Airspace 22

journal of the civil air navigation services organisation

ISSUE 22 QUARTER 3 2013

PERFORMANCE METRICS tools to measure performance

CANSO’s Vision 2020 Maurizio Castelletti Tougher Single Sky legislation PLUS: GCAA leads UAE development, US considers remote towers, Patrick Ky on Europe, Flightyield in PNG, Hungary and Austria ANSPs complete system upgrades, runway safety, plus the latest ATM news and comment.

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CONTENTS services organisation journal of the civil air navigation

ISSUE 22 QUARTER 3 2013

PERFORMANCE METRICS ency new tools to measure effici

IN THIS ISSUE COMMENT

14 Maurizio Castelletti, Head of Single Sky Unit for the European Commission, explains latest proposals to strengthen current legislation.

10 Teri Bristol, ATO Deputy Chief Operating Officer reviews NextGen modernisation work in the context of the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan.

CANSO’S VISION FOR 2020 Maurizio Castelletti Tougher Single Sky legislation nt, US considers remote towers, PLUS: GCAA leads UAE developme in PNG, Hungary and Austria complete Patrick Ky on Europe, Flightyield the latest ATM news and comment. system upgrades, safety first, plus

Front cover: Prestwick area control centre, UK, photo courtesy of NATS press office.

See the article about measuring environmental impact on page 30.

Airspace No. 22 ISSN number 1877 2196 Published by CANSO, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation Transpolis Schiphol Airport Polaris Avenue 85e 2132 JH Hoofddorp The Netherlands Telephone: +31 (0)23 568 5380 Fax: +31 (0)23 568 5389 Editorial content:

Quentin Browell Quentin.browell@canso.org Advertisement Manager: Gill Thompson gill.thompson@canso.org Telephone: +44 (0)1273 771020

26 Austro Control implements new ATC system without a hitch.

13 H .E. Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) describes how UAE is responding to continued high traffic growth.

18 Papua New Guinea Air Services has increased revenue with the new aeronautical billing service Flightyield.

30 Bernard Gonsalves, CANSO Assistant Director Technical Affairs, reports on tools to measure fuel efficiency and environmental impact resulting from efficient ATM operations.

ATM NEWS 6 The latest ATM news and developments from around the world.

PEOPLE

TECHNOLOGY/OPERATIONS

16 Patrick Ky, Executive Director of the SESAR Joint Undertaking until June 2013 speaks to Airspace about progress and engagement in Europe’s modernisation programme.

18 The US State of Colorado believes remote tower services could provide safety and capacity benefits for smaller airports.

24 Kornél Szepessy, Chief Executive Officer, HungaroControl, finds new cross-border procedures can significantly reduce costs for airspace users.

28 Maggie Geraghty, CANSO Safety Manager, details the new runway safety initiative launched at the CANSO AGM in June 2013.

FEATURES

INSIDE CANSO

8 CANSO’s Vision 2020 aims to deliver safe, seamless airspace globally.

32 Boni Dibate, CANSO Director Africa Affairs, reports on a growing list of regional projects in Africa.

Design: i-KOS Telephone: +44 (0) 7928 2280 Web: www.i-kos.com The entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright, full details of which are available from the publishers. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publishers. The views and opinions in this publication are expressed by the authors in their personal capacity and are their sole responsibility. Their publication does not imply that they represent the views or opinions of CANSO and must not be interpreted as such.

The reproduction of advertisements in this publication does not in any way imply endorsement by CANSO of the products and services referred to herein.

The CANSO Executive Committee APC3: Asia-Pacific CANSO CEO Committee

EC3: European CANSO CEO Committee

LAC3: Latin America and Caribbean CANSO CEO Committee

Paul Riemens

Massimo Garbini

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, LVNL

Member at Large and Director General, ENAV S.p.A.

Yap Ong Heng

Teri Bristol

MEC3: Middle East CANSO CEO Committee

AFC3: Africa CANSO CEO Committee

Maurice Georges

Chair, EC3, and Chief Executive Officer, DSNA

Micilia AlbertusVerboom

Neil Planzer

Ed Sims

Thabani Mthiyane

Chair, LAC3 Director General, DC-ANSP

Associate Member Representative and Vice President ATM, Boeing Air Traffic Management

Capt. Mohammad Amin Al-Mustafa Chair, MEC3 and Chief Commissioner CARC

© Copyright CANSO 2013

civil air navigation services organisation

Vice Chairman and Chair APC3 and Director General, CAAS

Member at Large and Deputy Chief Operating Officer, FAA-ATO

Richard Deakin Member at Large and Chief Executive Officer, NATS

Member at Large and Chief Executive Officer, Airways New Zealand

Chair AFC3, Chief Executive Officer, ATNS

AIRSPACE

QUARTER 3 2013 3

Transforming the air traffic management (ATM) system is essential for improving safety, efficiency and the environment around the globe. Boeing is fully committed and uniquely qualified to help make ATM transformation a reality. It’s the right time and Boeing is the right partner.

FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL

civil air navigation services organisation

As this quarter’s Airspace goes to print, the world’s aviation leaders gather in Montreal for the 38th ICAO Assembly. CANSO will be there, along with all of our industry and government partners, looking to ratify the many remarkable advances we have made together over the last three years. Of particular importance to us is the ratification of the Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) and the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) that were approved by the Council earlier this year. The GANP was the result of considerable effort involving CANSO and its industry partners and contains the new Aviation System Block Upgrade (ASBU) methodology that will frame planning and implementation efforts in air navigation over the next decade. For CANSO and its Members and industry partners, the ratification of these plans is the beginning of the process, rather than the end. Now, the onus is on us to deliver the safety and operational improvements that these two global plans envisage and ultimately to find better and quicker ways to bring about seamless, interoperable ATM globally.

To successfully deliver such ambitious goals, as part of the global aviation community, we need to be ambitious ourselves. Our very successful AGM in Curaçao was an important milestone in that process. The support our Members gave to our new vision, Vision 2020, was most heartening. Each of our Standing Committees worked hard to ensure that Vision 2020 was relevant and focused. Your strong endorsements in the workshops confirmed that CANSO is on the right track.

Vision 2020 focuses on three core elements: being a strong partner; creating value for members and stakeholders and optimising the effectiveness of the organisation. It is now time to get down to business and deliver solutions in support of the changes our Vision identifies. Each of the Standing Committees and Regions will determine over the coming months how to roll out Vision 2020 to deliver value for Members, globally and regionally. Of course, we cannot do that alone. That is why we will continue to work with our partners in the industry to deliver the changes.

The coming months promise to be a very busy time for the entire CANSO community with meetings of the Standing and Region Committees in addition to the Global ATM Safety Conference and the first Africa Region Conference. Our partner ATCA has its annual conference in Washington DC and we have started to put together another exciting and relevant programme for the 2014 World ATM Congress in Madrid, next March – an event that is on course to be larger and even more successful than in 2013.

Setting the global agenda is one thing; delivering the change we would like to see in the future of ATM - in each region, in each country - is quite another. That is something that we can only do together, in partnership.

Jeff Poole CANSO Director General

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ATM NEWS U K-IRELAND FAB AIR TRAFFIC PARTNERSHIP DELIVERS REAL SAVINGS A recent report highlights how the UK-Ireland Functional Airspace Block (FAB) has delivered real savings to airline customers as part of the drive towards the Single European Sky. The progress report published by the two partners in June 2013 shows that in 2012 the FAB delivered an estimated €27m of enabled savings to airlines, including 25,000 tonnes of fuel savings, equivalent to 80,000 tonnes of CO2.

The Irish Aviation Authority and NATS, as air navigation service providers, are achieving these operational and cost efficiencies through ever closer organisational and technological integration. Constructive engagement with airline and military partners has been a crucial factor in the success of the FAB.

ATS MESSAGE HANDLING LAUNCHED

The communication centres of Austro Control (Vienna) and LPS (Bratislava) started the operational use of an ATS Message Handling System (AMHS) connection via PanEuropean Network Services (PENS) in July 2013. This is the first time that PENS has been used for international communication of flight plan data between ANSPs using the AMHS. The use of PENS as the underlying network is a major improvement for spreading AMHS in Europe. A common IP infrastructure is essential in the process of harmonisation in the course of implementing the Single European Sky (SES). This achievement demonstrates that PENS is ready to be used operationally for AMHS. Further AMHS/ PENS connectivity to other ANSPs is planned to take place, and the common ICAO data interchange network (CIDIN) link to Frankfurt is due to be replaced with AMHS.

CANSO PEOPLE ATNS APPOINTS NEW CEO The Board of South Africa’s Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) has appointed Thabani Mthiyane as CEO.

6 QUARTER 3 2013

FRANKFURT FAVOURS SATELLITEBASED APPROACHES

DFS and the Frankfurt airport operator, Fraport, signed a cooperation agreement with Honeywell for the installation of a Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) for Category I operations.

Frankfurt will be the first major international European airport to be equipped with GBAS. Additionally, DFS and Indra Navia implemented a GBAS trial station at Frankfurt Airport to test the technology and to support the validation of ICAO standards up to Category III approaches as part of the SESAR project 15.3.6. GBAS technology is intended to replace the currently used instrument landing system (ILS) in keeping with the relevant provisions of ICAO.

ICAO HOSTS ATM WORKSHOPS

ICAO invites representatives from its Member States, industry partners, research and development organisations, sponsors and exhibitors to the Advanced ATM Techniques Symposium and Workshops in Montréal 4 - 6 November 2013. The workshops are being held in partnership with Airports Council International (ACI), CANSO and IATA. The Symposium programme

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The report highlights a number of projects that the UK-Ireland FAB has successfully implemented in 2012 and the first half of 2013. These include the High Level Sectors feasibility study, Point Merge at Dublin Airport, which has practically eradicated the need to put approaching aircraft in traditional holding patterns, and integrated FAB Network Management organisation, which has made transition from and to the North Atlantic much smoother for airlines. These projects have delivered real benefits to airlines and airspace users, increasing efficiency and reducing environmental impact. To continue this success, the FAB is planning further improvements and has plans for activities in 2013 such as providing a joint Safety Management Manual and starting an operational trial of Dynamic Sectorisation. includes the following learning objectives: • How to use Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) • Tools to handle more traffic in safer skies • Collaborative Decision Making (CDM), to deliver a fully integrated service, save fuel and reduce emissions and learn how to develop statistics that prove it • Continuous climb or descent operations (CCO/ CDO) and how to design and implement them.

CDM IN ASIA

During the CANSO AsiaPacific Conference 2011 in Bangkok, aviation partners in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand formed the CANSO Bangkok – Singapore CDM Team with the goal of applying CDM principles to all phases of operations of air traffic between Bangkok and Singapore, advancing ATM operations in support of continuing increases in traffic.

The team is co-chaired by ANSPs Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd (AEROTHAI) and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), and includes the Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Airports of Thailand and Changi Airport Group, supported by the CANSO Operations Standing

Committee experts from Airservices Australia and Metron Aviation. The partners worked together to conduct an operational trial to share CDM data through web-based spread sheets in July and August 2012 involving 112 live flights between Bangkok and Singapore. The trials proved the benefits of automated CDM information sharing in enhancing operational predictability and resource allocation decisions.

The concept envisages airports and airspace fitting into virtual ATFM nodes connected through CDM. Aviation partners within each virtual ATFM node’s catchment areas would work together and cross-node through CDM to exchange CDM/ATFM data, collaborate and cooperate to implement appropriate ATFM measures to optimise air traffic. CAAS and Airbus ProSky have embarked on a collaborative research project to improve the ATM framework. One such collaboration focuses on the proof of an ATFM concept.

This runs concurrently with the tripartite initiative to assist in the completion of the proof of concept research thus providing a viable ATFM/ CDM concept which might be considered for adoption by willing ANSPs in the region.

JAPAN ASPIRES TO REDUCE EMISSIONS

The Asia and Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions (ASPIRE) is a partnership of ANSPs that have pledged to adopt and promote best environmental practices, as well as to the development of work programmes to promote future gains for the environment. Japan Airlines (JAL) has partnered with Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) in the ASPIRE-Daily programme, which led JCAB to nominate Tokyo (Haneda)-San Francisco operated by JAL (flight number JAL2) as the first city pair associated with Japan.

JAL2 can use three ASPIREDaily best practices: user preferred route (UPR); 30/30 Reduced Oceanic Separation; and Arrivals Optimisation (Tailored Arrivals at San Francisco). JAL estimates that UPR reduces fuel use by 200lbs per flight and 1,000lbs per flight by Tailored Arrivals.

An additional 70lbs per flight can be saved by applying 30/30 to JAL2 with RNP4.

In total, JAL2 can save an estimated 212,000lbs per year by utilising these three ASPIRE-Daily best practices.

Just the JAL2 one-way flight from Tokyo to San Francisco in low density traffic, can contribute to savings of about 300,000 kg of CO2 emissions per year.

GREEN STATS FROM NATS

Statistics from NATS show the environmental efficiency of UK airspace improved between April and June 2013. NATS gauges airspace efficiency using its 3Di metric, with every flight being measured against a scale where zero represents an environmentally perfect flight. Most will typically score in the range between 15 and 35 and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has set NATS a target score of 24. The 3Di score for the period from April to June 2013 shows a marked improvement in comparison to the previous quarter, where the score had risen above the CAA target. As a result

NAV CANADA air traffic controllers at Calgary International Airport are handling flights from a new air traffic control tower. At over 300 feet high (270 feet at eye level in the cab), it is the highest free-standing tower of its kind in Canada.

the average score for the year so far stands at 24.1.The NATS environmental strategy is focused on a programme of strategic and tactical change to deliver long-term improvements to the efficiency of UK airspace. Since 2008 the air navigation service provider reports savings of 800,000 tonnes of aircraft CO2, the equivalent to cutting £160 million from airline fuel bills.

FUEL SAVINGS IN ITALY

ENAV, the Italian company for air navigation services, started the Flight Efficiency Plan (FEP) in 2008, to reconfigure Italian air space. The plan reduced flight distances, flight times and airport operations for ground movement hence reducing fuel consumption and providing more direct routes with less pollution.

In 2012 the FEP led to a saving of approximately €3.3 million for airline companies.

Interventions in 2012 led to: • 750,000 km shorter flight paths • 80,000 minutes less taxi time • 4,200 tonnes less fuel use • 13,500 tonnes less CO2 emissions.

Overall the plan is estimated to have cut overall fuel consumption by 98,000 tonnes resulting in savings of €60 million since 2008. According to ENAV, the operation has been achieved thanks to the training of air traffic controllers,

the update of technological systems and the cooperation of the Italian Air Force, which has led to a flexible and coordinated management of air space.

EUROPE EXPANDS FREE ROUTE AIRSPACE Air navigation service providers (ANSPs) from six North European countries are working together to implement Free Route Airspace over Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Latvia. The airspace area includes the functional airspace blocks, Denmark and Sweden (DK-SE FAB) and Norway, Finland, Estonia and Latvia (NEFAB). With Free Route Airspace the airlines will be able to plan the shortest or optimal route and thus reduce fuel consumption as well as flying time. Lower fuel consumption will reduce CO2 emissions and other gasses and particles. The Free Route Airspace will be open for flights over 28,500 feet, but it is possible for the individual ANSPs to give access to the service even below this level. The ANSPs behind the joint programme are Avinor (Norway), Estonian ANS (Estonia), Finavia (Finland), LFV (Sweden), LGS (Latvia) and Naviair (Denmark).

The initiative aims to bring air traffic control in Northern Europe to a new level and represents a substantial step

towards harmonisation of air traffic management in Europe in line with the Single European Sky programme.

The technical and procedural preparations have already started, and the partners have 12 November 2015 as the target date for the full implementation of Free Route Airspace.

Similarly, experts from the Hungarian, Polish and Slovakian air traffic control services tested 12 new, shorter routes in the Centre of Research, Development and Simulation (CRDS) of HungaroControl. The tested routes connect destinations between the Baltic Sea and Southern Hungary. The introduction of Free Route Airspace could decrease the distance actually flown on the tested routes by four to five per cent per year, by at least 117,000 kilometres, thus reducing the CO2 emissions by 1,100 tonnes. Airlines could save at least 714,000 litres of fuel, in the first tested airspace alone, saving about half a million dollars per year, not to mention maintenance and amortisation costs and personnel expenditures.

Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia took part in the programme as observers. The test series is in accordance with the cooperation agreement concluded

by HungaroControl and Eurocontrol, and contributes to the success of the Single European Sky initiative.

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FEATURE

A strategic vision for the future CANSO’s Vision 2020 aims to deliver safe, seamless airspace globally CANSO has announced a vision to transform global air traffic management (ATM) performance and deliver seamless airspace globally. Vision 2020 lays out a strategic framework and supporting work programme to lead and deliver value for CANSO members and industry partners.

CANSO’s vision is to be the recognised leader in transforming global ATM performance. This will enable the ATM industry to rise to the challenges of increased safety, operational, technical, environmental and economic requirements. Key to this transformation is the aspiration of airlines to fly in seamless airspace globally, across invisible borders. This is a formidable challenge as there are big differences in ATM maturity, technology, procedures, cultures and business models across the regions and across ANSPs. But the essential operational requirements are the same all over the world and CANSO has now put in place detailed work plans to deliver the changes that will result in improved performance and cost efficiency in the industry.

CANSO’s Vision 2020 sets out a clear strategic framework and detailed steps to deliver these changes. Approved at the 2013 CANSO AGM, Vision 2020 lays out the most comprehensive strategic framework and supporting work programme ever created in CANSO and the ATM industry. It will lead the way and deliver global, seamless and safe airspace, based on cost-effective and efficient services, with sufficient capacity to meet the world’s air transport needs.

Vision 2020 has three core elements: being a strong Partner; creating Value for Members and stakeholders; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of the Organisation.

The associated CANSO Work Plan is a vital programme management 8 QUARTER 3 2013

AIRSPACE

for change; call for a full impact assessment of regulations; and ask regulators to focus on performance outcomes rather than prescriptive inputs.

Vision 2020 and a summary of the associated CANSO Work Plan are described in more detail in a new brochure available at www.canso.org

tool to deliver on the commitments outlined in Vision 2020. It captures 126 supporting activities, some of which are already underway, planned at global and regional level, each with detailed actions, deliverables and timescales.

These 126 activities are allocated to the three domains of safety, operations and policy, reflecting the work of the three CANSO Standing Committees.

Two new focus areas Vision 2020 provides new focus on two areas of reform that are essential to achieving the vision: better regulation and service priority.

Better Regulation: The regulatory environment for ATM is complex and the industry is often faced with prescriptive, inefficient and conflicting regulations that add cost and undermine the ability to innovate and perform effectively.

Regulations should be proportionate, consistent, accountable, transparent and targeted. CANSO is launching a campaign for a harmonised and consistent approach to regulation.

We must demonstrate how better regulation can lead to seamless airspace. We will highlight the areas

Service Priority: ‘First-come-firstserved’ is an increasingly outdated concept in ATM. Some airlines adopt new technologies and capabilities faster than others but they are asking why they should invest if there are no advantages and if they cannot realise the full capability of their equipment.

CANSO has started a major initiative, with its industry partners, to move to the concept of ‘most-capable-best-served.’

This will encourage airlines to invest and enable them to make best use of advanced technology such as increased surveillance capability in remote places and improvements in communications and decision-making tools.

The shift will not be easy and will require a new mind-set and approach by both pilots and controllers; changes to airspace construction; ATC procedures; flow management; and other issues.

Industry collaboration is essential to the success of this initiative which is why CANSO recommended at ICAO’s 12th

“ Vision 2020 provides new focus on two areas of reform – better regulation, and service priority”

Air Navigation Conference in November 2012 and ICAO’s 6th Air Transport Conference in March 2013 to convene an industry wide study group.

A global partner Vision 2020 builds on CANSO’s previous achievements and particularly its success in building CANSO as the global voice of ATM. CANSO Chairman, Paul Riemens, said at the 2013 CANSO AGM: “Vision 2020’s key elements of value, partnership and organisation build on CANSO’s previous strategies.

By delivering on its Vision 2020 commitments, CANSO will be even more respected; trusted; have a licence to operate; and continue to be a truly global partner for aviation.”

One of the key features of Vision 2020 is that it has been developed by CANSO Members as well as industry partners and this gives it strength and credibility.

CANSO Members have been fully involved throughout the process. This has required strong involvement and commitment by Member representatives on the three standing committees, five

region committees and the CANSO secretariat. Well-attended workshops at the Global ATM Summit gave Members the opportunity to validate the Vision and provide feedback, which will be useful in further developing the CANSO Work Plan. All workshops agreed that Vision 2020 addresses the right subjects and also gave useful suggestions on approaches to take, who and how to best consult and involve, and how to best implement. The strong support for Vision 2020 by Members at the AGM demonstrates that CANSO and its Members are committed to a strong vision and work programme that will ultimately deliver global, seamless and safe airspace.

CANSO also consulted with its industry partners. At World ATM Congress in Madrid in February 2013 CANSO asked these industry partners what they expect from the ATM industry.

They made a series of requests and proposals that formed the basis of a comprehensive set of actions, with measurable deliverables, to improve the performance of ATM globally. These commitments have been incorporated

into the CANSO Work Plan to achieve Vision 2020.

Driving force With Vision 2020, CANSO has reached the next stage in its strategic journey.

We have identified clearly how we can add significant value through specific actions to drive the transformation of ATM performance. Our task now is to deliver. We are working with industry partners, ICAO and States to drive this transformation. Over the coming months we will be informing decision makers about the transformation agenda and what they can do to help achieve the vision and the detailed deliverables in the CANSO Work Plan. We have a strong set of recommendations that will be presented at the triennial ICAO Assembly in September 2013.

We have also established workgroups and task forces, regionally and globally, to ensure the activities detailed in the Work Plan are carried forward. We will continue to rely on CANSO Members for their commitment, passion and enthusiasm to deliver Vision 2020.

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COMMENT

Letter from America Teri Bristol, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization The FAA reports improved operations as a result of NextGen modernisation activity within the wider framework of the ICAO Aviation System Block Upgrade structure.

Planning continues for the 38th ICAO Assembly. The United States is in full support of the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) and the Aviation System Block Upgrade (ASBU) structure, which it will vote to approve at the Assembly in September 2013. The Assembly decision will serve to ratify approval already given by Member States at ICAO’s 12th Air Navigation Conference in 2013.

The ASBU framework enables all CANSO Members to benefit from harmonised ATM improvements, while maintaining our ability to tailor respective modernisation initiatives according to individual budget, infrastructure and regulatory requirements.

Now that the GANP has been endorsed, States and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) are beginning implementation. In support of this effort, ICAO has been conducting regional ASBU workshops, including one recently held at the ICAO Mexico City office. These workshops provide an overview of the ASBU modules, and steps to conduct cost benefit analyses. The workshops are a first step to assist ANSPs in defining their needs and implementing ASBU modules to modernise their aviation systems.

As the US implements the block upgrades and our NextGen modernisation plan, we face fiscal constraints and other financial uncertainties. These challenges notwithstanding, we are moving forward. NextGen is one of the largest infrastructure changes we have ever undertaken. It will enable the US to create a more efficient, more environmentally sound aviation system, while ensuring that all safety needs are met.

We are seeing real results. performance-based navigation, or PBN, remains a cornerstone of NextGen. We are implementing optimised profile descents (OPD), akin to continuous descent operations (CDO), in many metropolitan areas throughout the country.

These procedures are saving valuable time and fuel, and they help get passengers where they want to go more quickly.

We are seeing some of NextGen’s biggest benefits in and around busy metro areas. This “Metroplex” solution involves many airports, stakeholders, and multiple municipalities. In Atlanta, for example, we are using new PBN departure routes to improve operations at the world’s busiest airport. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport can now clear an additional 10 planes per hour thanks to these departure routes. This reduces the amount of time planes wait to take off. In fact, we estimate that PBN saved customers 700,000 minutes, or a total of 1.3 years, waiting in line to take off at Hartsfield last year. This is a clear, tangible benefit.

Similar advances are being put in place in Seattle’s airspace in the Greener Skies over Seattle initiative. New satellite-based procedures include the expanded use of optimised profile descents to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Alaska Airlines estimates the Greener Skies procedures could cut fuel consumption by 2.1 million gallons a year and cut carbon emissions by 22,000 metric tons, equivalent to taking 4,100 cars off the road – all while getting passengers to the ground more quickly and creating a quieter environment at the reduced power settings.

Great strides are happening with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) as well. Currently, we have deployed roughly 560 ADS-B radio stations throughout the US, and we expect the entire US to be covered by 2014. Pilots flying in equipped aircraft in ADS-B coverage areas can see the locations of surrounding aircraft that are equipped with ADS-B transponders in a 15-mile radius, 3,500 feet above or below their current altitude. ADS-B is providing benefits for airspace users in areas where radar is not available. For example, helicopter operators going to and from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico are experiencing the benefits of reduced aircraft separation and greater scheduling predictability.

Additional progress is being made through data communications. By sending and receiving digital 10 QUARTER 3 2013

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Introduction of new arrival and departure routes in and around busy metro areas has resulted in increased departures and less time spent waiting in line to take off. Photo: FAA/Air Traffic Organization

instructions between controllers and pilots, we will be able to increase overall system efficiency, while reducing the likelihood of voice communication errors. In the second quarter of 2013, we began trial runs for departure clearances using data communications (Data Comm) in Memphis and Newark. FedEx, UPS, United, and British Airways, among others, participated in the trials. These tests will help us determine where risks might be in the system, and make improvements before the full programme is rolled out. We plan to start initial operations of Data Comm in equipped control towers beginning in 2016 and in high-altitude control centres in 2019.

Many of our modernisation efforts are highlighted in the 2013 update to the NextGen Implementation Plan. This year’s document is available electronically on the FAA website. We encourage you to read the plan – it provides a solid snapshot of where we are and where we expect to go.

This is an exciting time for aviation. We have a truly global air navigation plan. It is flexible enough to allow States to tailor it to their specific needs, while resulting in greater harmonisation of air traffic systems around the world.

Our goal is to take advantage of new technologies to improve air traffic safety and efficiency in a globally standardised way, so that capabilities can be transferred seamlessly across our neighboring flight information regions (FIRs). But for these and other such advances to be effectively and efficiently realised on a global scale, the international aviation community needs to work within a common framework. ICAO’s GANP and ASBU framework is central to this goal.

We look forward to working with ICAO and our fellow ANSPs to make modernisation and interoperability a reality in a way that is beneficial for individual members and for the global aviation system as a whole.

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civil air navigation services organisation

COMMENT H.E. Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Airspace magazine: The unprecedented growth in air traffic in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has brought challenges in airspace management, how is the GCAA responding?

The location of the UAE has always been a vital spot, a cross-road between the West and the Far East. No wonder, therefore, UAE airports provide the perfect hubs for regional and international carriers. The growth of the UAE carriers is remarkable. Today, Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre manages more than 2,100 air traffic movements a day. More than 80% of daily movements are climbing or descending, which makes our airspace more complex. Air traffic continues to increase rapidly; last year we witnessed some 6.7% growth in traffic.

Such growth is a challenge for any airspace. However the UAE continuously introduces improvements, and the ATM operations enjoy high levels of safety and efficiency. A major milestone in 2009 was the opening of the Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre, the biggest and most modern area control centre in the Middle East featuring the latest ATM and CNS technologies. The centre is linked to other States by Aeronautical Message Handling Systems (AMHS) and On-Line Data Interface (OLDI) connections, with Mode S secondary surveillance coverage and a wide selection of Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) stations.

UAE air traffic controllers manage nine ATC sectors, up from two in 1997. More sectors lead to enhanced safety due to reduced workload and better situational awareness. They also allow the introduction of new routes and new frequencies. Among recent airspace changes, an Arrival Manager was implemented for Dubai International Airport in February 2013, and additional airways east and west were introduced offering more flexibility to the airspace users in the Kingdom of Bahrain in May 2013. ICAO sees the UAE as the Middle East champion of performance-based navigation (PBN), and both Dubai and Abu Dhabi terminal areas support required navigation performance (RNAV) 1 procedures. GCAA is eager to explore new initiatives to enhance UAE ATM operations.

Airspace magazine: Increased and enhanced services necessitate well-trained manpower, how does the GCAA meet this requirement?

Training is vital for us to ensure that we maintain safe and efficient air traffic management. There are two types of training: Operational training is continuous and it is conducted in the

Shaikh Zayed training centre, equipped with advanced training rooms and simulators; and specialised, managerial training. The latter is a valuable tool to ensure that we are up to date with the latest industry developments. Training is also carried out at well-recognised international academies. The number of qualified controllers has increased from 30 in 1997, to almost 95 in 2012, and includes highly qualified controllers from all over the world.

This allows us to utilise the best practices and ideas available.

Airspace magazine: What is the National Airspace Advisory Committee and what role does it have?

The GCAA, in line with ICAO Collaborative Decision Making approach, has established a National Airspace Advisory Committee (NASAC). The prime purpose of the NASAC is to provide a platform to foster a collaborative airspace management process involving all aviation stakeholders. The NASAC provides an industry-wide representation forum for developing the industry position on airspace matters and to coordinate with airspace users, service providers, airport operators, UAE military and other relevant bodies to facilitate, whenever possible, consensual recommendations regarding planning and design of UAE airspace.

Airspace magazine: What steps is GCAA taking to tackle the impact of the air traffic on the environment?

Environmental protection and sustainable development are core elements of the UAE’s policy agenda. The UAE is actively committed to the stabilisation of the global climate system, as evidenced by initiatives and investment in improved technology and infrastructure. The first Environmental Policy for the civil aviation sector, launched in 2012, is the first such policy at State level, and it affirms ICAO’s commitment to reduce the impact of emissions of civil aviation. It calls for the application of environmental laws and regulations across the UAE, and puts the emphasis on encouraging strategic partners to provide reports on environmental performance on a regular basis. It calls for adoption of environmental policies and plans by all strategic partners in the domestic aviation sector, as well as the application of best practices based on cost-effective and positive economic impact.

The imperative to operate efficient, commercially-driven airlines and airports is a key dimension of ‘sustainability.’ The UAE’s airlines have invested heavily in modern aircraft in order to leverage superior performance in terms of fuel consumed and environmental impact. Attention is also paid to ground handling operations and catering to reduce environmental impacts through recycling, waste management and community partnership. Energy saving and waste reduction measures have been introduced by airport operators across the UAE. AIRSPACE

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COMMENT

Europe targets airspace reform Airspace talked to the European Commission’s Maurizio Castelletti about the latest proposals to accelerate implementation of the Single European Sky The European Commission released a new legislative proposal, known as SES2+, in June 2013 that promises to inject fresh impetus into a flagging process according to Maurizio Castelletti, Head of Unit, Single European Sky, for Directorate General MOVE. The proposed legislation is a recast of existing regulation to create the Single European Sky (SES) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The Commission states that while all Member States are committed to the SES, implementation still falls well below the original expectations, requiring a new package of measures to accelerate the process. It reports high activity levels but considers the delivery of the expected benefits “insufficient”. For example, performance plans agreed for 2012-14 aimed to save €2.4 billion are likely to fall short by €189 million, and the Functional Airspace Blocks (FABs) have yet to provide concrete operational gains.

“Implementation of SES is a process which takes time to materialise and deliver,” Castelletti explained to Airspace in July 2013. “We cannot stop it at the level of the old legislation but have to renew the level of commitment. We have to take account of experience and modify the tools in our hands – the performance schemes, the Network Manager and SESAR deployment – to be sure we can deliver in a more timely manner.”

Publication of SES2+ prompted strident union action by French controllers who staged three days stoppage in early June. “Some players think we have been too ambitious,” he said, referring to a letter written by ANSPs in Germany and France to the Commission about the proposed legislation.

“If two big states in the middle of Europe are not ready to support this proposal, it will be not easy to implement.“ He added: “The proposal sets out to accelerate the implementation and we have to demonstrate it will bring benefit.”

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One of the strongest elements of SES2+ is the enforcement of the performance scheme introduced in 2009. In its latest legislative package, the Commission is proposing to strengthen control and sanction mechanisms. Members of the Performance Review Body will be directly accountable to the Commission to enable sanctions when targets are not met. “The performance scheme is a cornerstone of the SES initiative,” he said. “We also propose to evolve the role of the Network Manager. There is a key function we intend to give to the Network Manager which is related to the optimisation of airspace. Up to now, the Network Manager had the function of designing the route network. We want to expand this to the definition of the airspace for all Member States, [specifically] the best way it should be split for airspace users.”

Castelletti cites more controversial elements: “One is the full separation between regulatory bodies and national supervisory authorities for ANSPs where presently only functional separation exists. A further controversial element is the possibility to [divest] support services from the core ATM business.” Typical examples include communications, navigation, surveillance, training services, meteorological and aeronautical information services. This would result in a more market-driven approach, provided on a competitive basis, or in a centralised manner. “We have to convince, clarify and explain to the unions the possible impact on staff. There is still a lot which will be done in the context of Council and Parliament.”

Investment decisions The SES Committee is due to approve the terms of governance for the implementation of SESAR by the end of 2013, paving the way for the Commission’s SES2+ deployment Implementing Regulation to be adopted early in 2014.

A lot of work has gone into defining the Pilot Common Project – a series of key ATC functionalities that will result in implementation of the SESAR modernisation programme.

The SESAR Joint Undertaking (SJU) has worked closely with industry, airports, ANSPs, airports and airspace users to define the systems which should be deployed in the coming years.

“We cannot be too ambitious and think we have to deploy too many new technologies. We have to be focused.” Castelletti

explained. “What we need is a system that will give the airlines the possibility to define the flight path they would like to fly. We need to link this concept of free routes with the [efficient] management of a flight in terminal areas.

It seems simple, but it is very complex.”

Approval of the Pilot Common Project (PCP) enables the SES to move from definition to deployment phase. The Commission plans to appoint a Deployment Manager in 2014 to coordinate roll out of the various projects.

“The Common Project provides a clear view on technical content…The challenge is to have a synchronised deployment of the new technologies,” warns Castelletti.

“Investment has been done in avionics which has not been met in ground systems, which has led to a lack of benefit and no return on investment for the airlines. This should be avoided.”

“ A controversial requirement is full separation between regulatory bodies and national supervisory authorities for ANSPs where presently only functional separation exists” The Commission is in discussion with industry sectors including ANSPs, airlines, and airports to define the format of the Deployment Manager. The Commission wants to link deployment with business plans so that responsibility for

deployment resides with those investing. The supply industry will play an indirect role in the consultative process through bodies such as the SJU and other partners. Funding will be made available through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) – the successor to the TEN-T programme in 2014 – providing financial support for individual projects within the PCP. Castelletti said this new financial framework provides the capability to support SESAR deployment.

“What we specify in PCP is what to deploy, where, a sort of timetable, and by whom. We also identify the stakeholders concerned and who should invest in this. What we do not specify is how. The how has a strong influence on the cost.

In some cases, depending on the how, you come to more efficient deployment, less costly deployment, so you can reduce investment. We are talking of systems, not services.

To provide a service, you need a system.” Castelletti said an important aspect of developing systems is the fact that they can be deployed at regional, or FAB level, and this supports SES targets to reduce airspace fragmentation.

Among more positive responses from industry sectors, the Commission says it has begun a number of dialogues with representative groups. These include the group of ANSPs known as the A6, that includes AENA, DFS, DSNA, ENAV, NATS and Noracon, which formed in 2011 to focus on modernisation of European ATM and represents almost three quarters of European traffic. Another group is the more recently formed airline group known as the A4 which represents airspace users keen to play a more active role in SESAR deployment and influence investment decisions due to be made in the SES next phase. The Commission is also working closely with the airport community, and expects airports to play a more prominent part in SESAR deployment, including closer involvement with the operations of the Network Manager. Castelletti says there needs to be cooperative arrangements between all the key players with input from all sides including industrial relations groups.

The challenge is to continue to expand these relationships and the links between them to deliver improved efficiency and cost benefit. Until then, Europe still has a way to go before performance becomes the measure used for investment decisions.

AIRSPACE

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AIRSPACE PEOPLE

Patrick Ky Executive Director of SESAR Joint Undertaking 2007-2013 Patrick Ky became Executive Director of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in September 2013, after six years’ tenure as Executive Director of the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking. Airspace took the opportunity to talk to Ky before he started his new post about progress and engagement in Europe’s modernisation programme.

Ky was the SESAR Joint Undertaking’s (SJU) first employee, in October 2007. “The first days were hard,” he recalled. He leaves an organisation that looks completely different to those early days. “When we started I had to get all of the players into the room, and get them to agree what the SJU might look like.

Sometimes, that meant ordering in pizza and not letting anyone leave until we had agreement.”

The early work was worth it. The European Commission proposed extending the mandate of the SJU for a further eight years until 2024 in July 2013, supported by €600 million from Europe’s Horizon 2020 programme. This, coupled with commitment from SJU members to continue modernisation work, brings the overall budget for the SJU of around €1.6 billion. Ky regards this achievement with some pride. The focus will be on deployment of some of the systems pioneered during development and demonstration phases of the programme. These included the world’s first four-dimensional trajectory management validation flight; an operational validation of remote tower services; and a demonstration involving three high density area control centres and 11 airlines that reduced peaks and troughs in traffic flow.

Ky takes over as Director General of EASA from Patrick Goudou, another Frenchman, who was EASA’s first director.

“EASA is going to be a very different working environment,” 16 QUARTER 3 2013

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Ky said, “At the SJU we had to build bridges with ANSPs, airlines and industry. At EASA there is a clear need to team with the European States. There is an existing structure and a clear mandate. The issue is the shortage of expertise.” Since it was established in 2002, EASA’s safety oversight role has expanded from aircraft airworthiness to airport operations and air traffic control services under Single European Sky (SES) legislation.

Finding that expertise and strengthening the role EASA plays is a fundamental element of the deployment of the SES. The recently proposed SES2+ package of legislation aims to move closer to a single regulatory strategy, rule structure and consultation process under the EASA umbrella. It also foreshadows a name change for EASA, proposing that it be called the European Aviation Agency, or EAA. “The name is not important,” Ky notes. “What is important is the role that it plays and the way that it does it in the future. EASA will need to be focused on adding value and by developing simple, understandable processes. There is no benefit in overburdening the system with regulations.”

What is that future likely to look like? Ky predicts European airspace will be structured differently in the future. “I can foresee perhaps three ANSPs working together. But neither the SJU nor the EAA can dictate which ANSPs or how they will work. There will need to be a focus on value. That is where the SJU approach of giving examples and working with all the stakeholders is so helpful.”

The SJU approach, working within the European ATM Masterplan, has been criticised for being slow and cumbersome, but Ky defends it. “It gives clarity, ensures that all stakeholders are engaged and allows for measured, appropriate steps.” Before joining the SJU, Ky worked within the European Commission on the first draft of the Masterplan, so he knew what was needed when he started at the SJU. That did not mean it was easy, at least at first. “One of the things that did surprise me was the resistance in some quarters, particularly Eurocontrol.” Ky focused on making sure all stakeholders were engaged in the modernisation.

“It was more than passive aggression, it was aggressive aggression.” Which makes Ky’s satisfaction at the situation today all the sweeter. “If I was asked to point out what was my greatest achievement at the SJU I would not hesitate to say the spirit of partnership. We have a constructive, reality-based way of working together now. And that spirit of partnership extends across the entire SJU and across all stakeholders.”

Educated in Paris and then at MIT, Ky has focused on aviation for his entire career. His Master’s thesis was on the value to airlines of slots. “Slots are important, but I am not sure that even the airlines fully understand the value of efficient ATM,” Ky reflects.

Which leads, naturally, to global seamlessness. “If we allow divergence, particularly between Europe and the USA, there will be no way that an airline can make a business case for investing in the equipment.” That point is well understood by both sides, but yet there sometimes seems to be a reluctance to make things happen.

The Air Traffic Control Association, ATCA, understands the issue. In recognition of the work that Ky has done to further ATM around the world, it has announced that he is to receive their highest honour, the Glenn A Gilbert award, this October. “Obviously, it is a huge honour,” Ky said, “I am looking forward to the ceremony and to being able to push again for more focus on the issue of interoperability.”

“It has been a cause of some regret for me that the various trade associations do not seem able to help more,” Ky added when talking about issues relating to airspace efficiency. “The interests of the various members of the associations will and do differ. That makes it hard for the associations, and their members. I accept that, but buy-in [by stakeholders] is important, and that is at an individual airline, ANSP and airport level. I would like to see some of the members, like the airlines, take control of their own destiny. The stakes are high, and the opportunity to make these changes will not come around very often. This is their chance to influence things.

“The biggest influence on the SES process will remain the European Commission,” according to Ky. “They are the ones with the budget and the vision after all. The job for CANSO is to be sure that it understands that vision, and works with the Commission to make it become a reality.

The airlines are also important in this. It is they that must set the priorities. It is not only CANSO but all the associations that can add value to this process.”

Nor is it for the SJU to lead the way. “The revalidated SJU, or SJU2, will not have the budget to make it happen. What it will be able to do is large scale demonstrations to show that the SESAR solutions can be industrialised.”

Other areas where the SJU will work include integrating Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) into the airspace.

“I also think there needs to be a move to further and better integrate the land-side processes with the air-side procedures,” Ky adds. This last point reflects objectives in the SES2+ legislative proposal for a more integrated operating airspace that takes accounts of airport performance and gateto-gate operations.

The large scale demonstrations are going to be very helpful, Ky thinks. There is a real need to show that all this work does what it says it does and that it will work in the airspace and improve the airspace. “That will be a really important step to get buy-in from all parts of the industry.”

The same can be said about the airport issues. “Capacity will always be an issue, and we need a fully integrated system-wide approach to make it a success.” Ky said.

“Gate-to-gate must include looking at how we manage disruptions, including to the passengers. The airlines will expect nothing less,” he added.

Asked if he had any advice for his successor, who is likely to be announced before the end of this year, Ky did not pause for a second, “This is a great job, so my first piece of advice is to enjoy it. And be innovative. There is a need to think outside the box.”

AIRSPACE

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TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONS

Efficient billing services Papua New Guinea Air Services raises revenue with new aeronautical billing service When Papua New Guinea Air Services Ltd (PNGASL) was established six years ago as an Independent State Aviation Enterprise, one of the first tasks was to implement an automated aeronautical billing system to replace its existing inefficient system. The demands of increasing air traffic and manual invoice processing meant that staff were challenged to keep up with the volume of work, and invoice delays were stretching in some cases to months. The business recognised that the knock-on effects of these delays were increasing invoice queries and potential missed revenue. PNGASL approached Airways New Zealand to discuss the suitability of the Flightyield package for the Pacific Island ANSP. Flightyield has been purpose-built for ANSPs in a partnership between three leading players in the aviation industry, CANSO, SITA and Airways, New Zealand’s ANSP. The Flightyield team recognised that in this industry, revenue management is a growing and increasingly complex challenge, with the expectations of increasing capacity, reducing delays, addressing environmental impacts, and adhering to changing global standards, all while meeting demand for lower costs.

The typical one-size-fits-all ANSP charging systems have constrained commercial financial sustainability, with restricted ability to fund new investments or outcomes. The limited charging mechanisms also commonly resulted in invoicing processes which were not fully integrated or transparent as well as being inefficient and error-prone.

Russell Hulstrom, General Manager Global Services for Airways, says it was apparent that a new way of managing revenue was critical for the future growth of ANSPs, but that the first step for many would be to improve the 18 QUARTER 3 2013

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fundamentals of the way their income is collected. In the case of PNGASL, the focus of the initial feasibility study was on identifying the gaps in revenue earned and invoiced, and understanding the existing data acquisition processes.

“The simplest way to increase revenue is to collect what you are already owed,” he says. “In working on-site with the PNGASL team, we analysed the current data collection process, so that we could run a direct comparison with the billing run when we commenced a trial Flightyield implementation.

“Through a detailed examination of PNGASL’s charging policies, we identified that they could be readily implemented into our standard Flightyield package, and that the opportunity existed for a significant gain through the elimination of missed revenue. Conservatively, we estimated a gain of 5% on PNGASL’s bottom line,” says Hulstrom.

Captain Ted Pakii, CEO at PNGASL, says that in reality, when Flightyield was implemented, the company saw an immediate revenue increase of 6%, and an improved cash flow turnaround time of 67%. “Implementation of the Flightyield fully automated billing system has freed up our staff from capturing and processing billing information, and we’ve realised significant financial benefits since its inception. So much so that we’ve been able to recover the full cost of the system in less than two years,” says Captain Pakii.

PNGASL also enjoys the transparency of its financial performance now that it is using Flightyield. “Our airline customers appreciate that our charges are clearly identified, and that any changes or modifications are clearly

signalled and easily incorporated into the system,” says Captain Pakii. “For us, the next step will be to achieve further gains by transitioning PNGASL to the Flightyield Bureau Service, enabling us to reduce the amount of processing undertaken by our people,” he added.

The findings at PNGASL, through implementation of Flightyield, are typical of each of the ANSPs now using the system. The system has been proven through its current operation in complex airspace such as China and Saudi Arabia, and the less complex environments of Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

“Before we began development of the Flightyield system, we discovered some key issues with existing ANSP revenue management systems, identifying what we call the six hidden costs of revenue management,” says Hulstrom. “Inflexible policies, incomplete data, data entry errors, invoice delays and disputes, and payment delays were significantly affecting ANSP operations and finances, and so it was these points we initially set out to address,” he adds. “Flightyield is a fully managed, cloud-based service which provides a new revenue collection approach where charging is more granular, transparent and efficient, while allowing for new methods such as performance-based pricing to be introduced.”

From a small island in the Pacific, to the vast expanse of China, ANSPs around the world are benefitting from addressing the six hidden costs of invoice processing. Flightyield’s simple implementation, its ability to improve existing revenue management processes, and the opportunity to maximise return on ATC investment make this an easier, smarter way to manage revenue.

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AIRSPACE

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TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONS

New view from the tower Remote tower services hold safety and capacity benefits for small airports Colorado is reviewing a new concept called Blended Airspace to overcome the challenge of providing air traffic services at remote, seasonal airports.

The constant need to find cost efficiencies and savings is demanding a reassessment of how air traffic services are provided to small- and medium-sized airports.

Many of these airports have low annual operations, but experience seasonal or event-peaked demand for which air traffic control services are necessary. The response to this increased demand has been construction of airport traffic control towers, often staffed on a part-time basis.

However, in order for a smaller airport to qualify for a control tower, it must sustain a benefit/cost ratio greater than 1.0 and support a viable economic business case.

The benefit/cost analysis employs various criteria including the number of annual operations, airport efficiency and safety.

The safety component alone is very difficult to quantify in that the model must associate a cost to a human life lost in an accident.

The costs associated with developing a control tower include the design, permits, construction, staffing, operation, maintenance, and facility replacement cost. Their construction at smaller airports is unsustainable due to budgetary constraints, while ongoing costs of operations and staffing make annual expenditures prohibitive. Staffing is one of the highest ongoing costs associated with a tower, and it is frequently difficult to find qualified controllers willing to relocate to isolated airport locations.

The State of Colorado faces a challenge with the airports that support its economically important ski industry. The State’s ski-country airports experience high demand during the winter months of November through March with an accompanying increase in air carrier 20 QUARTER 3 2013

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Typical classification of local airspace at an airport providing surveillance-based remote airport traffic services. Class D requires aircraft to have an operating two way radio in a five nm radius around the airport; and Class C requires aircraft to have a transponder in addition to a two way radio in a 10 nm radius around the airport.

operations, while the summer months see a sharp reduction in demand and operations. Mountain airports serving Colorado ski resorts have annualised operations ranging from 22,000 to 46,000, but these relatively small numbers do not adequately characterise the true nature of these airports. Inasmuch as air traffic control services support a greater number of operations, the lack of these services during high demand periods represents potential loss of revenue to the state and local economies. The low annual operational numbers at these airports will not support a business case to develop a control tower and staff it year round. For that reason, the State of Colorado went in search of a solution, and thus was born the idea of Blended Airspace.

combined. Blended Airspace will provide airport traffic control services from a remote location using a variety of existing and emerging surveillance sources. Simply stated, Blended Airspace is remote air traffic control.

The term Blended Airspace has created some level of confusion. The name is not intended to infer that tower, terminal area and/or en route functions are blended or

The Blended Airspace programme currently underway within the FAA will be accomplished in two phases. Phase I runs until the end of 2014 and includes the

The FAA and the State of Colorado have partnered to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of implementing tower-like services at airports that could not normally justify a tower. This approach is to evaluate known concepts and determine the relative pros and cons of each. Then, based on the results of a business case analysis, a decision will be made as to the viability of proceeding toward implementation of one or a combination of solutions.

development of the concept of operation and use, requirements, safety assessment, and alternative analysis. Phase II starts in 2015 and covers implementation of the final recommended solutions. The State of Colorado has chosen to work with the FAA to ensure that the final concept will be certified for use anywhere in the National Airspace System (NAS) and can be employed throughout the world.

Remote tower services There are two general approaches to providing tower-like services from a remote facility. The surveillance-based approach presents to the controller traffic data both on the surface and in the local airspace via a radar-type display. The target data can be obtained from any number of surveillance sources such as legacy radars (primary or secondary), Wide Area Multilateration, and ADS-B. The depiction would consist of target position and altitude with its associated data tag the same way they are presented today in area control centres.

A video-based approach presents to the controllers an “out-of-the-window” view of the airport via a series of high resolution video cameras that could be integrated with surveillance data. This operational concept closely replicates the appearance of a control tower.

In the case of surveillance based services, control of the airport surface will be limited to aircraft within a narrowly defined aircraft movement area. In most cases, the aircraft movement area will be coincident with the runway safety area. The specific configuration of the movement area may vary from airport to airport to address local conditions.

Narrowly defining the movement area is necessary for two reasons: first to reduce controller workload; and second to minimise the surface surveillance area

required. Surveillance coverage outside the designated movement area will provide the controller with situational awareness of aircraft approaching the hold line, allowing the controller to verify

that aircraft are clear of the runway. IFR or VFR aircraft will be able to file, activate, and close flight plans via the Blended Airspace controller. Furthermore, the controller would have the ability to

Remote tower characteristics • No control tower or part-time tower •S easonal or event-peaked operations – skiing, golf, automobile races, etc.

• High value operations – cargo transfer hub • Diverse aircraft types – propeller, turbojet, helicopter, military, etc.

• Commercial service airport • Commercial service divert airport • Reliever airport • Annual movements 15,000 to 100,000 • Absence of a positive business case for a new tower • Military or political high priority

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TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONS

the familiar out-of-the-window view. The major challenges facing the video based solution include the inherent problems associated with visual observation, the viewing of a three-dimensional environment on a two-dimensional display, and the requirement for large bandwidth. Typical issues associated with visually controlling traffic are those such as the difficulty in quickly and easily resolving an object at a distance, low visibility limitations, and the reduced amount of airspace that can be visually observed (about two nautical miles) However, these visual issues may be mitigated with the addition of a surveillance display to provide situational awareness.

provide separation services not only in the movement area but also in the local air space.

Tracking non-cooperative (nontransponder equipped) targets on the airport surface and in the local traffic area represents a challenge to implementation of the surveillance based remote tower concept. Primary radar, which has the ability to display non-cooperative targets, has very high capital and running costs.

Consequently a less costly method to deal with non-cooperative targets will be needed, such as millimeter wave radar, tracking infrared (IR) and video cameras, acoustic sensors or induction loops. The various surveillance sources would then be fused for display to the controller via the automation platform. Although the number of non-transponder equipped aircraft represents a very small fraction of the operations at an airport, procedures to deal with non-transponder aircraft and those experiencing equipment failure should also be included.

In summary, the surveillance-based concept will replicate the view and feel familiar to radar controllers and 22 QUARTER 3 2013

AIRSPACE

will afford a surface depiction of traffic much like radar displays in many towers around the world. Traffic displayed on a surveillance/radar display has the advantages of providing the controller with a global view of the coverage volume. The accuracy of the surveillance-based display of aircraft target and tag data will permit the controller to provide en route (five nautical miles) or terminal (three nautical miles) separation services to aircraft in the local airspace. Alternative, videobased remote services on the surface are conducted similarly to airports with a traditional control tower via a series of video displays. Controllers can use pan, tilt and zoom cameras that replace the controller’s binoculars to verify aircraft reported locations. To view the local airspace, a controller in a video based remote location can use the out-ofthe-window view presented on high definition monitors and/or a surveillance based monitor to detect traffic in the local airspace and provide situational awareness.

The video based concept will provide a level of comfort because it replicates

“ Remote tower services combine the best of both concepts” The two alternative concepts discussed above present a unique opportunity to address this economic problem facing air navigation service providers worldwide. It is likely that remote airport air traffic control services of the future will combine the best features of both the surveillance and video concepts.

The key component of any successful ATC operation, be it a traditional tower or remote air traffic control, will always be the cooperation of the pilot and the controller, and the controller’s ability to verify the aircraft’s position.

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QUARTER 3 2013 23

AIRSPACE PEOPLE

Cooperation is needed in new efficiency drive Kornél Szepessy, CEO of HungaroControl The Single European Sky programme presents new challenges for air navigation service providers (ANSPs) where cooperation and joint developments across Functional Airspace Blocks (FABs) and between FABs offer the opportunity to shorten flight times and reduce environmental impact. HungaroControl has conducted simulations that indicate new traffic procedures, jointly implemented by ANSPs, can significantly reduce costs for airspace users and exceed savings achieved from reduced air navigation service charges.

Shortly after the European Commission (EC) published the revised legislative proposal known as SES2+ in June 2013, Eurocontrol published brand new analysis predicting traffic growth rate of 1.8% per annum for the next two decades, about half the growth rate between 1968 and 2008. The analysis estimates 3.4 million fewer flights in Europe in 2030 compared to the forecast published in 2010.

Prompted in part by Europe’s performance targets, HungaroControl launched its own programme in 2010 to further develop its operations and services in the framework of regional cooperation in response to the changing market conditions.

An important part of the complex development programme to ensure that Hungary will be able to meet EC performance targets over the long term is a new air traffic control centre, built with a E6 million EC grant, which opened in February 2013.

The high-tech centre features state-of-the-art tools and software such as the MATIAS navigation system, which HungaroControl has been developing continuously since 1999. The system uses information downlinked via Mode-S from the aircraft that enables controllers to see the same values and settings on their monitors as on the pilots onboard displays. It also uses the radio call sign transmitted from aeroplanes in place of SSR codes to identify aircraft and to coordinate the spatial position and the flight plan. HungaroControl is the first ANSP in Europe to implement the new call sign-based identification system that becomes mandatory in 2020.

The old air traffic control centre has taken on a new role as a simulation, training, research and development centre for Hungary and its regional partners. It is home for the contingency centre 24 QUARTER 3 2013

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equipped with the same technology as the new control centre, and for Entry Point Central Academy, a training facility founded jointly with European training establishment Entry Point North, located in Sweden. A 3D tower simulator, due to be extended to 360 degrees, is also located at this centre.

The Centre of Research, Development and Simulation (CRDS), one of Europe’s largest research and development centres, is designed to meet the high standards needed to meet growing demand in the region. It provides the capability to perform international simulations, trial new applications, and train controllers continually. The CRDS is capable of making exact copies of airspace sectors of individual countries and to simulate the human machine interface in order to perform tests in an effective and realistic environment.

Croatia Control conducted airspace modification simulations at the CRDS in the second quarter of 2012 to test its new airspace structure and the related ATC procedures and work technologies to be applied. The simulation work is contributing to increased airspace capacity planned over Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

In the first step of an international test series in the first half of 2013, Hungarian, Polish and Slovak ANSPs tested 12 new, shortened flight routes between the Baltic Sea and southern Hungary. Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia participated in the programme as observers. The tests indicated that with the introduction of new direct routes, the actually flown distance could decrease by about 4-5% on average, and carbon dioxide emission would be reduced by at least 1,100 tonnes. This would amount to at least half a million dollars worth of savings for airlines, in addition to lower maintenance, depreciation and personnel costs.

The Croatian ANSP expects to participate in the next stage of the test series, which will enable the new shorter routes to be tested across an even broader region. The more countries that join the forthcoming stages of the test series, the more significant the results are likely to be, resulting in a positive impact on the operation of wider European airspace.

Cost reduction Cost reduction is an important focus area for HungaroControl, which claims to offer above average efficiency combined with a low fee level by European standards, and almost zero minute ATFM delay index.

The ANSP has developed a new Continuous Descent Operations (CDO) tool called MergeStrip which is designed to support the continuous descent of aircraft approaching the landing runway.

HungaroControl’s Centre of Research, Development and Simulation (CRDS) provides the capability to perform international simulations, trial new applications, and train controllers on a continuous basis.

Tests using 12 new shortened routes between the Baltic and southern Hungary reduced the distance flown by 4-5% HungaroControl uses a unique combination of support software and operational measures and has secured the cost of development and commissioning into service of the system at just a fraction of that of other, currently applied solutions.

MergeStrip allocates aircraft approaching a specific airport to a “timeline” that takes account of their position and speed at a given moment, and this is used by controllers to support the continuous descent. With the help of the tool, controllers can identify the necessary interventions at an earlier stage in the flight, resulting in more predictable continuous approach procedures.

HungaroControl is keen to develop solutions together with the airlines which result in cost reductions and also take local features into account. The ANSP identifies potential for improvement in the development of the flight route network, for example through the European Network Improvement Plan. This includes hundreds of packages of airsapce proposals scheduled for implementation during the next three years that will reduce flying distances by approximately six million nautical miles, saving 36,000 tonnes of fuel, reducing emission by 120,000 tonnes, saving approximately €30 million.

Further savings are identified as a result of Free Route Operations, involving at least 16 of the 64 area control centres in Europe, and covering a quarter of the airspace by 2014. Savings from these projects are estimated at approximately 25,000 nautical miles per day (average 7.5 nautical miles), saving 45,000 tonnes of fuel, 150,000 tonnes of emissions, and €37 million.

HungaroControl supports the application of innovative traffic management methods to achieve cost savings, supported by simulations and tests carried out in modern research and development facilities. The ANSP believes these measures will achieve more substantial savings than could be achieved by cutting air navigation charges at an aggressive rate, which in extreme cases, may also raise issues in aviation safety.

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FEATURE

Austro Control implements new ATC system Smooth startup of Austria’s new ATC system reflects careful planning © Helmreich

Launching a new air traffic control system is one of the most demanding tasks there is for an air navigation service provider (ANSP) that only occurs every 25 years or so. Austro Control’s implementation of the new system at the Vienna area control centre earlier this year marked a successful end to a multi-year project.

Migration to the new ATC system was carried out overnight without interrupting operations. The fact that the changeover from old to new, from a strip-based to a strip-less system, went without a hitch during live operation is attributed to Austro Control’s staff, whose efforts in the preceding months contributed to the successful implementation.

The changeover is expected to boost capacity by 20-30%. At present Austro Control handles about 1.1 million flight movements per year in Austrian airspace.

The company has invested about €60 million in a new TopSky system, one of the most advanced of its kind, to bring about air traffic management improvements. This not only puts Austro Control in a position to deal with expected traffic growth safely and efficiently, but also to make an important contribution to the harmonisation of European ATC systems as part of the Single European Sky. Work on designing the new solution began in 2005, and implementation started in late 2008 with the installation of the first test system. The air traffic controllers at Austro Control had several months of intensive simulator training to familiarise themselves with the new system. Actual training started in the second quarter of 2012, reaching its peak during May and October.

Following the successful changeover, the system has been in live operation 26 QUARTER 3 2013

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Austro Control introduced the new ATM system in time for airlines to benefit from more efficient traffic flow ahead of the heavy summer traffic.

since the end of February 2013, and reached full operation in record time.

Capacity was gradually increased after passing certain milestones in order to keep delays for airspace users as low as possible. During the intensive training phase, switch over to the new system and the familiarisation phase in the first six months of 2013, delays stayed well in line with the European average.

Since 19 June, the system has been operating at full capacity, and airlines have benefited from more efficient traffic flow just in time for the heavy Summer traffic. Achieving that level in such a short period of time represents a major achievement for Austro Control.

International cooperation The new system is a joint development by five ANSPs, based on Thales Air Systems’ TopSky technology. The ANSPs of Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Ireland and Sweden joined forces with the manufacturer in the partnership called Cooperation between ANS Providers (COOPANS). The aim is to achieve a major reduction in development costs compared to previous ‘standalone solutions’. The

first COOPANS systems entered service at area control centres in Shannon and Dublin, Ireland, in 2011.

The following year, Malmö, Sweden, and Copenhagen, Denmark, went into operation, followed by Sweden’s Stockholm in early 2013.

A key benefit of COOPANS is that the cost of system development and future upgrades are spread between all the partners. In addition, the cooperative and evolutionary approach is far less risky than go-it-alone commissioning of all-new systems. The partnership has brought Austro Control savings of around 30% compared to a stand-alone development.

Participation in the COOPANS partnership has brought further advantages for Austro Control, in particular, through shared use of top-quality resources, skills and expertise in ATM systems. COOPANS’s organisational structure allows decisions on requirements definition and harmonisation to be considered from all angles and in-depth by experts from each of the partner organisations.

The opportunity to tap into other

© Helmreich

ANSPs’ experience permits the early elimination of uncertainties, and unexpected surprises in the course of implementation become significantly less frequent. Another major benefit of the cooperation comes from the joint evaluation and testing of newly developed software, in the form of the rapid accumulation of technical and operational expertise.

The implementation of the COOPANS system was a complex yet rewarding learning process for Austro Control. In the process of setting up the project, it quickly became clear that several projects would have to be bundled into a single programme run by an external programme manager. Also, this exceptional programme called for exceptional methods to be employed – methods that were not part of Austro Control’s everyday routine. As is now clear, an innovative element that contributed substantially to the overall success of the project was the close cooperation between the ATM and Engineering departments in organising the sourcing of the programme.

This success was underlined during the first shadow run in October 2012, in which air traffic controllers gained their

Austro Control is the fourth ANSP to implement the common COOPANS ATM solution in Europe.

first hands-on experience of software that was already in an advanced phase of development, and which gave them a first impression – more authentic than any simulator – of what their new workplace would be like. Thanks to the support of the COOPANS partners who were there at the time, and the assistance provided by Thales, the system was thoroughly analysed, which in turn substantially accelerated the learning process.

Technical and operational features Stripless environment: All flight data is shown on air traffic controllers’ screens, making paper flight progress strips a thing of the past. Instructions are recorded directly into the system.

Medium-term conflict detection (MTCD): The air traffic controllers receive automated early warnings of potential conflicts with other flights, enabling them to plan flight paths more efficiently. This facilitates coordination, which was previously performed manually, using flight progress strips.

System coordination (SYSCO): Communication between air traffic controllers operating neighbouring sectors is automated. Information is transferred electronically, reducing the amount of inter-sector coordination required.

This has undoubtedly been the largest and most important project that Austro Control has implemented in recent years, with some 150,000 project hours and 30,000 training hours invested in the programme since 2008. More than half of all Austro Control employees are directly affected by the changes in the system.

The COOPANS project is also helping to drive the harmonisation and unification of European air traffic management systems, in line with the goals of the Single European Sky initiative and the SESAR ATM Masterplan. Deployment of a standardised air traffic control system at seven control centres in five different countries is a first for Europe. Austro Control is also contributing to the implementation of Single European Sky, as COOPANS is one of the platforms used for the evaluation of new technical developments in the context of SESAR research and development work.

By Andreas Schallgruber, Head of Air Traffic Management, and Werner Langhans, Head of Engineering Services.

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TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONS

Spotlight on runway safety Maggie Geraghty, CANSO safety manager, unveils a new runway safety initiative Unstable approaches on record • On 9 January 2012, an Enerjet Boeing 737-700 overran the landing runway 03 at Fort Nelson Airport in British Columbia, Canada, by approximately 70 metres after continuing an unstabilised visual approach to a mismanaged late-touchdown landing. Fortunately, none of the 118 occupants were injured, and there was no damage to the aircraft.

• On 22 May 2010, an Air India Express Boeing 737-800 overran the landing runway at Mangalore Airport, India, when attempting a goaround after thrust reverser deployment following a fast and late touchdown off an unstable approach. Almost all of the 166 occupants were killed when control was lost and the aircraft crashed into a ravine off the end of the runway.

The 2013 Global ATM Summit and 17th AGM, held in June in Curaçao, found CANSO launching a major initiative to improve runway safety worldwide.

The initiative focuses on educating airport managers, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), pilots and air traffic controllers on the causes of, and risks inherent to, unstable approaches.

Unstable approaches are a key factor contributing to runway excursions, which are widely acknowledged as the most significant threat to aviation safety globally.

According to IATA, an unstable approach was identified as a contributing factor in 17% of accidents between 2008 and 2012. Thus, a stable approach is vitally important to the safe conclusion of a flight. If the aircraft does not meet the criteria for a stable approach, such as being at the wrong height, speed or angle, the approach will most likely be an unstable one.

CANSO is partnering with organisations across the aviation industry to help reduce the risk of runway excursions around the world. At the runway safety initiative launch in Curaçao, CANSO Director General Jeff Poole said: “Safety is our number one priority, and the initiative 28 QUARTER 3 2013

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• On 5 March 2000, a Boeing 737-300 operated by Southwest Airlines on a scheduled passenger flight from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Burbank, California, overran the landing destination runway after a steep visual approach had been flown at an abnormally high speed. The aircraft exited the airport perimeter and came to a stop on a city street near a gasoline station. An emergency evacuation of the 142 occupants led to two serious injuries and 42 minor injuries, and the aircraft was extensively damaged.

Source: SKYbrary (http://skybrary.aero)

on unstable approaches aims to reduce the risk of a significant runway incident or accident. By partnering with regulators, airports, airlines and ANSPs, CANSO has developed global safety tools that will make a major contribution to safe flying.”

Led by the CANSO Safety Standing Committee, these safety tools were designed in close concert with Eurocontrol and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and are supported by the industry, including ICAO, IATA, Airports Council International, the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations, International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations, and European Cockpit Association.

The tools are based on risk models identifying key areas that might lead to a runway excursion, models developed by

controllers, pilots and airport operators, as well as regulatory and safety specialists from around the world. The toolkit aims to raise awareness around the risk area of unstable approaches and to educate aviation professionals on how to work together to prevent them.

The checklist Designed for use by ANSPs, airlines, airport operators, regulators and aeronautical telecommunication and radio navigation (ATEL/ANAV) providers, the runway safety maturity checklist allows users to benchmark respective maturity levels with regard to managing runway safety risks. The checklist identifies key elements of risk control and uses a series of questions to assess the maturity of an organisation against each element.

Evidence must be provided for answers to the following inquiries: • Is there a practice in place?

• Is the practice documented?

• Are employees trained, checked and assessed?

• Is it working? How do you know?

• How could you improve the element?

The checklist also assists organisations in prioritising their improvement actions, based on concepts such as safety benefit, financial impact, stakeholder impact, complexity and dependencies. The checklist and the weighting criteria used to evaluate maturity can be accessed via the CANSO safety website: www.canso.org/safety.

Additionally, Eurocontrol is working to migrate the checklist to a convenient web-based application.

Operational tips One of the goals of the global runway safety initiative is to improve understanding and working relationships between pilots and controllers to ensure that both appreciate the risk factors involved in an unstable approach and know how to mitigate them. As Poole noted, “Air traffic control plays an important role in contributing to safe, stable approaches and reducing the risk of runway excursions.

This includes ensuring that controllers appreciate what’s required for a pilot to achieve a stabilised approach, issuing proper clearances and providing timely and accurate weather information.”

To facilitate this mutual understanding and appreciation, the initiative includes two easy-to-read, double-sided flyers.

One flyer contains key tips for pilots on how to avoid unstable approaches, while its reverse advises controllers on how to avoid contributing to them. The other is a flyer specifically for controllers that discusses in more detail the relationship between runway excursions and unstable approaches and how the controller can help to prevent them from occurring.

Key tips for pilots include: • Maintain a mental picture of the required descent profile • Be aware of published local ATC

procedures/airspace restrictions that impact the approach • If you can’t comply with an instruction let ATC know early Key tips for controllers include: • Allow the arrival/approach procedure to be flown as published • Apply appropriate speed control/ restrictions • Ensure the runway assignment is appropriate for the wind • When aircraft are being vectored issue track miles to the airport In addition to their use as ongoing awareness aids, the flyers also provide a means for reviewing training materials and content for consistency with best practice techniques. They can be downloaded via the CANSO safety website.

A newly revised second edition of the educational booklet called Unstable Approaches – ATC Considerations is intended to be used as a key training aid for controllers. It defines the responsibility of pilots to achieve stabilised approaches for safety, economic and legal reasons and explains the role that air traffic control can play in contributing to and mitigating unstable approaches. Finally, it outlines the numerous ways in which ATC can impact approaches and makes recommendations for ensuring their stability. The booklet can be downloaded via the CANSO safety website.

Meanwhile, CANSO worked with the FAA to develop a runway safety mobile web application called RS Mobile. The web app is designed to be accessed internationally by tablet and smartphone devices using a wide variety of operating systems. It features top tips as well as a series of informational videos on issues such as runway excursions and unstable approaches oriented specifically toward ATC personnel (tower and en route) and has been enthusiastically received since its unveiling. Between 16 June and 24 July alone, it was accessed by 79 countries nearly 800 times. The site can be visited via tablet or smartphone at cansosafety.com.

CANSO is also encouraging its Members to take advantage of the best practices contained in the runway safety toolkit

and to distribute it as widely as possible within their organisations, as well as to stakeholders, including: pilots, aero clubs and training organisations, airline and general aviation safety departments, and government regulators.

ANSPs can play a leading role in leveraging safety technology and eliminating high-risk incidents by: • Promoting the RS Mobile web app at field facilities • Incorporating best practices into initial and recurrent training programmes, as well as safety and operator forums • Utilising runway safety tools within Safety Management System safety performance monitoring programmes Executive General Manager of Safety and Assurance for Airservices Australia and Chairman of the CANSO Safety Standing Committee, Stephen Angus, emphasised the need to pay more attention to runway safety: “Runway safety still represents one of the highest risk areas that threatens safe, efficient air navigation. We are urging ANSPs and their stakeholders to help us to achieve an ever greater level of runway safety by using and sharing these unique safety tools now available to them.”

Spreading the word Airservices promotion of the runway safety products has used a range of methods, including direct mail from the CEO to aviation industry organisations and from the Safety Services Branch to industry safety departments. Safety products have also been distributed internally through management and featured in internal magazines, newsletters and websites. In addition, Flight Safety Australia, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority magazine, published an article about the products. Ongoing promotion of the material includes distribution through groups such as the Australian Runway Safety Group, as well as the inclusion of hard copies of the information in all future Airservices Safety folders presented at various safety forums.

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FEATURE

Measuring environmental impact Positive results from the latest reporting tools

Bernard Gonsalves, Assistant Director Technical Affairs CANSO, reports on how tools will enable States to measure the benefits and fuel savings of implementing new air traffic management technologies.

During the 38th ICAO Assembly in September 2013, 191 member countries are expected to approve the 4th Edition of the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP), a 15 year rolling plan that provides the global strategic direction to the aviation industry in five-year increments. It provides guidance on operational targets and the supporting technologies, avionics, procedures, standards and regulatory approvals needed to realise the plan. The GANP establishes a framework for incremental regional implementations based on the specific operational needs and traffic requirements of each State. This is accomplished through the Aviation System Block Upgrades (ASBUs), a consensus-driven framework which forms the baseline of the revised GANP. Once operational analyses and resulting implementations have been completed, the next step calls for air navigation performance monitoring through an established measurement and reporting strategy.

From the ANSP perspective, a needs and dependency analysis is required to assess the selection of any given ASBU module, while ensuring there is a sound business case for each. Equally important is the ability to measure the success once implemented. Several 30 QUARTER 3 2013

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CANSO ANSP Members possess sophisticated measurement and reporting tools. For those that do not, ICAO working closely with CANSO and other stakeholders, has developed a tool to estimate environmental benefits accrued from a range of operational improvements. This tool is the ICAO Fuel Savings Estimation Tool (IFSET), which was promulgated by ICAO in January 2012 and promoted with ICAO member-States and ANSPs through a series of workshops during 2012. It was developed, not to replace current fuel savings measurement or modelling tools, but rather to assist those States and their ANSPs without such capability to estimate the benefits from operational improvements in a consistent manner.

Operational improvements from global air navigation planning priorities such as the Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) en route, arrival and departure procedures; basic Continuous Descent Operations (CDO); and Continuous Climb Operations (CCO) can be measured using IFSET. IFSET uses a set of aggregated individual aircrafttype performance data and is broken down into different phases of flight to permit calculations of the fuel burn characteristics for a given flight profile.

IFSET also generates two different flight trajectory performances in terms of fuel consumption – ‘before’ and ‘after’ the introduction of a given operational improvement. Using IFSET ANSPs can quickly collate results on a local, state or regional level which can then be easily transmitted via email to the centralised ICAO data-collection service. The tool is designed to assist states and ANSPs in estimating and reporting fuel savings in a manner consistent with the models approved

by ICAO’s Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP).

The environmental challenges the aviation industry faces cannot be addressed by the aircraft operators, the ANSPs, the airports or the aircraft manufacturers working individually.

A collaborative approach is needed.

In 2012, CANSO, Airports Council International, IATA, the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA) and other industry partners made a strong commitment to reduce aviation’s impact on climate change at the Geneva Aviation and Environment Summit. They committed to carbon neutral growth from 2020 and to reduce net emissions 50% by 2050 compared to 2005. To achieve these goals, ANSPs must work closely with airspace users to understand the areas that require special attention and improve air navigation performance worldwide. They must also share successful implementation efforts and associated best practices. Since 2011, CANSO has worked alongside ICAO to develop IFSET and promote its use globally. Dedicated regional training workshops have been held to promote the understanding and use of IFSET. CANSO will continue to work closely with ICAO to develop and publish the Global Air Navigation Report. The first edition of this report, slated for March 2014, provides an opportunity for the ANSP community to report on progress across the different ICAO regions. Besides collating the success of implementing the suite of capabilities that are currently available, known as Block 0, this report will also facilitate more effective interregional harmonisation and planning. In this follow-up phase, the CANSO Environmental Workgroup, led by Boeing’s Doug Stoll, continues to work closely with ANSP Members to improve and promote a robust reporting process. The report provides the ANSP community with an opportunity to showcase and quantify the many emissions reduction initiatives already underway.

Meanwhile, several CANSO ANSP Members have been proactively working towards achieving these ambitious industry goals, with projects in New Zealand, Europe and North America able to report consistent environmental benefits.

Recognising the impact of holding delays on its customers both in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and their commercial impact on flight times, Airways New Zealand introduced a Collaborative Flow Manager (CFM) tool in 2008. Airlines collaborating with Airways NZ were able to better manage departure times to ensure minimum holding delays on arrival. This resulted in the avoidance of 24,000 minutes of delay per month to their customers while also saving 2,500 tonnes of emissions. In April 2013, the CFM system was augmented by an Arrival Manager (AMAN) that improved sequencing and offered airlines optimum gate-to-gate flight profiles with continuous descent operations down to the runway. Airways Chief Operating Officer Pauline Lamb said, “Our airline partnership has all but eliminated arrival delay in New Zealand.

Through this we have reduced the flight distance between two of New Zealand’s major airports by 12 miles on average.

As a result, our airline customers have saved 38,000 tonnes of fuel and 121,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide since 2009.”

Maurice Georges, CEO of DSNA, France, reported impressive results with a Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) initiative, working closely with main partners Air France and Aéroports de Paris (ADP). Since its implementation in November 2010, airport capacity in Paris Charles de Gaulle airport has increased 5% during peak hours. It has also seen a 9% improvement in punctuality and during 2012 saved an average of 39 tonnes daily in greenhouse gas emissions from taxi reductions alone.

Eurocontrol, reporting on behalf of several ANSPs in Europe, is well ahead in the implementation of the ASBU Block 1 methodology called Free Route Operation. The initiative, also known as Free Route Airspace, promotes the advantage to operators to ’flight plan as you would want to fly’ seamlessly across multiple ANSP control systems.

Razvan Bucuroiu, Eurocontrol Head of Operations Planning, is aiming for 15

IFSET calculates fuel savings from Continuous Climb or Descent Operations using the number of operations by aircraft category, time spent or distance flown at a specific altitude, duration of intermediate level offs and bottom of descent, base of climb and top of climb, and distance flown in a climb or descent procedure.

area control centres to be offering the Free Route capability by 2015.

NAV CANADA, in its commitment to implement Performance-Based Navigation flight procedures, introduced these concepts in one of the largest airspace redesigns in Canada since the 1980s. Following the successful implementation of the first phase Windsor-Toronto-Montréal (WTM) redesign in February 2012 and showcasing the success of working with its customers, Executive Vice President Rudy Kellar announced a reduction of 129,000 tonnes of green house gas emissions through 2020. In supporting ICAO Block Module Free Route Operations and Optimum Flight Levels NAV CANADA has successfully pursued its ADS-B surveillance strategy in close consultation with its customers to provide radar-like coverage across more than four million square kilometres. The latest expansion of ADS-B across the northern oceanic boundaries of the North Atlantic is forecast to deliver reductions in greenhouse gas in the order of 225,000 tonnes through 2020.

In its commitment towards long-term sustainable growth, NAV CANADA is projecting a total reduction in green house gas emissions of 21 million tonnes 1997-2020.

Ian Jopson, Head of Environment and Community Affairs at NATS said

that more efficient air traffic control procedures and the better use of airspace have saved 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions since 2008, The last five years of the NATS environmental programme have delivered 125 changes in their airspace, many of them related to ASBU Block 0 concepts, unlocking more direct routes and other savings that equate to cutting £160 million from airline fuel bills. The introduction of iFACTS alone – NATS’ next generation air traffic control tool is estimated to be saving 10,000 tonnes of fuel, worth £6 million a year. iFACTS gives controllers a view of the future track and trajectory of the aircraft under their control so they can optimise route for fuel and emissions savings.

The outcomes reflected in the first ICAO Global Air Navigation Report will help to identify annual tactical adjustment priorities for regional work programmes, as well as informing about longer-term policy adjustments.

The activities of the CANSO Environmental Workgroup (ENV WG) falls under the Operations Standing Committee (OSC). Anthony Tisdall serves as the OSC Programme Manager and can be contacted at anthony.tisdall@canso.org.

ENV WG lead, Doug Stoll, can be contacted at douglas.a.stoll@boeing.com IFSET Website: www.icao.int/ environmental-protection/Pages/ Tools.aspx.

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INSIDE CANSO

African network expands Boni Dibate, CANSO Director Africa Affairs reports on a growing list of regional projects

The CANSO Africa Region celebrated its first anniversary in June 2013 and has been instrumental in the launch of several joint ATM industry initiatives across the continent. The region now includes 12 CANSO Members from all over the Continent. This new body in Africa is driving greater awareness, participation and implementation of new global air traffic management requirements and standards with industry partners.

The CANSO Africa Airspace User Seminar that took place in May 2013, hosted by Tanzania CAA in Zanzibar, is among recent high profile events involving the Africa Region. CANSO worked with IATA’s regional office for Africa and the Indian Ocean (AFI) to bring together ANSPs, airspace users and industry together to explore avenues to achieve harmonisation and interoperability in the region, and to develop action plans going forward. AFI objectives are aligned with the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan, and the workgroups meeting in Zanzibar addressed key issues including surveillance and communication, common procedures, regulation, aircraft equipment capability and training issues.

Action points included drawing up a road map for Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) implementation, and a proposal for an ADS-B mandate for the upper airspace by 2020. The meeting also explored the best equipped/ best served notion, and committed to develop a navigation roadmap. CANSO and IATA agreed to share information about the existing surveillance and communications infrastructure, future traffic volume, and training at various centres of excellence.

An ADS-B workshop is planned at the regional safety meeting in Nigeria in October 2013, and the Airspace User Seminar is to become an annual event.

A number of African states have already committed to work together to implement ADS-B at the ADS-B regional meeting held in Maputo, Mozambique in October 2012. Southern

African Development Community (SADC) member States namely Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, initiated a regional ADS-B study aimed at sharing experiences, collaborating and acting jointly in the establishment of ADS-B surveillance capability in their areas of jurisdiction. The objectives of this group are to resolve all the issues of concern to pave the way for a speedy implementation of ADS-B in the region.

A Memorandum of Agreement was signed, which commits States to work together to implement the project to improve en route surveillance and enhance safety within the countries involved.

Meanwhile, CANSO Africa Region partnered with ICAO and Airports Council International (ACI) at the Regional Runway Safety Seminar in Agadir, Morocco in April 2013. The Seminar discussed the benefits of establishing Runway Safety Teams and how they work; identification of runway safety hazards; and the different mitigation strategies available.

Other partner activities included the Africa Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) plenary session in Ghana in April 2013. AFCAC co-operates with ICAO and other relevant organisations involved in the promotion and development of civil aviation in Africa. Like CANSO, AFCAC fosters the implementation of ICAO standards and recommended practices for the safety, security, environmental protection and regularity of the aviation sector. CANSO Africa office attended as part of its collaboration initiatives and awareness raising campaign.

CANSO Africa Region continues to play a key role in facilitating regional activities and will hold its first Africa Conference, hosted by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), in October 2013. The theme of the conference is ‘Transforming ATM Performance’ and it will provide a platform to discuss regional issues, exchange ideas and best practices. The conference will focus on CANSO’s recently approved Vision 2020 and what it means for Africa. Vision 2020 is a strategic framework and work programme that aims to transform global air traffic management performance and deliver seamless airspace globally.

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CANSO Members CANSO – the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation – is the global voice of air navigation service providers (ANSPs) worldwide. CANSO Members support over 85% of world air traffic.

Members share information and develop new policies, with the ultimate aim of improving air navigation services (ANS) on the ground and in the air.

CANSO represents its Members’ views in major regulatory and industry forums, including at ICAO, where it has official Observer status. CANSO has an extensive network of Associate Members drawn from across the aviation industry. For more information on joining CANSO, visit www.canso.org/joiningcanso.

Lighter areas represent airspace covered by CANSO Members

Full Members - 80 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (AEROTHAI) Aeroportos de Moçambique Air Navigation and Weather Services, CAA (ANWS) Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic (ANS Czech Republic) AirNav Indonesia Air Traffic & Navigation Services (ATNS) Airports and Aviation Services Limited (AASL) Airports Authority of India (AAI) Airports Fiji Limited Airservices Australia Airways New Zealand Austro Control Avinor AS AZANS Azerbaijan Belgocontrol Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA) CAA Uganda Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) Civil Aviation Authority of Swaziland Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) Comisión Ejecutiva Portuaria Autonoma (CEPA) Department of Airspace Control (DECEA) Department of Civil Aviation, Republic of Cyprus DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH (DFS) Dirección General de Control de Tránsito Aéreo (DGCTA) DSNA France Dutch Caribbean Air Navigation Service Provider (DC-ANSP) ENANA-EP ANGOLA ENAV S.p.A: Società Nazionale per l’Assistenza al Volo Entidad Pública Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea (Aena) Estonian Air Navigation Services (EANS) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Finavia Corporation GCAA United Arab Emirates General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) HungaroControl Pte. Ltd. Co. Israel Airports Authority (IAA) Iran Airports Co Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) ISAVIA Ltd Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) Kazaeronavigatsia Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) Latvijas Gaisa Satiksme (LGS) Letové prevádzkové Služby Slovenskej Republiky, Štátny Podnik Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland (LVNL)

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Luxembourg ANA Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) Malta Air Traffic Services (MATS) NATA Albania National Airports Corporation Ltd. National Air Navigation Services Company (NANSC) NATS UK NAV CANADA NAV Portugal Naviair Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Office de l’Aviation Civile et des Aeroports (OACA) ORO NAVIGACIJA, Lithuania PNG Air Services Limited (PNGASL) Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) PIA “Adem Jashari” - Air Control J.S.C. ROMATSA Sakaeronavigatsia Ltd S.E. MoldATSA SENEAM Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services Agency (SMATSA) Serco skyguide Slovenia Control State Airports Authority & ANSP (DHMI) State ATM Corporation Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority Trinidad and Tobago CAA The LFV Group Ukrainian Air Traffic Service Enterprise (UkSATSE) U.S. DoD Policy Board on Federal Aviation

Gold Associate Members - 14 — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Abu Dhabi Airports Company Airbus ProSky Boeing BT Plc FREQUENTIS AG GE Air Traffic Optimization Services GroupEAD Europe S.L. ITT Exelis Lockheed Martin Metron Aviation Raytheon SELEX Sistemi Integrati S.p.A. Telephonics Corporation, ESD Thales

Silver Associate Members - 65 — — — —

Adacel Inc. Aeronav Inc. Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) ARINC

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

ATCA – Japan ATECH Negócios em Tecnologia S/A Aviation Advocacy Sarl Avibit Data Processing GmbH Avitech AG AZIMUT JSC Barco Orthogon GmbH Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. Brüel & Kjaer EMS Comsoft GmbH CGH Technologies, Inc Abu Dhabi Department of Transport Dubai Airports EADS Cassidian EIZO Technologies GmbH European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP SAS) Emirates Entry Point North Era Corporation Etihad Airways Guntermann & Drunck GmbH Harris Corporation Helios Honeywell International Inc. / Aerospace IDS – Ingegneria Dei Sistemi S.p.A. Indra Navia AS Indra Sistemas INECO Inmarsat Global Limited Integra A/S Intelcan Technosystems Inc. International Aero Navigation Systems Concern, JSC Iridium Communications Inc. Jeppesen JMA Solutions LAIC Aktiengesellschaft LEMZ R&P Corporation LFV Aviation Consulting AB Micro Nav Ltd The MITRE Corporation – CAASD MovingDot New Mexico State University Physical Science Lab NLR Northrop Grumman NTT Data Corporation Project Boost Quintiq Rockwell Collins, Inc. Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG RTCA, Inc. Saab AB Saab Sensis Corporation Saudi Arabian Airlines SENASA SITA Snowflake Software Ltd STR-SpeechTech Ltd. TASC, Inc. Tetra Tech AMT Washington Consulting Group WIDE

Correct as of 14 August 2013. For the most up-to-date list and organisation profiles go to www.canso.org/cansomembers

34 QUARTER 3 2013

AIRSPACE

The World of ATM Returns to Madrid 4 – 6 March 2014

MADRID

www.worldatmcongress.org AIRSPACE

QUARTER 3 2013 35

imagine the future of ATM fewer delays, better performance, lower emissions.

Airbus ProSky is committed to shaping the future of global Air Traffic Management, working side-by-side with ANSPs, airports and airlines to build a truly collaborative system with greater capacity, efficiency and sustainability for all stakeholders. Together, with our portfolio of intelligent ATM solutions, air traffic flow management, performancebased navigation, surface management and groundbreaking research and development capabilities, that future begins today.

www.AirbusProSky.com

tomorrow’s sky, today.

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