Starting us off this week, the EUROCONTROL Network Manager (NM) and Portugal’s air navigation service provider NAV Portugal have closely cooperated to implement Thales’ TopSky, a modern air traffic control automation system enabling the ANSP to control its en-route, approach and oceanic traffic. A remarkable success story in terms of fast and efficient implementation, the new system has been fully integrated since the end of November, providing operational staff with innovative tools to handle air traffic safely and efficiently, while minimising environmental impacts.
Next up, the government of Spain has authorised the expansion of the ENAIRE Control Centre Complex. The Council of Ministers, at the suggestion of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda (Mitma), authorised the tendering of a works contract to expand the Enaire Air Traffic Control Center in Madrid, with an estimated budget of 23.12 million euros (without VAT). The works are expected to last 24 months, with the remodelling completed in 2025.
In other news, SESAR partners in The Netherlands have successfully carried out flight trials demonstrating a solution to enable aircraft approaching airports to fly fixed routes in continuous descent. Trialled within the context of SESAR’s Integrated TMA, Airport and Runway Operations (ITARO) very large-scale demonstration, the solution is expected to help improve the efficiency and sustainability of aircraft as they approach busy airports.
Finally, what are our expectations for air traffic management in 2023? Over on our blog, we've used some educated guesswork to make predictions about what 2023 could have for the ATM industry. We'll check back at the end of the year to see how close we got!
ANSP news
- Making Portugal’s air traffic management more efficient and sustainable: NAV Portugal introduces TopSky - EUROCONTROL - The EUROCONTROL Network Manager (NM) and Portugal’s air navigation service provider NAV Portugal have closely cooperated to implement Thales’ TopSky, a modern air traffic control automation system enabling the ANSP to control its en-route, approach and oceanic traffic.
- Highlands and Islands Airports Limited annual report for 2021/2022 - HIAL’s annual report for 2021/2022We have published our annual reports for 2021/2022 – a period which saw the airline industry beginning to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic that had curtailed travel for the previous two years.
- Spain government authorises expansion of ENAIRE Control Centre Complex - Spain government authorise the expansion of the ENAIRE Control Centre Complex in Madrid for 23 million euros
- A meeting between BHANSA and BHDCA | BHANSA - Bosnia and Herzegovina air navigation services agency - The meeting was organized within the framework of regular cooperation and coordination of activities with a special emphasis on the implementation of Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/373 of March 1st 2017 on establishing common requirements for air traffic management service providers / air navigation service providers and other network functions for air traffic management and for their supervision. Satisfaction has been expressed due to holding a workshop for airspace users, which was organized in cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina Air Traffic Management Committee in Sarajevo, on March 26th 2022. The workshop discussed among other things, activities to improve the state of flight safety in the field of general and sports aviation in BiH and the use of drones.
- Traffic Segregation Concepts - Knowledge and Development Centre Mainport Schiphol - A new report has been published on traffic segregation concepts. In the current Schiphol operation, during a departure peak (two runways in use for departures), departing traffic is segregated based on their departure sector and therefore destination. The primary departure runways operate traffic to sectors 1, 4 and 5 while secondary runways operate traffic to sectors 2 and 3.
- New EUROCONTROL Analysis Paper 2022 – The year European aviation bounced back - 2022 was the year European aviation weathered the storm, with the year closing on 9.3 million flights: 3.1 million more than last year, even if still 1.8 million fewer than 2019. That represents a solid 83% of 2019 traffic, achieved despite the Omicron spike at the start of the year, and the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, which continues to have huge socioeconomic impacts on all aspects of the European economy including aviation. In spite of these twin shocks, however, traffic steadily recovered to 86% of 2019 by May, with similar monthly traffic levels ever since.
Context information
- Most fatal accidents in 2022 have known mitigations from past accidents - To70 - With increasing worldwide attention on decarbonizing the aviation sector, helicopter operations must also be included and prepare themselves for the future. The newest models which will deliver greater efficiency by reducing flight time (and therefore emissions) thanks to their highly efficient turboprop performance.
Research and innovation
- SESAR partners trial solution to make air traffic near airports smoother and more sustainable - SESAR partners in The Netherlands successfully carried out flight trials demonstrating a solution to enable aircraft approaching airports to fly fixed routes in continuous descent. Trialled within the context of SESAR’s Integrated TMA, Airport and Runway Operations (ITARO) very large-scale demonstration, the solution is expected to help improve the efficiency and sustainability of aircraft as they approach busy airports.
UAV and UTM
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- EASA publishes first acceptable means of compliance and guidance material for U-space regulation - Unmanned airspace - The published document is the outcome of a collaboration led by EASA involving more than 30 experts and representatives of civil aviation authorities and industry. The AMC/GM for the U-space regulatory framework have been developed taking account of the latest developments from industry and U-space stakeholders and represent the state-of-the-art of the U-space concept, systems and technology. The AMC/GM comprehensively address the numerous aspects and actors of the U-space regulation, paving the way for a fair, efficient, safe, and secure implementation of U-space in Europe.
