National Airspace Vision

Summary | 1 The White Paper on Dutch Aviation 1 European developments imposing 1 Summary (hereafter: White Paper) sets out the Dutch solid targets government’s vision for the future development In the late 1990s, the European Commission of Dutch aviation. In order to ensure that initiated Single European Sky (SES) in an effort the remains accessible by air, to optimise the use of European airspace. a high-quality international network of By 2020, enhanced cooperation between connections is of major importance. European Member States in the area of safety, Such a network, in combination with an airspace use and technological developments aviation sector that is both competitive and should yield: sustainable, is crucial to a strong economy. • a tripling of capacity 3 ; The government recently issued an update • further improvement of ATM safety; letter 2 outlining its plans to implement the • a 10% reduction of the environmental policy measures announced in the White Paper. effects of aviation; The issue of ensuring good accessibility by air is • a 50% reduction in air traffic service one of the focal points of this document, provision costs. as it (increasingly) constrains further developments in the Netherlands. In order to enable efficient use of the upper airspace in central Europe, the Netherlands – This National Airspace Vision (Luchtruimvisie) in cooperation with Belgium, Germany, France, outlines the national government’s future Luxembourg and Switzerland – established development plans and strategy for the the Functional Airspace Block Europe Central organisation, management and use of (FABEC). The FABEC member states have set Dutch airspace. The National Airspace Vision targets for airspace performance and provides clarity to airspace users while offering the cost-effectiveness of air traffic service air navigation service providers (ANSPs) provision. To a large extent, these targets will a framework for tackling current bottlenecks have to be achieved through the optimisation and future challenges with regard to of airspace management and organisation. Dutch airspace. Finally, specific actions and measures are set out in the National Airspace Policy Agenda, a document providing guidance for further implementation of 1 White Paper on Dutch aviation: competitive and the Dutch ambitions. sustainable aviation for a strong economy, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, April 2009. Developments necessitating the 2 Letter from the State Secretary for Infrastructure modernisation of Dutch airspace and the Environment, letter updating the Aviation Various developments necessitate further Policy Document, 14 January 2010, Tweede Kamer modernisation of the organisation, [Lower House of Parliament], 2010-2011 Session, parliamentary paper 31 936, No. 47. management and use of Dutch airspace. 3 This objective relates to en-route air traffic Key developments are: in upper airspace.

2 | National Airspace Vision Summary | 3 Table 1.1: Detailed explanation of policy principles

Cooperation within the FABEC is of great The growing demands and changing needs importance to the Netherlands. The Dutch of airspace users Policy principles Explanation airspace is small and characterised by high air Various stakeholders have an interest in Primary focus on • Preferences and needs of the various airspace users are the primary focus. traffic density. Cross-border cooperation is a Dutch airspace. Each has its own airspace needs the airspace user The government aims to impose as few limitations as possible in terms of institutional and/or national borders. prerequisite for enhancing network quality and and/or requirements and preferences as regards • Airspace organisation and management must be aimed at optimally improving the competitiveness of the mainport the use and organisation of that airspace. accommodating airspace users’ requirements. Schiphol and facilitating cross-border military We can distinguish between airspace users, The safe, efficient, • Airspace organisation and management must reflect the performance exercise areas that will help improve military air navigation service providers, cost-effective and requirements set out in the SES and FABEC (regarding capacity, safety, mission-effectiveness. and residents in the vicinity of airports. environmentally- the environment and cost-effectiveness). As a result of growing demands and changing friendly use of airspace • Airspace is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity. The impact of tasks and plans enshrined requirements and preferences, a number of For this reason, airspace will no longer be claimed more than is strictly necessary for civil and military needs. in policies and laws airspace users use the same parts of airspace • In this context, efforts are being made to improve the planning of The White Paper states that the mainport at the same times. This is increasingly resulting airspace needs for civil and military operations, thus facilitating the Schiphol and the regional airports of national in airspace scarcity and constraints. flexible and dynamic management and use of (parts of) the airspace. importance will be enabled to become • The changes to the operational ATC concept as proposed by the ANSPs in sustainable and competitive airports. Safety is Policy principles, strategy and main order to meet performance requirements are always assessed in terms of their effects on capacity, safety, the environment, cost-effectiveness an important general precondition in this airspace structure and military mission-effectiveness. respect. The development of these airports In this National Airspace Vision, the central Respecting arrangements • The preferences and needs of the airspace users are assessed in terms requires efficient and reliable accessibility government lays down a number of policy with local residents of their compliance with arrangements with local residents regarding by air. The simplification of the Air Traffic principles that are key to the future organisation, environmental quality (nuisance reduction and spatial planning on Management (ATM) system and airspace management and use of Dutch airspace. the ground), e.g. the Alderstafels [Alders round-table groups] or the structure will help ensure that capacity can be Subsequently, the National Airspace Vision Commissies Regionaal Overleg [regional consultative committees]. increased within the framework of ATM safety. describes how these principles are applied Simple • Airspace organisation and management must be elementary and when developing solutions to the challenges unambiguous for both the airspace users and ANSPs in order to further The Ministry of Defence is responsible for and constraints involved in modernising enhance aviation safety. The harmonisation of airspace classifications can contribute to this objective. safeguarding national security, the surveillance airspace and the operational concept for air • A simplified, more predictable and reliable operational concept that of Dutch airspace, international response in traffic management. The policy principles and reduces the complexity of the ATM system and the workload of air traffic conflict situations and protection against strategy are subsequently translated into a future controllers and pilots and thereby increasing ATM capacity while terrorism and potential future threats. In order Dutch main airspace structure. maintaining safety levels. to perform this task in line with both national Integral • ATM system capacity is not exclusively determined by airspace organisation and international obligations (within the Policy principles and management. Technical and operational enablers must thus be taken into consideration. context of UN and NATO agreements), The policy principles for the further development • In order to achieve sustainable airspace organisation and management, the Ministry of Defence lays down require- of Dutch airspace are based on existing policy a robust operational ATC concept must be developed by the ANSPs. ments for (the use of ) Dutch airspace and guidelines (White Paper on Dutch Aviation and This should provide clarity regarding the necessary enablers 4 in terms of the airside accessibility of military airports. the Update letter) and the obligations deriving airspace organisation and management, technical and operational tools, etc. from applicable international (ICAO, FABEC, • The entire ATM chain must be assessed on the basis of a gate-to-gate approach, and examined from both a civil and military perspective. NATO) and European (SES, EASA) instruments and legislation/regulations. The policy principles 4 Enablers are the steps or means required to are briefly explained in Table 1.1 on the next page. reach a certain result.

4 | National Airspace Vision Summary | 5 Table 1.1: Detailed explanation of policy principles (continued)

Strategy existing airspace design. New opportunities Policy principles Explanation Ambitions regarding safety, capacity, must also be viewed in the context of airspace Prioritisation • Government priorities are key: maintaining and enhancing network cost-effectiveness, the environment and the design and control; changes in this area will where needed quality and military mission-effectiveness. elimination of constraints could be realised in be necessary in order to make the most of • In the event of conflicting civil interests, the prioritisation set out in various ways. One initial strategy would involve technological innovations and operational the White Paper applies: (1) traffic associated with Airport Schiphol as a mainport 5, (2) non-mainport-associated traffic at the regional increasing airspace management efficiency by concepts for air traffic management. airports of national importance as a component of the system of coopera- improving the operational concept for ATM. ting airports (Eindhoven, , Rotterdam), (3) the other regional In the event that improved management The optimal utilisation of these new airports of national importance, and (4) the regional airports that mainly proves inadequate, efforts can be made to opportunities will require improvements in cater to General Aviation demand. improve airspace organisation and design. the area of navigation, communication and • The traffic flows to and from the largest airports, including Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, are leading as regards the organisation and The airspace can also be used more efficiently surveillance infrastructure and should be management of the FABEC airspace. by means of flexible and dynamic management supported by improvements in terms of Together • Cross-border cooperation is essential (SES, FABEC, with adjacent FABs, and usage. If these three strategies prove to system support for controllers, such as arrival member states and ATC centres). be inadequate, constraints can ultimately be (AMAN), departure (DMAN) and cross-border • A joint civil/military air traffic service provision for lower airspace and eliminated at a tactical and/or operational level arrival management (XMAN). one single civil/military controlled airspace by 2020. by air traffic controllers. • Joint processes involving the central government, ANSPs, ANSPs have worked together at international airspace users and other stakeholders. The four strategies are explained below. In all level to develop the outlines of the future In line with Europe • The National Airspace Vision and its implementation must be in accordance cases, resolving the constraints will require an operational concept for ATM. This has with the arrangements, airspace policy, strategy and roadmaps developed at European/international level (ICAO, SES, SESAR, FABEC, Eurocontrol, integral approach. The nature and seriousness resulted in the ICAO Global Air Navigation EASA) to which the Netherlands has committed itself. of the constraint will determine which of the Plan, the SESAR Master Plan and the SESAR • Any decisions regarding cross-border and large-scale national, airspace four strategies are to be applied. In the process, Operational Concept. In the years to come, modifications and the implementation thereof will be taken at FABEC level. which will be iterative, all four strategies will these concepts will be developed in further be analysed and assessed in terms of their detail, validated and implemented. feasibility and the various pros and cons 5 In this context, hub and mainport-associated traffic is involved. 2. Optimisation and simplification of understood to refer to the traffic as defined in the airspace organisation Network Vision and Selectivity component of the Alders round-table opinion of October 2008. Based 1. Modernisation of the operational concept If air traffic is to be handled safely, airspace must on a vision of the Schiphol and KLM networks and the for ATM through optimal application of be organised effectively and transparently. position of the central government, the participants new technological and operational Airspace organisation is determined by the in the Alders round-table groups concluded that the developments allocation of air traffic areas for specific core function of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the Technological innovations offer new functionalities and the rules governing such processing of hub and mainport-associated traffic flows. This has resulted in a subdivision and opportunities in the area of ATM, enabling areas (through the allocation of airspace prioritisation on the basis of five traffic segments, as air traffic controllers to accommodate more classifications, for example). Modifications to laid down and elaborated in the voluntary agreement airspace user needs safely and efficiently the airspace organisation and design can help on the maintenance and strengthening of the in future, thus preventing or eliminating resolve constraints by structurally separating mainport function and network quality of (capacity) constraints. In many cases, this will traffic flows in the airspace design or establishing Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Convenant behoud en versterking mainport functie en netwerkkwaliteit allow for the optimisation of air navigation additional requirements for airspace users with luchthaven Schiphol) and the White Paper. service provision and quality within the regard to the use of specific airspace zones.

6 | National Airspace Vision Summary | 7 It is essential to mitigate any constraints and system. The extent to which this strategy can Airspace Structure Operational Concept potentially confl icting issues during the prevent or resolve constraints is therefore strategic phase of the airspace design process. limited. A large number of tactical interventi- UTA FABEC NW Free-route concept By taking these aspects into account when ons by the ANSP can result in a signifi cant

designing the airspace and routes, the number increase of the workload. This increase will CTA Holland Arrival- en departure management of constraints may be minimised, ensuring a subsequently result in a decrease of ATM system TMA TMA Holland TMA VNR Civil- safe and effi cient airspace design. As regards capacity. For this reason, this is not the Cross border Schiphol Regional LIMAS CCO/CDO military constraints that cannot be resolved in the preferred option for eliminating bott lenecks. airspace design, we must subsequently assess to which degree these constraints can be Main airspace structure Figure 1.1: Components of the main airspace structure and characteristics of the operational concept for ATM mitigated through one of the other strategies. The central government has draft ed a vision on within this organisational structure. the development of the main airspace structure of 3. Improved performance through the fl exible Dutch airspace based on the aforementioned

and dynamic management and use of policy principles and strategy. In accordance with UTA FABEC North West airspace developments within the FABEC, the central The fl exible and dynamic use of airspace allows government distin guishes between three airspace for various airspace needs to be combined volumes and corresponding operational concepts. within the same airspace zone, and optimally harmonised. In cases where multiple airspace 1. Upper airspace volume (FABEC North-West users are claiming the right to use the same UTA): free-route airspace zones – also known as ‘shortage In the upper airspace UTA FABEC North-West, constraints’ – more effi cient coordination of air traffi c is handled by means of the free- CBA Sea CBA Land airspace use can help to accommodate the route airspace concept. This implies that various needs. The factor of time can be applied the current fi xed ATS route structure no to harmonise airspace needs and divide them longer applies, enabling pilots to use the over various periods of the day, week or month. most direct route and optimum fl ight profi le. The central government thus 4. Tactical/operational elimination of endorses ongoing European developments. CTA Holland bott lenecks If specifi c (oft en military) activities need to The ANSP can prevent or eliminate be separated from other air traffi c within bott lenecks by intervening during the this airspace, a ‘segregated airspace’ will TMA Schiphol tactical phase. As a fl ight is being carried out, be activated 6 temporarily and locally. air traffi c will receive cruising speed and height TMA Holland Regional instructions and multiple ANSPs may coordinate their activities. While tactical intervention may eliminate a bott leneck, it 6 Figure 1.1 is a conceptual representation of the main TMA Liège-Maastricht components of the general airspace structure and the simultaneously intensifi es the coordination specifi c operational concepts within that structure. eff ort and increases the controller’s workload, It is not a defi nitive design or exhaustive representa- which could reduce the capacity of the ATM tion of components in various operational concepts. Figure 1.2: Structure of the future Dutch main airspace structure.

8 | National Airspace Vision Summary | 9 2. Transitional airspace volume to meet the requirements of the diff erent

(CTA Holland): arrival and departure airspace users more eff ectively. The central Free route management government and ANSPs agree that this will airspace Transition If, for operational reasons, the fi xed route facilitate the further development of airspace structure around an airport cannot be mainport-associated air traffi c and planned Fixed route airspace immediately linked to the free-route airspace, growth of the regional airports of national a transition airspace volume can be importance as a component of the system of

established. In the Dutch main airspace cooperating airports (Eindhoven, Lelystad and Schiphol traffi c fl ows structure, this volume is known as Rott erdam) whilst ensuring military mission- Regional traffi c fl ows Military traffi c fl ows CTA Holland. This airspace volume is eff ectiveness. In addition, the needs of other characterised by a hybrid operational concept airspace users and stakeholders can be Figure 1.3: Cross-section of three airspace volumes as Figure 1.4: Separation of traffi c fl ows in focussing on controlling inbound and accommodated and balanced more eff ectively. a part of the FABEC Airspace Strategy. airspace organisation. outbound traffi c fl ows by means of arrival and departure management. Air traffi c is handled In addition to the separation of air traffi c and approach routes and optimum fl ight profi les. which will then take on the form of an upside- by means of an integrated civil/military air fl ows, the current airspace design will be With the support of advanced tools, tactical down wedding cake. In the long term, this will navigation service. A cross-border military simplifi ed by reducing the existing four civil intervention (vectoring) by the air traffi c controller off er more space and options for the handling exercise area (CBA Land) will be established. and six military controlled TMAs to three can be scaled back, enabling aircraft to fl y a of other traffi c not associated with the mainport This development is linked to the introduc- (integrated civil/military) TMAs: TMA Schiphol, predictable and fi xed route with optimum take off Schiphol outside TMA Schiphol. tion of a fourth initial approach fi x (IAF) TMA Holland Regional and TMA Liège- and landing profi les to the benefi t of both the for the mainport Amsterdam Airport Maastricht (LIMAS). The main airspace airspace user and those living in the vicinity of an 3.2. TMA Holland Regional Schiphol, enabling the improvement of structure is based around a single civil/military airport. Modernisation of the operational concept Instead of the current separation into civil and airside accessibility of TMA Schiphol controlled airspace established no later than for air traffi c management is expected to result in military TMAs, the central government has from the south-east. 2020, in which airspace management and air adjustment of TMA Schiphol’s dimensions, decided to reorganise this airspace into a traffi c services are jointly provided within TMA simplifi ed single TMA Holland Regional. Service 3. Airspace around the airports (TMAs): Holland Regional and CTA Holland. This will provision in the TMA Holland Regional will thus 7 fi xed ATS route structure allow for the operational concept to be In this context, hub and mainport-associated traffi c is primarily focus on optimising the accessibility of understood to refer to the traffi c as defi ned in the optimally adapted to actual airspace use. regional airports as part of the system of The airspace around airports is characterised Network Vision and Selectivity component of the by a fi xed route airspace volume, which Alders round-table opinion of October 2008. Based cooperating airports (Eindhoven, Lelystad and ensures the safe and effi cient handling of 3.1. TMA Schiphol on a vision of the Schiphol and KLM networks and the Rott erdam), regional airports of national departing and arriving traffi c while taking TMA Schiphol is primarily used for the handling of position of the central government, the participants importance and military airports, account of the surrounding area. The central air traffi c associated with mainport Schiphol 7. in the Alders round-table groups concluded that the and improving the performance of military core function of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the activities. TMA Holland Regional will also government has decided to separate all TMA Schiphol’s airspace use is characterised by an processing of hub and mainport-associated traffi c mainport-associated air traffi c in the lower almost continuous air traffi c fl ow that requires a fl ows. This has resulted in a subdivision and accommodate other airspace users, i.e. users airspace volume (the TMA) from other air high standard of reliability and predictability in prioritisation on the basis of fi ve traffi c segments, of other airports, foreign airports located in traffi c not associated with mainport order to ensure the quality of the passenger as laid down and elaborated in the voluntary the border area and General Aviation activities. Schiphol. Separating these air traffi c fl ows transfer process. The safety, capacity, effi ciency and agreement on the maintenance and strengthening This air traffi c mix requires an operational of the mainport function and network quality concept for ATM that is characterised by a high allows for distinctions in the operational environmental requirements are key to the ANSPs of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Convenant behoud concept for both air traffi c fl ows. operational concept. In future, the focus will be en versterking mainport functie en netwerkkwaliteit degree of fl exibility and optimally harmonises This enables air traffi c service provision on an operational concept with fi xed departure luchthaven Schiphol) and the White Paper. civil and military airspace use. In order to achieve

10 | National Airspace Vision Summary | 11 this goal in a safe and effi cient manner, requirements aff ecting airspace users, and military traffi c fl ying from or to exercise TMA Holland Regional integrated civil/military air traffi c services must controllers, technological systems and tools. areas or airports. However, this will require be provided by one joint civil/military ANSP. precise planning and harmonisation on the TMA Schiphol FABEC North West Upper Control Area (UTA) part of all the airspace users involved. This 3.3. TMA Liège-Maastricht An operational free-route airspace concept will could decrease the high degree of fl exibility The border region in the south-east of the be gradually implemented in the upper with which tasks can currently be performed. Netherlands has a complex airspace structure airspace, allowing airlines and military en-route in which German, Dutch and Belgian airspace traffi c to fl y their most optimal routes. This will Many of the fi xed parachuting areas will be and air traffi c fl ows within this airspace meet. result in a more effi cient use of airspace, located in CTA Holland due to height restric- In addition to being used intensively by several ensuring the optimal accessibility of tions set out in the Parachuting Regulation 8. civil and military airports located relatively Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and accommoda- If Schiphol traffi c does indeed continue to close to one another, several civil and military ting the planned growth of regional airports of grow, high-altitude parachuting in the Utrecht ANSPs are also active in this area. Considering national importance. The abolition of a fi xed and Oostelijk cluster, but more TMA Liège-Maastricht the complex airspace structure, the intensity of ATS route structure for civil airspace users in the specifi cally at the Rhoon site, will not be cross-border traffi c fl ows in the south-east of UTA implies that service provision for civil and sustainable in the long term due to inter- the Netherlands and the number of airspace military traffi c will have to be harmonised even ference with traffi c to and from mainport Figure 1.5: Three TMAs in lower airspace: TMA Schiphol, infringements around Maastricht Airport, more eff ectively. The option of temporarily Schiphol. Pursuant to the arrangements TMA Holland Regional and TMA Liège-Maastricht. the central government has opted for a cross- segregating certain parts of the UTA for specifi c laid down in the Regulation, sustainable border airspace design and air traffi c service military purposes on the basis of fl exible parachuting locations will be sought in Terminal Manoeuvring Area (TMA) Schiphol provision through the establishment of airspace use will remain in place. close cooperation with the sector. In the future, TMA Schiphol will be reserved TMA Liège-Maastricht (LIMAS). Cross-border cooperation will be essential in The objective is to reduce the number of sites, exclusively for IFR fl ights, and more specifi cally order to establish a harmonised operational thereby increasing effi ciency and safety. for the handling of air traffi c associated with the Signifi cance of the main airspace concept in aid of an optimum free-route Furthermore, the aim is to impose as few mainport Schiphol. An exception will be made structure for airspace users airspace concept in the UTA. (height-related and operational) restrictions for (civil or military) fl ights of public interest and The decision to opt for a main airspace as possible and ensure that the sustainable fl ights performed in the interests of national structure is based on the aforementioned policy Holland Control Area (CTA) parachuting sites are distributed across security authorised within TMA Schiphol. principles, and preferences and needs Where possible, air traffi c fl ows to and from the Netherlands as eff ectively as possible. At present, exemptions are issued for VFR of the various airspace users. Schiphol will be separated from other traffi c Eff orts will also be made to fi nd a site with survey fl ights, glider fl ights and parachute This main airspace structure and the policy in the CTA Holland in order to accommodate a central location in the Netherlands. jumps within TMA Schiphol. If air traffi c at strategies will have a number of consequences optimal fl ight profi les and ensure that air A limited number of (existing) parachuting sites Amsterdam Airport Schiphol continues to for airspace users, which can be broadly traffi c can be transferred as close to the will also continue to off er jumps from heights not grow at a pace that causes capacity constraints, outlined. Applying the National Airspace Policy TMA border as possible. Depending on the exceeding FL 150 (Hoogeveen, Oostwold, Texel). the central government will place further Agenda as a guideline, the central government fi nal dimensions of the main airspace restrictions on VFR recreational activities in will assign the ANSPs to further elaborate structure, a large portion of military use will TMA Schiphol, in accordance with the the main airspace structure by developing take place within the borders of CTA Holland. 8 Regulation issued by the Minister for Transport, Public White Paper. Measures will also be taken to an operational concept for the various The CTA Holland operational concept must be Works and Water Management and the Minister for enable the restriction of survey fl ights while Defence, sett ing out rules governing parachuting com ponents of the main airspace structure. designed explicitly to accommodate minimising the negative impact of necessary military activities in the context of air traffi c (2010 Regulation This process will yield insight into the operations in this area which can be planned and relating to parachuting), 16 July 2010, Government survey fl ights on Schiphol operations. resulting specifi c consequences and executed on the basis of fl exible airspace use, Gazett e No. 11733 of 26 July 2010.

12 | National Airspace Vision Summary | 13 Terminal Manoeuvring Area (TMA) the current National Airspace Vision. This aspect will also remain key to the the development of dynamic and flexible Holland Regional The realisation of a joint ATM system and further development of civil air traffic at airspace management and the optimisation Air traffic to and from the regional airports of an integrated civil/military approach control is . In order to ensure of airspace organisation. national importance and military airports will an important precondition for the safe and the safe handling of air traffic, it may be primarily be handled by TMA Holland Regional. efficient handling of air traffic to and from necessary to impose restrictions on Joint implementation of Traffic associated with the mainport Schiphol Lelystad Airport, without any negative General Aviation activities in the vicinity the National Airspace Vision will generally not be present in this airspace. interference with mainport-related air traffic. of Eindhoven Airport. Although the ANSPs will play a key role in TMA Holland Regional will also handle military This, in combination­ with efforts by central implementing the National Airspace Vision air traffic to and from the military exercise government to compensate for the loss of National Airspace Policy Agenda and the National Airspace Policy Agenda, areas. In addition, various General Aviation military exercise areas elsewhere in the The policy principles, strategy and the current other stakeholders also have a responsibility user groups are present in this TMA. This mix of Dutch airspace, will also help to safeguard vision on the main airspace structure to jointly develop and provide the desired civil and military user groups also exists under military mission-effectiveness. Air traffic to comprise the starting point for the National airspace services. the existing airspace organisation. Due to the and from Lelystad airport will be primarily Airspace Policy Agenda. This document relates wide variety of activities conducted within TMA handled within TMA Holland Regional. both to the actions to be taken by the ANSPs The organisation, management and oversight Holland Regional, certain activities must be Where possible, such traffic will not be (e.g. within the framework of modernising of Dutch airspace is increasingly determined separated in order to ensure safety levels. routed through TMA Schiphol in order to operational ATC concepts) and the measures by EU legislation. The European Union is The flexible airspace use concept allows for ensure safety and prevent interference­ which fall under the responsibility of the overseeing the creation of a Single European Sky, such separation to be applied on the basis of with Schiphol operations. central government. The National Airspace in which the FABEC airspace plays a central role. time and place, and serves as a springboard for This will have to be further elaborated Policy Agenda thus serves as a guiding In view of the increasing intensity of cross- accommodating the expansion of airports of when developing an ‘upside down wedding document and focuses on the actions to be border cooperation in the area of airspace national importance such as Eindhoven and cake’ for TMA Schiphol. Close coordination taken up until 2020-2025. The document also organisation and management and the choices Lelystad on the one hand and the execution of with and dependence on Schiphol outlines the conditions and considerations to and considerations­ involved, the EU Member military exercise flights on the other. Here too, operations will continue. These aspects be taken into account by the ANSPs when States will have to play an active role and provide precise planning and harmonisation between must be emphasised when elaborating elaborating the operational ATC concepts further guidance. The growing need for active the airspace users involved will be necessary. the operational concept for ATM. for the various components of the general government management and involvement The current high degree of flexibility in terms of • The airside accessibility of Eindhoven airspace structure. Definitive airspace designs in airspace changes at European level impacts task execution will remain virtually identical. Airport can be improved for incoming can subsequently be drafted on the basis of the government’s decision-making processes As regards Lelystad Airport and Eindhoven and outbound air traffic from the south these ATC concepts. with regard to airspace and procedural changes. Airport specifically, TMA Holland Regional and south-east through the integration of The ongoing need for a more efficient use of will have the following consequences: civil/military air traffic service provision As regards the five airspace components airspace increasingly requires a trade-off between • According to the central government and within TMA Holland Regional. In view of the main airspace structure (UTA FABEC various interests. In order to be able to make ANSPs, further development of Lelystad Airport of the geographical location, North West, Holland CTA, TMA Schiphol, such a trade-off, the central government deems will be possible, provided that a number of coordination with military operations at and TMA Holland Regional and TMA Liège- it necessary to clarify the relevant effects in terms conditions 9 are met. The central government around the military airport of Volkel will Maastricht), the ambitions and policy choices of performance as well as the costs and benefits and the ANSPs jointly conducted a preliminary remain necessary. are individually elaborated in greater detail. of any airspace changes. study to determine how airside accessibility can The document also defines the necessary 9 Letter from the State Secretary for Infrastructure and be established within the framework of the actions with regard to the operational concept the Environment, the Lelystad airspace question, White Paper on Dutch aviation, the Alders June 2011, Lower House of Parliament, 31 936, for ATM, potential cross-border cooperation, round-table opinion on Lelystad Airport and parliamentary paper No. 77 - 2010-2011 Session.

14 | National Airspace Vision Summary | 15 Decision-making procedures relating to airspace implementing the National Airspace Vision. The implementation of the National changes must take account of the requirements As regards the Dutch ANSPs, this implies the Airspace Vision will be monitored by of the FABEC Airspace Policy and the working joint development of an operational ATC concept the Luchtverkeerscommissie (LVC) practices of the FABEC governance structure and for the various components of the main airspace [Air Traffic Commission], the advisory body FABEC Airspace Committee. The central structure, the development, validation on airspace matters for both the Minister government will review existing national and implementation of airspace design for Infrastructure and the Environment and the procedures for establishing airspace changes on and procedure, the modification of systems Minister of Defence. The (interim) results of the basis of FABEC Airspace Policy, and make and the provision of ATCO training. the various study, development and implemen- amendments where necessary in order to ensure tation processes will have to be discussed. seamless coordination with the decision-making To this end, the central government will instruct This will be done on the basis of the annual processes at FABEC level. This applies in the ANSPs to prepare an overarching joint plans to be prepared by the ANSPs. The central particular to cross-border airspace changes as roadmap in which both ongoing and government deems this necessary in order to well as national airspace changes that could new activities can be integrated in a single enable the LVC to serve as an effective advisor affect activities in the FABEC airspace and the timetable. In the process of establishing this to the competent authorities. The LVC will European network. In addition to the necessary roadmap, the stakeholders will need to jointly arrange regular consultation meetings to national procedures, such airspace changes decide which components can be implemented discuss how the implementation of the require approval at FABEC level from the FABEC at which time, schedule decision-making National Airspace Vision is progressing. Airspace Committee. processes and assess the impact on legislation Progress will also be periodically discussed and regulations. Once the roadmap has been by the two ministries and the ANSPs within One of the most important developments established, the ANSPs will need to align the framework of the existing quarterly contributing to the more efficient use of Dutch their organisational strategy and priorities consultations,­ the Maastricht Coordination and European airspace is the enhancement of in order to ensure diligent implementation Group (MCG) or the Secretary-General’s civil/military cooperation in the area of airspace of the National Airspace Vision. consultative civil/military cooperation. management and air traffic service provision. Finally, the National Airspace Vision will The central government and ANSPs are striving be updated every ten years, or sooner if to create a single integrated civil/military necessitated by developments. airspace and integrate service provision in the lower and upper airspace. Efforts to achieve this ambition are currently underway, but will require close cooperation between the stakeholders and effective supervision from the responsible ministries.

In addition to performance management and activities relating to civil/military cooperation, the cabinet members of both the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment and the Ministry of Defence have entrusted the Dutch ANSPs with the task of diligently

16 | National Airspace Vision Summary | 17 Overview of abbreviations PROVISO Please note that, although every effort has been made to ensure this informal translation is accurate and consistent, it is for informational purposes only. ANSP Air Navigation Service Provider In case of any dispute or inconsistencies, the original Dutch version prevails. ATC Air Traffic Control ATM Air Traffic Management CBA Cross-Border Area CTA Control Area EASA European Aviation Safety Agency FAB Functional Airspace Block FABEC FAB Europe Central GA General aviation IAF Initial Approach Fix ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation LIMAS Liège-Maastricht LVC Luchtverkeerscommissie (Air Traffic Commission) SES Single European Sky TMA Terminal Manoevring Area UTA Upper Control Area XMAN Cross-Border Arrival Manager

Publication details

A National Airspace Vision (The Netherlands) This translation is published by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment and the Ministry of Defence in cooperation with Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland (LVNL) and Maastricht Upper Area Control (MUAC) (2012)

Cover Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland (LVNL), Ron Berghege

Copyright © Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment (Directorate General for Mobility & Transport) and Ministry of Defence (Military Aviation Authority) 18 | National Airspace Vision Summary | 19 This is a publication of:

Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment (Directorate- General for Mobility & Transport)

P.O. Box 20901 | 2500 EX The Hague | The Netherlands

This publication is available in electronic format at: December 2012 www.rijksoverheid.nl/ministeries/ienm