A Free Route Airspace for Europe

Razvan BucuroiuNetwork Manager

Head of Network Strategy & Development and Operations Planning

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Free Route airspace - fully deployed in upper airspace

Efficient access to airports - high density segregated departure and arrival routes requiring PBN capabilities

Advanced flexible use of airspace - unused airspace will be made available to either civil or military users

Network operations (e.g. TTO) are integrated with local/FAB ops (e.g. AMAN/DMAN) through cooperative traffic management

Network Safety is addressed with focus on human aspects

SWIM sharing of dynamic ATM information supports the European ATM Network

Network Vision by 2020

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Free Route Airspace Readiness

• Network FRA CONOPS• Agreed in 2009 and updated in 2016

• NM systems ready

• Reproduces in the planning phase actual operations and ATC behaviors

• No major local ATM system changes – in addition to the ones anyhow foreseen

• No change to existing ATC procedures

• ASM procedures updated

• AIS publications addressed

• All aspects covered in the NM European Route Network Improvement Plan• Part 1 – Technical specifications for airspace design• Part 3 – ASM Handbook• Part 4 – RAD Manual

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Free Route Airspace2017

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Free Route Airspace2018

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Free Route Airspace2019

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Free Route Airspace2020

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Free Route Airspace2021

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Q Significant steps towards a consistent FRA cross-border implementationQ Significant and natural enabler for network harmonisationQ Natural enabler for enhanced design of the lower airspace Q Cross-border sectorisation and systems harmonisationQ By 2018

Ø 34 ACCs full FRA H24 implementation− Most of them down to TMA level/MSA/lowest FL

Ø 3 ACCs full FRA during nightØ 6 ACCs – comprehensive DCT implementation

Q Significant cross border implementations to-dateØ Borealis (NEFAB and DK/SE FAB)Ø SAXFRA (Austrocontrol/SloveniaControl)Ø SEAFRA (BHANSA/CCL/SMATSA)Ø SEENFRA (HUNGAROCONTROL/ROMATSA/BULATSA)

FRA Implementation

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Free Route Airspace Network Benefits

• By mid 2016• Daily network savings potential of approximately 30000 NM• Yearly savings - 7.5 million NM

• 45000 tons of fuel saved• Reduced emissions of 150000 tons• 37 million Euros saved per year (only fuel costs counted).

• By 2020 flying distances would be reduced year to year by approximately 4 million NMs

• Compared to the start of RP2• 84 million NMs saved • 500 000 tons of fuel saved• Reduced emissions of 1 680 000 tons• 420 million Euros.

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Free Route Airspace ANSP Benefits

• No impact on user charges • Already calculated on the Great Circle at State level

• Harmonisation of local ATM systems• Common procurement benefits

• Improved predictability • Fly your flight plan

• Workload • For most of the FRA projects NM executed Fast Time Simulations

• No impact in workload• In some instances – reduction of workload

• No issues identified in any of the ACCs operating FRA over the past 9 years• No additional bottlenecks

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Free Route Airspace SAXFRA/SEAFRA

• High level of innovation• Minimum Safe Altitude• Balcony sectorisation• ATS delegations• Consistent AIS publications• ATM system support• Comprehensive cooperation and validation work with NM