Air Traffic Management

Would you like to know what is the real-time status of the European air traffic network? The delay situation or the events that are affecting the network? Then why not go to Eurocontrol’s Network Operations Portal: https://www.cfmu.eurocontrol.int/PUBPORTAL/gateway/spec/index.html

This portal is made up of a number of portlets each giving a distinct piece of information ranging from a map illustrating the network situation to flight and delay situation graphs, to lists of events that will affect the network, to headline news on the subject. A number of other links will lead you to other resources such as the European AIS Database [EAD] or to Eurocontrol’s e-conferencing tool [which only allows authorised access]

Using the tabs towards the upper part of the screen, one can move from the real time situation [tactical tab] to what will happen in a few hours time [pre-tactical] to the plans and expectations in the future [strategic]. One can also see what happened at a given point in history by accessing the post-operations tab.

There are two versions of the NOP, a public version, to which I provided the link, and a restricted version for air traffic management stakeholder usage [e.g. air traffic flow management cells, control centres, airlines, airport operators, military users, etc.

Apart from providing a wealth of information, the NOP provides a transparency of the European air traffic situation that very few other industries do in fact show. This shows clearly the ambition of the industry to keep improving its performance in a collaborative way.<-->

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As I am writing, 47 days are left before the flight adherence days take place.

The flight adherence days are a European trial that will take place across Europe on the 29^th and 30^th of September 2010. This initiative means that all flights will adhere to the planned cruising level for any portion of the flight as recorded on Field 15 of their flight plan.

The effect this will have on the network will be studied in comparison with the usual situation. The benefits will be considered and will help to think about further ways on how to improve the network performance.

There is a web site dedicated to this initiative which is very interactive and which answers to a number of very interesting and frequently asked questions like whether a controller can still give direct routes during the trials [find out the answer yourself by going to this link: http://www.adherencedays.com/ ]

I close with the rules of the trial:

“Pilots and ATC should not request/allocate an alternative level except in the event of an emergency, weather avoidance or to achieve separation.”

So for the success of this initiative, let us hope that these days will not be characterised by generalised thunderstorm or clear air turbulence

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