BOBASIO 3-WP/09 22-24/10/2013 The Third ATS Coordination Meeting of Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean (BOBASIO) Region Hyderabad, India, 22 nd to 24 th October 2013. Agenda Item 7: Green Initiatives by BOBASIO States Establishment of Arabian Sea Indian Ocean User Preferred Routes Geographic Zone (Presented by Airports Authority of India, Chair ASIOACG) SUMMARY This paper presents a case wherein the success of informal regional ATS Coordination Group (ASIOACG) and INSPIRE, shows that collaboration among the member ANSPs for implementing Global Best Practices of User Preferred Routings that has large potential of saving millions of tons of and carbon emission. This paper relates to Strategic Objectives: C: Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development of Air Transport Foster harmonized and economically viable development of international civil aviation that does not unduly harm the environment Global Plan Initiatives: GPI-1 Flexible use of airspace GPI-5 RNAV and RNP (Performance-based navigation) GPI-6 Air traffic flow management GPI-8 Collaborative airspace design and management GPI-17 Data link applications GPI-18 Aeronautical information 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Arabian Sea Indian Ocean User Preferred Routes Geographic Zone (ASIO UPR Geo Zone) has been jointly established by the member States of ASIOACG and INSPIRE. 1.2 INSPIRE- The Indian Ocean Strategic Partnership to Reduce Emission is a collaborative network of partners and peer organizations across the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea Region dedicated to improving the efficiency and sustainability of aviation. The founding partners of INSPIRE are Airservices Australia, Air Traffic and Navigation Services South Africa and Airports Authority of India. 1.3 ASIOACG is the Arabian Sea Indian Ocean ATS Coordination Group of ASNPs and Airlines. As of today besides the INSPIRE founding Partners the ANSPs of Sri Lanka,
Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sultanate of Oman, Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS) and the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority (UAE GCAC) participate and contribute as peer organizations in the activities of INSPIRE. 1.4 The ten participating Airlines in INSPIRE activities are Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, Cathay Pacific Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, South African Airways Qantas and Virgin Australia. Air India has been invited to participate in INSPIRE programme for their Delhi- Sydney/Melbourne flight. 1.5 IATA through their offices in Delhi, Johannesburg and Singapore proactively participate in the INSPIRE meetings and activities in identifying and supporting the initiatives for reducing emissions. IATA also provides valuable support by functioning as vital link for coordination between ANSPs and Airlines and arranging the teleconferences as and when required by INSPIRE. 1.6 On behalf of INPSIRE, the Airport Authority of India manages the INPSIRE website www.inspire-green.com wherein details of the activities undertaken by INSPIRE are communicated to global community. 2. DISCUSSION 2.1 The ICAO 12 th Air Navigation Conference, Montreal 2012 praised INSPIRE as a success that can be adopted as a model in other parts of the world where feasible. 2.2 The third combined meeting of ASIOACG 7/INSPIRE 3, in Mumbai 2012 decided to promulgate ASIO UPR Geo Zone. Of the two options, one to promulgate whole ASIO UPR Geo Zone through ICAO and other through individual promulgations by states, the ASIOACG member states decided to promulgate the portions of airspace forming part of ASIO UPR Geo Zone, under their control for their own FIR, through individual AIP Supplements under AIRAC system. Refer 1 below. 2.3 The AIP Supplements issued by the ANSPs of Australia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, ASECNA Madagascar, South Africa, Kenya and India (total 9) have been published. 2.4 A User Preferred Route (UPR) during the oceanic phase of flight is defined as a lateral profile developed for each individual flight by the flight operator. These lateral profiles are customized in order to meet the specific needs of the aircraft operator for that flight, such as fuel optimization, cost-index performance, or specific mission requirements. 2
2.5 Typically a UPR will be calculated by an aircraft operator s flight dispatch based on factors such as forecasted winds, aircraft type and performance, convective weather and scheduling requirements. 2.6 UPR s are a favored enhancement to oceanic operations where air traffic control (ATC) limitations previously required that aircraft fly on fixed air traffic service (ATS) routes, or published flexible track systems. This enhancement is directly attributable to the implementation of ground and airborne improvements such as automated conflict prediction, conformance monitoring and automatic dependent surveillance (ADS). 2.7 When UPR s are created based on fuel optimization considerations, the corresponding savings in greenhouse gas emissions can be substantial. 3. UPR PROCEDURES 3.1 General 3.1.1 INSPIRE airline partners that have received prior approval from INSPIRE, may use the following procedures within the Notified FIR in Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. With effect from 17 th October 2013, entry into UPR Geo Zone and flying UPRs therein is open to all, albeit with prior permission. 3.1.2 A few ANSPs have promulgated that UPR s must be constructed via published waypoints, navigation aids, or positions identified in latitude and longitude described in degrees and minutes on the UPR Geographical Zone Boundary as applicable for their FIR. 3.1.3 Accordingly UPR flights must enter or exit the concerned FIR via published waypoints or navigation aid or position identified in latitude and longitude as described in AIP SUP for respective FIR. India has not imposed any such restrictions. In Mumbai FIR, flex tracks have been promulgated. Refer exhibit 2 below. 3.1.4 UPRs may include air routes. 3.2 ACCESS TO UPR Geographic Zone 3.2.1 Airspace users may only flight plan a User Preferred Route (UPR) Geographic Zone if they meet the following minimum criteria: RNP 10, and ADS-C/CPDLC equipped. Note: The minimum criteria listed above must be notified in the Flight Plan. 3.2.2 Suspension of UPR Operations. In the event of a contingency situation, the UPR Operations shall be suspended. 3
4. UPR OPERATIONS 4.1 As of now, on an average 200+ weekly flights are authorised to fly UPRs. The UPR Zone is estimated to reduce CO 2 emissions in excess of 10,000 Tons by saving about 3000+ Tons of fuel per year. 5 ACTION BY THE MEETING 5.1 The meeting is: a) invited to note the success of ASIOACG/INSPIRE model of informal regional cooperation among states and collaboration with IATA and international airlines. b) encouraged to participate in the proceedings of ASIOACG/INSPIRE Exhibit 1. Arabian Sea Indian Ocean User Preferred Geographic Zone 4
Note: Displayed boundaries of the Indian Ocean UPR Geographic Zone are indicative only. For specific, definitions of boundaries within each individual FIR see relevant AIP Supplements issued by respective States. Exhibit 2. Mumbai FIR Flex tracks for INSPIRE flights 5