had a very even distribution of the routes actually flown; and inefficient flight the cruising levels somewhere from FL310 planning. In all these areas EUROCONTROL’s up to FL390,” said Razvan Bucuroiu. “Now, Network Manager is working to ensure that, because you have highly performant aircraft, wherever possible, aircraft operators can fly there is a higher demand in the upper levels the most efficient route between origin and and you need many more sectors in the destination points (See “Implementing free upper airspace than in the past – and you route airspace in Europe”, page 34). need many more controllers to handle that “To meet airlines’ expectations of flying the traffic. Demand in the lower sectors has not most efficient routes possible in Europe, our decreased because all those higher flights are current goal is to achieve a borderless airspace climbing and descending through the lower structure above flight level (FL) 315 in which sectors. So not only does the demand in aircraft operators can fly their preferred routes,” those sectors stay the same, but they become said Razvan Bucuroiu, Head of EUROCONTROL’s more complex.”

www.eurocontrol.int Summer 2014 Skyway 34 FOCUS THOMAS COOK THOMAS

Each new free route airspace redesign has One important new programme from aircraft operators as a result of the opening of required a workload and safety assessment. EUROCONTROL which has the potential to military airspace to civil traffic. In general, it appears that introducing the quickly shorten route lengths is the Flight Meanwhile, a parallel programme was concept leads to a slight decrease in workload Efficiency Initiative launched in May 2013, launched by EUROCONTROL to allow airlines as conflict points are spread more widely and to work with aircraft operators and flight- to review their flight plans and the actual traditional “hotspots” are eliminated. planning service providers to improve the routes they flew. A second challenge is that of human nature. flight-planning process. One initial aim of the “Airlines can make a selection of whatever “What the controller wants to do when he programme has been to reduce the number they want – city pairs, their own airline flights, sees an aircraft in his sector is to get rid of it as of invalid flight plans filed by aircraft operators; specific aircraft type – and they can compare soon as possible,” said Razvan Bucuroiu. “So the around 5% of all flight plans currently passing what they have done with other users of the controller gives the pilot a direct routeing. But through the EUROCONTROL flight-plan same route,” said Director Network Manager, there is no logical relationship between the validation service are in some way incorrect. Joe Sultana. “We hope this will inspire them to actual trajectories of the flights and the route As part of the process of validating – and improve their flight planning. By giving them network. What we are seeing from the radar if necessary correcting them manually – access to all this information, they are now tracks is that all the work that goes into the EUROCONTROL staff also began to compare able to see what is available and what other design of the route network is not followed them to see whether there might be a better operators have done on the same route, giving through the actual trajectories. We are saying route available, for both ad hoc and repetitive them the opportunity to “cut and paste” more to them: wouldn’t it be better for traffic flight plans. efficient plans into their own system. predictability, for your own sector, for air traffic At the same time network operations “They get data on their own flight flow management purposes in general, that staff in Brussels began to examine with their extension but they can also, though a you get the flight plan that corresponds to the military counterparts the use of conditional visualisation tool, see all the routes which actual trajectory of the aircraft?” routes (CDRs) which became available to civil were flown on a city pair by all the airlines

IMPLEMENTING FREE ROUTE AIRSPACE IN EUROPE

Full free route airspace procedures are currently available in border 24 hours of free route airspace in the North European FAB, Portugal, Ireland and the Danish-Swedish functional airspace and by 2017 a cross-border arrangement with the Danish-Swedish block (FAB) - the first example of cross-border implementation FAB. From this date all Northern Europe – Norway, Sweden, of full free route airspace in a FAB. Full free route implementa- Denmark, Finland, and the Baltic States – will become full free tion at night is in operation over Romania and Bulgaria as part of route and the current airways network will disappear. the Danube FAB and in the Czech Republic. It is also available in EUROCONTROL is also working on similar projects outside Finland during the night and at weekends. the EU, with Turkey for example, with the aim of implement- Free route airspace “directs” are also available from Vienna, on a ing full free route airspace above FL285, 24 hours a day, by the 24-hour basis, and from March 2014 throughout FAB Central Europe beginning of 2016. Ukraine will begin implementing free route (FABCE) at certain times, with cross-border directs negotiated with services at night from 2015 with the aim of offering the service Germany and Serbia. From May 2014 a 24-hour cross-border free 24 hours a day by 2017. route airspace is due to be opened between Portugal and Spain. Even with the current airspace design free route services are Longer-term plans include the opening of free route airspace being offered in increasing numbers. For example the Maastricht and cross-border arrangements for FABCE from 2019 above flight Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) is publishing 90% of possible level (FL) 245 or FL285. From November 2015 there will be cross- combinations of directs for flight-planning facilitation.

Skyway Summer 2014 www.eurocontrol.int FOCUS 35

on a single day. Through the Demand Data flying in European airspace. The trial phase management system is one emerging issue Repository (DDR) they can see not just their resulted in some substantial route efficiency which will have to be addressed. Cost- own flight plans but also the actual radar improvements (see “Improving flight conscious airlines do not have huge back trajectories they flew and with that they can efficiency: an airline view), saving about 1,000 offices full of flight planners calculating the see the direct routes they were given in any miles a day through more direct routeings, most efficient route for each flight. particular portion of airspace.” according to Andy Woollin, Network “But the good thing is that in the most EUROCONTROL flight efficiency Operations Domain Manager. recent cycle (of data collection) we have improvement experts have also created an There are complex technical and seen quite a significant decrease route “opportunity tool”. The trial phase of the institutional challenges ahead. Connecting extension based on flight planning,” said Joe programme, involving about 25 airlines, came advanced aircraft-optimisation tools – Sultana. “This shows that slowly all these to an end in January and the service has automatically providing airlines with the combined efforts are starting to generate been opened now to all aircraft operators least costly aircraft routes – to the network real results.”

IMPROVING FLIGHT EFFICIENCY: AN AIRLINE VIEW

“We’ve been working closely with “One of the biggest savings we’ve seen before the flight – both inbound and EUROCONTROL over the last two years and recently is the route to Casablanca, where outbound. Quite often military airspace is we now have information available that we now have some good directs saving us released to civil use in the meantime, but gives us an idea if there’s something better 200 or 250kg of fuel each flight. airlines don’t revisit the flight plans and available,” said Chris Woodland, Air Traffic “One major change has been the move therefore don’t exploit this. Another issue Services Manager with Thomas Cook to analyse the most efficient routes based is to identify which releases can really save Airlines. on cost and not just fuel. That’s having a big you money; it can take time and can be “We now have ways of tracking what impact. When you have a very cheap country complicated to work out how much a new we do which we never had before. The that sits next to a very expensive country you more direct route can really save. Another opportunities tool gives you a steer on will fly a lot longer to save a lot of money. problem is that when you move to free which is the cheapest route and you can That’s not efficient. If something was done route you don’t always have the ability see if your own system is blocking it for about that at a European level we would see to capture wind and a straight line is not some reason, such as the coding has been a big change in the way we operate. always the most efficient route. incorrectly input. We’ve never had this sort “The biggest issue I see at the moment is “Airline optimisation tools are becoming of tool before. Maastricht sends me a report the documentation we get delivered to the extremely clever but there are also every month with all the directs we planned flight planning providers, which can be very mismatches across Europe; there is no and it highlights what flights didn’t take the open to interpretation. For example, we can single standard, for example, on how States direct route. I can go into our system and get a direct routing published by an ANSP close and open airways. Sometimes this is have a look at what happened – it could but they are published in a way that says done by NOTAMs (notice to airmen) and at have been a system problem; it could be “this direct is compulsory for departing this other times by the AUP (Airspace Use Plan) that the wind didn’t favour it; or it could be airfield” but the computer will read this as “But everyone is moving in the right a problem with the dispatcher. If there is a ‘compulsory for departing this airfield and direction and we are seeing a lot more system problem, once you’ve fixed it, you any other airfield’. direct flights than five years ago. This has don’t have to check it again. “Most airlines file flight plans 96 hours meant big savings, especially at night.” THOMAS COOK THOMAS

www.eurocontrol.int Summer 2014 Skyway 36 FOCUS

A KEY ROLE IN IMPROVING ANS PERFORMANCE

Reference period two (RP2 – 2015-2019) of the Single European Sky (SES) Performance Scheme is due to start next year and EUROCONTROL is working to support States and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) meet their targets while helping to widen the programme beyond the European Union.

o far so good. The SES Performance “If you consider the targets from the point Director of Pan-European Single Sky at the SScheme – which delivers binding targets of view of what an individual ANSP can do, Agency. “Because in the end it is the States to improve air navigation service (ANS) then they are hard. But the thinking behind who implement, by law, the performance provision in the four key areas of safety, the the targets has generated improvements plan. The plan will have to be adopted for environment, capacity and cost-efficiency – is in ANS provision through the activities of the FAB and then States will comply with working (Skyway, Winter 2013 “Changing the functional airspace blocks (FABs) not individual what the FAB has decided on compliance. fundamentals of Europe’s ATM system”). But ANSPs. From a network management EUROCONTROL has a number of relationships as time goes on, the measures that will have viewpoint, it is clear that individual ANSPs will with the FABs. FABs are represented on the to be introduced to meet the increasingly have to change dramatically – it is no longer a Network Manager Board, which advises them stringent targets will require ever-more question of how they are performing in their on operational decisions such as the way to radical changes to the way these services are own backyard but what is their part in this design airspace and routes. EUROCONTROL provided. ANSPs will have to think more about whole network. It may be that one ANSP has has been designated the Performance Review collaboration with neighbours than reforming to do more in one area but less in another. Body (PRB) of the Single European Sky. And their own organisational arrangements. This is something that most ANSPs have not the Agency also advises States where to “I think the set targets are reasonable, but yet taken up. And this process will have to find quick wins, where savings can be done hard to reach,” said Ralph Riedle, who chairs be directed by the Network Manager who without compromising safety. the Performance Review Commission (PRC), understands the resources available. It is like “We also advise about procurement. which supports the effective management directing an orchestra.” If an ANSP still wants to buy VOR (VHF of European ANS through target-setting “The role of this Directorate is to advise omnidirectional range beacon), for example, and the establishment of a transparent and the States on what they should accept from we can have a discussion with the State and ask independent performance review system. their service providers,” said Luc Tytgat, whether they really need to do that. We have

Skyway Summer 2014 www.eurocontrol.int FOCUS 37

developed a study which assesses investment was not on a complementary basis – you had infrastructure planning and we sometimes to do it. The regulation gives clear targets for detect things which could be improved.” all. And this improves the process. We must do So far the performance-scheme targets everything we can in the beginning to reach have been met as a result of market these goals. We will only be able to assess this conditions and improved efficiencies within after RP2. But if there is a target which cannot individual ANSP organisations. There are still be reached by the vast majority then we must fewer aircraft to manage now than in 2008 think about modulating it, so it becomes as a result of the economic crisis in most achievable. No one gains anything from parts of Western Europe, so capacity targets setting unachievable targets.” have been less onerous than they might There are some clear trends emerging even have been. But the change from national to in the very early years of the scheme. One international service provision, which will be of these is that smaller ANSPs appear to be “Our role will be needed if the tougher targets of the coming adapting faster to the new regime than their years are to be met, has not yet taken place. larger neighbours. to encourage and “For the RP3 period, I think we will have “With this regulation they will become incentivise.” to consider whether we can continue as we slimmer and slimmer,” said Ralph Riedle. have in RP2 and RP1 or whether we will have “They may at one stage not be able to afford Luc Tytgat, to make some major changes. Centralised future systems and so they will have to rely Director of Services are a means to help achieve these increasingly on centralised services and Pan-European things,” said Ralph Riedle. “You can do the working with other ANSPs. They therefore same tasks 40 times over, or you can do them have a different perspective from the larger Single Sky, once or twice. The European AIM database organisations. So we now have to engage in EUROCONTROL managed by GroupEAD, for example, runs the an open and transparent discussion on what same operation in Frankfurt and Madrid, two this means – for bigger and small ANSPs – and locations for the same service for the whole then find a way to manage it.” of Europe. This raises the question of how And there is one other major role for many standpoints do we need in Europe for a EUROCONTROL to play if the performance particular service – do we need one or more? scheme is to attain its goals. From my point of view this is an issue for “EU States have to comply with the ANSPs. They can apply to manage centralised performance scheme, they are bound by services and if they win the tender they can law,” said Luc Tytgat. “If those EU States put provide this service for the rest of Europe.” in the effort to hit their targets, they still In setting targets, all involved in the process might not result in the proper benefits if the agree that ANSPs will continue to think neighbouring States, non-EU States, do not the performance improvement targets are have to comply with the same regulations, unrealistically tough, while aircraft operators especially as they may be members of the argue they are not ambitious enough. Ralph same FAB as EU States. Riedle believes that right from the start, from “Our role will be to encourage and 2000 when the performance scheme was incentivise all those EUROCONTROL Member “I think the set targets launched on a voluntary basis as a means States who are not in the EU to implement are reasonable, but of comparison, the target-setting process the scheme on a voluntary basis. We want has resulted in important performance to support them, show them the benefits. hard to reach.” improvements. And this work is producing results. We have Ralph Riedle, Head “When regulations started in 2012, the increasing numbers of States who voluntarily improvements moved forward,” he said. “There want to implement the performance of Performance were harder goals set and all of a sudden it scheme.” Review Commission

www.eurocontrol.int Summer 2014 Skyway 38 VIEWPOINT

ACHIEVING REASONABLE AND FAIR REGULATION

Klaus-Dieter Scheurle, CEO of DFS – the German air navigation service provider (ANSP) – calls for economic regulation which focuses on the costs that ANSPs can actually influence and manage.

he Single European Sky However, the current regulatory based on traffic forecasts. If, T(SES) establishes common approach has been accompanied as a result, ANSPs have to face requirements to ensure that air by considerable pitfalls. Coupling financial instability and unpredict- navigation services are provided regulation targets to air traffic fore- ability, they will not be able to safely and efficiently. Delays and casts – which have proven to be meet the performance targets costs have to be reduced, airspace quite unreliable in the past – puts for capacity, environment and defragmented, air safety further the financial viability of ANSPs at cost-efficiency while maintaining improved and the impact of air risk. Bearing in mind the ongoing their high safety standards. ANSPs transport on the environment financial crisis in Europe and the employ highly-qualified and well- minimised. Some form of ensuing stagnation of traffic vol- paid staff and face costly long- performance regulation, especially ume, the forecasts remain overly term investments. They are bound for organisations that are monopolies optimistic. The five-year reference to adhere to stringent labour (as is the case in air navigation periods underlying regulation are practices and also experience service provision in Europe), is the extremely long in view of the un- much longer investment cycles appropriate and logical approach reliability of these traffic forecasts. than most other industries. They for achieving efficient services The current regulatory model must be able to react to volatile throughout Europe. focuses on revenues that are conditions in the short term with-

Skyway Summer 2014 www.eurocontrol.int VIEWPOINT 39

out endangering the long-term requirements differ consider- efficiency. They are dependent stability of their infrastructures. ably. Therefore, it is crucial that on each other: the overall goal The fact that ANSPs have no independent and competent of air navigation services is the control over traffic development regulatory bodies are established safety of air traffic. At the same raises an even more striking in every EU Member State. While time, improvements in capacity issue. The regulatory approach the European Commission sets or flight efficiency may impact forces ANSPs to be responsible the regulatory principles, the EU cost-efficiency and vice versa. for something that they cannot Member States have to com- The concept of “total economic influence. ply. Strong national regulatory cost” should be applied, which Other factors which are cru- authorities are needed that have is used to assess interdependen- cial for a harmonised European the power to implement the cies and trade-offs among KPAs airspace remain unaddressed. rules in a reliable manner. with the goal of attaining a fair Questions about civil and balance between them. It is used military airspace as well as what Total economic cost to express all Key Performance the goal of SES actually is, have Rather than focusing on revenues Indicators in monetary terms. not been answered yet. Is it and unreliable traffic forecasts, A balance needs to be ensured consolidation or competition? a more effective regulation ap- when defining targets for a At the moment, the ANSPs are proach would focus on the costs reference period. For example, a required to cooperate with that ANSPs can actually influence capacity target should be linked each other, for example by es- and manage. The regulation to traffic development. tablishing Functional Airspace scheme should take a regulated Blocks (FABs), Single European asset base into account that con- Overall mission is safety Sky ATM Research (SESAR) and sists of operational costs, capital The overall mission of ANSPs the Centralised Services. On the expenditures, depreciation and is to provide safe services for other hand, they are expected adequate cost of capital. airspace users. FABEC, the largest to compete with each other. While it makes sense to set functional airspace block at the There are efforts to unbundle high-level targets as an incen- heart of Europe, for example, services that are not a natural tive to improve performance, it handles almost 60% of air traffic monopoly, for example. As long is perhaps even more important in the European Union and oper- as the States and their decision- to motivate ANSPs by rewarding ates at an extraordinarily high makers have not clarified these them when they achieve a target safety level. Air traffic controllers points, ANSPs are not in a posi- ahead of schedule or at a higher guide flights along routings that tion to move forward. level than required by regulation. are nearly direct and ensure that The point of regulation is always they arrive on time. Furthermore, Road to improved regulation to encourage monopolies to act considerable improvements in It is time for a more reasonable as efficiently as possible. Reward- terms of cost-efficiency have and fair regulatory approach. ing them when they perform already been made. During the But how can this be achieved? well is also in the best interests of current reference period (2012- More effective regulation in their customers. 2014), the reduction of the unit Europe would require taking the Investments made under rates will result in savings of diversity of European countries the EU’s ATM Master Plan, for more than €270 million by 2014 Before taking on the role into account. A cost base with example, as part of SESAR which will add to the value of CEO at DFS, Klaus- a fair starting point referencing and services contracted in a chain of the airlines. Dieter Scheurle was actual costs, as well as realistic competitive manner, such as the The aviation industry as a State Secretary at the traffic development forecasts Centralised Services, or those whole profits from safe and German Federal Ministry are needed. The performance due to European legal require- efficient services. Economic of Transport, Building concept has to be viewed in its ments, should be excluded from regulation should not burden and Urban Development. entirety. Ultimately, ANSPs should economic regulation. the ANSPs alone with the costs As head of the Minis- not bear the costs of safety and As the overall interest of SES related to safety or flight-effi- ter’s Office and later as efficiency improvements alone. regulation is to achieve more ciency increases while aviation head of the department An incentive-driven approach to efficiency, it is also important to providers remain the only ones responsible for regula- regulation is key. exclude costs for bi- and multi- to benefit from the savings. tion, he was in charge of national restructuring activities Intense discussions with the the privatisation of the Diverse conditions in Europe from economic regulation. European Commission, airspace German Federal Ministry Political, economic and cultural users and regulatory authorities of Posts and Telecommu- conditions in Europe vary from Holistic view of performance will hopefully lead to a revised nications. He oversaw the country to country. ANSPs have The current regulation model is regulation in the best interests of Regulatory Authority and different legal structures and based on the four Key Perfor- aviation as a whole and for a truly the introduction of more pension schemes. Value-added mance Areas (KPAs) of safety, sustainable and reliable enhance- competition. tax rates and specific airport environment, capacity and cost- ment of performance.

www.eurocontrol.int Summer 2014 Skyway 40 VIEWPOINT

FOR LONDON HEATHROW, CLIMATE RESILIENCE STRATEGIES MATTER

The airport operates at 99% capacity so adverse weather can have a significant impact on flight schedules as there is no slack in the system to cope with this.

n 2011, the government asked risk analysis we used government medium term. In the longer term IHeathrow to produce a report projection produced by the Met – that is to say in 50 years or more detailing our climate adaptation office of future changes to climate. there may be more significant risk response or, as I like to call So what would happen to tem- climate changes, which is why we it, our resilience strategy to plan perature, rain fall, storm frequency will revisit our adaptation response for the changing conditions and severity, etc. We also looked plan at regular intervals both that we will see to the British retrospectively at how we have to ensure we don’t get caught weather system, due to climate managed weather as it is today. out and ensure it is driving our change over the next 80 years. This allowed us to carry out the risk engineering strategy. The critical This occurred at the same time assessment and define the actions point is to ensure we don’t make as the business was becoming that we would need to be taking in decisions now that we would want more aware of the challenges of order to manage those risks – our to change in the future. adapting to climate change – so adaptation response plan. As you Most people think mainly about we were well prepared to respond can imagine this was a compre- rain and temperature when they to this. All large infrastructure hensive piece of work, which took consider climate change, but also providers in the UK were asked to about six months to complete. conditions such as fog and chang- produce a climate-resilience report The report was grounded in the ing wind direction could also have so the government could produce science, but also required a great an impact. So if you take wind, for a top-down view of how the deal of stakeholder consultation; instance, the landing rate slows in country could respond to future I ran quite a few workshops with a strong headwind. We are looking climate change. colleagues, asking the operation at introducing time-based separa- As a business it is vital we have teams how they were being af- tion (TBS) procedures in mid-2015 plans for managing the current fected by the weather today but – even without climate change we effects of weather, but also looking also using the climate projections would be doing this – this helps long term and considering how to draw out from operational col- now and will do in the future. One weather may change in the future leagues the implications for their area we are urging government to due to climate change – experts area in the future and then agree look at in more detail is around the describe this as climate change actions as necessary to manage potential effect of climate change adaptation risk. So we produced a new or changed risks resulting on wind direction. There are plenty climate adaptation risk report and from changes to future climate. of climate models for rainfall and a plan to address this. As a part of So if we take future change in temperature, fog and even sea- producing the plan we commit- temperature as an example, we level rise, but future trends in wind Graham Earl is Head of ted to reviewing progress – we examined how this might affect direction is something that needs Environment and Climate are currently conducting such a pavements, checking that our to be looked at in more detail. Change Strategy at review, and we are very pleased at standards were sufficiently high We are also looking at vortex Heathrow Airport Limited the progress we’ve made. not to be concerned by the effects separations in crosswind con- To inform our climate adaptation of temperature in the near to ditions, where under certain

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crosswind conditions you blow this year. Making sure we already there are no gaps in the schedule. the vortex away so that opens up have resilience plans in place for Severe weather will always reduce the potential to close up a spac- this just in case helps reassure our capacity and cause delays or ing a little, but it’s fair to say a lot stakeholders that we are prepared. cancellations. Cancelling flights in more work and analysis is needed, One area of our work we are advance introduces space into the which we are actively exploring. aware needs to be explored schedule and aims to reduce dis- Wind is therefore a key issue for further is to examine the interde- ruption for passengers. We have a us at Heathrow. We have spent a pendencies between our climate Met officer on site at all times and lot of energy achieving accurate change adaptation plans and we work collaboratively with NATS weather forecasts around different those of other key stakeholders, for and the airlines to do this. circumstances – so we can create example NATS. When looking at We are also moving towards an a plan for the following day to fit the resilience measures of Heath- airport operations centre (APOC) with complex flight schedules. row we recognise that there are concept because of the need Our climate adaptation re- other stakeholders who play a vital to take a more cohesive control sponse work, as mentioned earlier, role at the airport. Tying together over the airport. Twenty years ago has been based on government our plans is crucial and an area of we were the landlord and many projections of climate change, so key focus for us. different activities happened on for the timeframes of 2020, 2040 It’s interesting and important of our patch – they either worked or and 2080. Looking forward, as far as course to look at and prepare for they didn’t and we just provided future changes to weather affecting the effect of future climate change, the facilities. We are now working operations, this only really becomes but equally we must ensure our towards a more collaborative un- material when you look at forecasts existing plans remain resilient to derstanding and decision making out to 2080. There are some early weather as it is today. That’s why we process across the airport – if there trends in the short term, but noth- have actively pursued collaborative is disruption caused by adverse ing significant emerging that says decision making (CDM) – the shar- weather we can manage the these kind of extreme events are ing of real time information across recovery more efficiently. going to become everyday events the entire airport – such user- It’s definitely been an interesting in the next 20 to 30 years. One of driven prioritisation, better queuing study for me personally and I know our main conclusions was that arrival techniques and departures it’s been well received across the as far as near-term changes were – to both deliver the schedule and airport. It’s only the start of course, concerned our resilience plans are ensure we better withstand any but I take a lot of confidence in the fit for purpose, but of course that is disruption when it occurs. investment we have already made no reason for complacence. Heathrow is the world’s busiest in managing the effects of weather And of course we continue 2 runway airport and is effec- on our operation as well as the to look carefully at our flood- tively full. This means that flights progress we are making in deliver- prevention plans, particularly with affected by disruption can’t be ing against the plans identified the weather that we saw earlier moved to later in the day because through this study.

www.eurocontrol.int Summer 2014 Skyway 42 VIEWPOINTVIEWPOINT

TEAMING UP FOR SAFETY

o achieve its mission, the ECA – the European Cockpit deal of operational expertise and TEUROCONTROL works Association, which was created in experience on many issues ranging closely with Member States, air 1991 and today represents 38,000 from technical topics such as traffic navigation service providers pilots from national Pilot Asso- collision avoidance systems (TCAS) (ANSPs), civil and military airspace ciations in 37 European States. In or continuous descent operations users, airports, the aerospace 2006, ECA signed an agreement (CDO) to more transverse subjects industry, intergovernmental with the International Federa- like ways of creating a stronger ‘Just organisations, the European tion of Air Line Pilots’ Associations Culture’ environment for aviation institutions, and last but not least (IFALPA) to take on the role of professionals. with professional organisations. All IFALPA’s “regional body in Europe” ECA experts very actively par- these stakeholders come together – to carry out IFALPA’s responsibili- ticipate in the work of the Network to create a Single European Sky ties in Europe when representing Operations team, the Airport which meets the safety, capacity airline pilots at institutions, agen- Operation team and the activities and performance challenges cies and any other branches of the of many other working groups of European aviation in the European Union. This agreement or ad-hoc task forces. The pilots’ 21st century. Partnership is the also empowers ECA to fully repre- presence and active involvement single word that best describes sent cockpit crews at intergovern- helps to foster ideas about how to the Agency’s way of operating. mental organisations, including improve aviation safety and to im- As front-end users and safety EUROCONTROL and the European plement efficient ATM procedures. professionals, European pilots are Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC). Even more importantly, it provides a key pillar of this partnership and Today ECA is involved at every a ‘reality check’ by channeling valu- have enthusiastically embarked on level of the corporate governance able and sound inputs from people this ambitious project to improve structure of the Agency. Not only is being confronted – in their daily and develop new, more efficient it an observer organisation to the work – by the new developments Loïc Michel, ECA Technical and safer air traffic management Provisional Council – the key gov- and functionalities attached to a Policy Advisor (ATM) concepts and procedures. erning and supervising body of the given operational scenario. The European voice of pilots is Agency – but it also brings a great The ECA community also con-

Skyway Summer 2014 www.eurocontrol.int VIEWPOINT 43

“The pilots’ presence and active involvement helps to foster ideas about how to improve aviation safety and to implement efficient ATM procedures.”

tributes to the Safety Improve- is the expertise and day-to-day jointly organised with the Flight ment Sub-Group (SISG), which experience of pilots from local Safety Foundation. aims to help front-end operators pilot associations that will be More than ever, it remains involved in ATM-related safety instrumental in making the best essential to take human factors events to share experiences possible use of LRST. and operational first-hand expe- with each other. In this way, the Another major project in which rience into account in dealing aviation safety professionals have ECA’s members are playing a with upcoming challenges. In an opportunity to broaden their central role is the Prosecutor particular, it needs to be clear experience of the problems that Expert Course set up by IFATCA that the future ATM system will may be encountered, to be aware and EUROCONTROL. The need for only work if wholeheartedly of available solutions and there- proper administration of justice endorsed by those responsible fore be better prepared should and – at the same time – contin- for operating it. they meet similar occurrences ued availability of aviation safety A very good test case in that themselves. information brought this course respect is the shared objective of Two very concrete and tangi- to life. The fear of prosecution or safely integrating the Remotely ble recent initiatives demonstrate reprisals at company level after re- Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) how fruitful such a partnership porting an occurrence is still very into non-segregated airspace. between EUROCONTROL and the much present today. The resulting In the near future, RPAS will pilot community can be. lack of incident reporting breaks significantly change the look of A significant achievement for the experience feed-back loop Europe’s skies. Indeed, the smaller pilots was the release of the Euro- and reduces the ability to achieve RPAS offer such clear business pean Action Plan for the Preven- safety improvements by learning opportunities that there will soon tion of Runway Excursions (EAP- pro-actively from the past. be greater willingness to progres- PRE) in early 2013. With at least This initiative tries to smooth sively accommodate them. It is two runway excursions per week the path for independent therefore EUROCONTROL’s inten- worldwide, there was an urgent aviation experts to provide high- tion to help establish clear, har- need to scale up action against quality information and expertise monised and appropriate rules this kind of safety event. All along to judicial authorities and to to operate RPAS. These provisions the elaboration process of the increase mutual understanding. are required so RPAS can evolve action plan, ECA experts very Available upon request, these into a recognised and legitimate closely and actively cooperated experts will support – with spe- category of airspace user that, with EUROCONTROL and many cialist knowledge – the work of from an ATM perspective, is able other aviation stakeholders and prosecutors especially before, but to operate transparently with organisations to come up with an also during, a (criminal) investiga- other aircraft. This raises a wide ambitious action plan, consistent tion related to an incident and/or range of challenging, safety- with the operational reality. accident, and where appropriate, critical issues, such as the The action plan provides a support the Court. The aim is not management of RPAS collision comprehensive set of stakehold- only to provide expertise but also avoidance and separation or the er specific guidelines and recom- to create confidence and trust design of human systems inter- mendations on how to reduce which are two key ingredients to face, which cannot be successful- the number of runway excur- any robust and mature safety- ly addressed without controllers sions. It recognises that the Local management system. and pilots’ operational input. Runway Safety Teams (LRST), Expanding on this positive Close cooperation and mutual which aim at monitoring closely experience of cooperation, the understanding with professional the local aerodrome, identifying pilot community is committed to staff organisations, therefore, potential runway safety issues continue its active involvement remains at the core of EURO- and working on means to miti- to support the Agency’s future CONTROL’s work. ECA has played gate runway safety deficiencies work and initiatives. A number of its part in the past and will con- Álvaro Gammicchia, at local level, are a crucial tool to activities are already on ECA’s ra- tinue to do so in the future – in ECA Board Director for successfully implement the plan dar screen, such as the upcoming building a more-efficient and Technical Affairs and produce safety benefits. It Airborne Conflict Safety Forum safer European ATM system.

www.eurocontrol.int Summer 2014 Skyway 44 VIEWPOINT

WARMER, WETTER, WILDER WEATHER WILL IMPACT ANS SERVICE PROVISION

ven if we could eliminate two airports are the same, and it is “wetter” could imply more fre- Norway’s airport and Eall of humanity’s carbon therefore not possible to general- quent, heavy snowfalls with a risk ATM agency Avinor emissions today, the delay ise how they will be affected. for airlines of reduced punctual- in the atmospheric response Climate change at our lati- ity and regularity. “Wilder” means has carried out a would – according to all our tudes comes with huge local and more-extreme weather events, comprehensive projections – make the future regional variations, but the future storms and storm surges impact- climate significantly different to will generally be “warmer, wetter ing traffic, causing delays and po- climate-change risk- that of today. So how can Avinor – and wilder”. “Warmer” means, for tentially destroying infrastructure. assessment strategy which operates 46 airports along us, that the winter season will be Avinor has been looking into for all its facilities, with air traffic control towers, shorter at all of our airports and climate-adaptation strategies since control centres and navigational that some airports will have to the turn of the century. Within the with some surprising aids – ensure the resilience of our deal with the troublesome +/- government’s National Transport results. infrastructure to provide safe and zero-degrees-weather more often Plan (NTP), an initiative of the Nor- reliable operations into the future? – some airports less often. In this wegian Ministry of Transport and Forecasting always implies a temperature range, snow melts Communications carried out every degree of uncertainty. Most of and rain freezes, with possible four years, the three transport Avinor’s airports are scattered reduced friction as an outcome. directorates (road, rail and coast) along the rugged Norwegian Increased precipitation and freak along with Avinor, have been coastline. Of these, 20 are quite rains challenge the drainage of asked to plan the national trans- exposed and several have runways runways, aprons, buildings and port infrastructure. This made us less than 4m above sea level. No other infrastructure. In winter, aware quite early on of the overall

Avinor Væröy Helipad after storm Berit November 2011. Photo: Avinor, Leif-Rune Kristiansen

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risks and what to expect in the of rocks needed to make robust ters. This is not a good idea when future. It also showed that com- fillings which would be able to the airport is at risk of flooding, so pared to other modes of transport withstand future storms. this will be rectified. Other infra- aviation had the resources and In terms of “wetter”, the planning structure could also be vulnerable capability to meet the challenges, phase of the terminal expansion at times of storms and blizzards. that the risk to life and health at Oslo Airport and the related As far as the “warmer” challenge was limited because airspace and work on the apron revealed that is concerned – and this has an runways are constantly monitored the drainage systems were in need impact even in Norway – we are and that infrastructure can and will of 50% added capacity compared looking into whether the cool- be closed if weather dictates this. with the drainage systems from ing capacity in the server room Furthermore, there is only a small the 1990s, when the airport was at some northernmost airports risk of landslides and avalanches at constructed. is sufficient to withstand future airports. The same cannot be said Although awareness of climate summer highs. When it comes to for rail and road. change and adaptation had been ATM, a positive finding is that the So, the point of departure for in the company for a while, new transition to satellite-based navi- “Transition to a robust “plan/do/check/act ap- legislation and real-world projects gation will reduce the vulnerabili- satellite-based proach” has been more or less in made Avinor take it into considera- ties mentioned above. Norwegian navigation place for a while. The next stage tion during the planning phase of airports are used to handling fairly should have been a thorough risk the first of our recent big airport extreme winter conditions, but will reduce assessment of the overall situation construction projects. This has “wilder” winter weather could im- vulnerabilities.” at airports and other critical infra- developed into the creation of our pact punctuality and regularity. A Olav Mosvold structure, identifying vulnerabili- own set of guidelines for low- main variable is, however, hard to ties and strengths, acknowledging lying runways close to the sea and predict: the position of the North Larsen, Avinor the differences between airports strengthened requirements for Atlantic jet stream which could and ACI Europe and analysing how climate change potential new runways – they now impact local wind directions and will impact Norway differently in have to be established at least 7m thus cause more cross winds than Environmental different regions. above sea level. We have devel- occur today. Strategy But we were forced to jump oped a procedure regarding di- Climate change is here to Committee start at the “do” part of the process mensioning criteria for safety areas stay. The above are examples of when new legislation required close to the sea. Furthermore, we Avinor’s adaptation activities. that safety areas at the sides are now undertaking a risk assess- Our experience is that minor and ends of runways at several ment of all our airports, connected adaptation investments in already airports had to be expanded. Cli- navigation systems and surface planned and/or ongoing projects mate change became a real issue access to the airports. The results can save on future resources. But for us when it turned out that the are, however, not yet clear. Many as aviation is extremely dependent seabed close to the runways in airport challenges have been fairly on all elements of the network to question was in some places very easy to define and identify, but the be fully functioning, all actors in deep. In collaboration with tech- risk assessment has also revealed the aviation industry should carry nical experts we had to look into air navigation service (ANS) chal- out their risk assessments – which projections for future sea levels, lenges. is not difficult – and decide if ac- wind directions, wave directions The electricity supply to naviga- tion is required. and – in some instances – the tion equipment at some of low- It makes no sense to have underwater topography to calcu- lying airports, for example, is islands of resilience in an ocean of late the size, shape and amount placed on the floor in their shel- vulnerabilities.

www.eurocontrol.int Summer 2014 Skyway 46 EVENTS

Forthcoming events

Date: 10-11 June 2014, Date: 17 June 2014, Date: 17-19 September 2014, EUROCONTROL’s Brussels Headquarters EUROCONTROL’s Brussels Headquarters Beijing, China 2014 Safety Forum - Airborne Conflict OAT Transit Service (OATTS) Workshop ATC Global 2014

The event is organised by the Flight Safety Jointly organised by NATO and EUROCONTROL will be present at the ATC Foundation, EUROCONTROL and the European EUROCONTROL, the OATTS Workshop will Global 2014 in China, with a stand and a series Regions Airline Association and serves as a examine the implementation of short-term of briefings on our key projects, in particular Flight Safety Foundation Regional Aviation solutions for cross-border operations. in the field air traffic flow management and air Safety Seminar. Targeted to military ATM experts, the traffic management performance. Its aim is to attract world-wide participants workshop will focus on: harmonisation of ATC Global provides a focal point and annual from all the aviation sectors concerned, with military AIS data and its migration to EAD; meeting place for equipment buyers, users the aim of producing a conference report implementation of a harmonised OAT IFR and suppliers from around the globe. The which documents the consensus findings and Flight Plan; issues relating to flight data three-day event is comprised of a large scale conclusions. planning systems, provision of air navigation exhibition showcasing products and services The Forum will examine the risk associated services and other services facilitating from international suppliers, a prestigious with conflicts between aircraft generated in IFR cross-border flights; challenges to be thought leadership conference, an extensive the air, including level bust risk, ATC system overcome in order to implement OATTS. educational programme and unparalleled functionality and the management of More information at: http://www. networking opportunities. airborne conflict, aircraft performance and eurocontrol.int/events/oat-transit- More information on the ATC Global airborne conflict, airspace design, airspace service-oatts-workshop website at http://www.atcglobalhub.com/ infringement, pilot-controller interaction and index.php/en the airborne risk, etc. Date: 26-27 June 2014, More information at: http://www. EUROCONTROL’s Brussels Headquarters Date: 28 September -1 October 2014, eurocontrol.int/events/2014-safety-forum- Third EACCC Aviation Crisis Management Washington, U.S. airborne-conflict Workshop 59th ATCA Annual Conference and Exhibition The Network Manager has been given particular responsibility for coordinating the EUROCONTROL will participate with a stand management of responses to crises affecting in this year’s ATCA Annual Conference, which Europe’s ATM network. is for the first time combined with the Civil EUROCONTROL’s Network Manager will be Military Aviation Conference (CMAC). organising the third EACCC (European Civil Our presence will focus on our civil-military Aviation Coordination Cell) Aviation Crisis expertise in air traffic management. Management Workshop. One of the objectives More information on the ATCA website: of the workshop is to review and consolidate http://www.atca.org/59annual Advertising index national contingency plans with those of the EACCC in order to ensure effective response to

Inside front cover Airbus ProSky any future aviation crisis in Europe. Page 11 Thales The focus of this year’s event is on the Page 21 GroupEAD role of State Focal Points and how national Page 29 Guntermann & Drunck contingency and crisis management plans can Page 32 Comsoft be linked to the EACCC plans. Inside back cover World ATM Congress More information at: http://www. Outside back cover ATC Global Beijing eurocontrol.int/events/third-aviation- Full list of EUROCONTROL events available crisis-management-workshop at www.eurocontrol.int/lists/event

Skyway Summer 2014 www.eurocontrol.int www.worldatmcongress.org See You Next Year. 10-12 March 2015 Madrid, Spain IFEMA, Feria de Madrid

ATM2015_SeeYouNextYear_Fullpage_bleed_ad.indd 1 6/5/14 12:32 PM Adv for Global Trade Media 210x297.pdf 1 2014/5/7 17:40:36

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