FACTS AND FIGURES Why create functinal airspace blcks? The FABEC area The partners The prgramme The bjectives FABEC gvernance The feasibility study Other FABs in Eurpe
Why functinal airspace blcks? At present, the Eurpean air traffic management system is fragmented. Air traffic cntrl in Eurpe is prvided by 36 different air navigatin service prviders. All use different technical systems and peratinal prcedures. Eurpean airspace is mainly rganised n a natinal, rather than multinatinal, basis. This leads t inefficiency, high csts and unnecessary additinal flight length fr the airlines, generating excessive gas emissins. In spite f the current ecnmic dwnturn, experts predict that air traffic in the FABEC area will cntinue t grw t reach clse t 8 millin flights/year by 2018 (cmpared t 6 millin flights in 2008). The ratinalisatin f the Eurpean netwrk must therefre take place withut delay t accmmdate the annunced traffic levels in a safe, effective, and envirnmentally friendly manner while reducing csts. This imprvement must ensure effective cperatin between civil and military users wh share the airspace. T meet the future needs and challenges f a grwing air transprt industry, the Eurpean Cmmissin launched the Single Eurpean Sky (SES), Eurpe s air traffic management ratinalisatin prgramme, in 2004. The restructuring f Eurpean airspace int functinal airspace blcks is the backbne f SES. A functinal airspace blck is a prtin f airspace extending ver several cuntries that is managed in an integrated fashin, in line with the actual needs f the airspace users. In a FAB, the prvisin f air navigatin services and related ancillary functins are ptimised and/r integrated. Air traffic flws are nt cnstrained by natinal bundaries. This leads t greater efficiency. FABs must demnstrate their verall added value n the basis f cst-benefit analyses. They will allw fr flexible frms f cperatin between air navigatin service prviders. In a FAB, States retain their respective natinal svereignty. 38 States are currently cmmitted t the SES initiative: the 27 Member States f the Eurpean Unin; the 9 cuntries that frm part f the Eurpean Cmmn Aviatin Area signed in 2005: Nrway, Iceland and the states f the frmer Yugslavia; Switzerland and Mrcc, which have signed a bilateral agreement with the EU. The first SES regulatins came int frce in April 2004, with the aim f initiating the redesigning f Eurpean Air Traffic Management (ATM) as a flexible, harmnised and seamless netwrk, independent f natinal bundaries. The secnd SES legislative package (SES II) is mre ambitius and represents a significant step frward in imprving the perfrmance f Eurpean aviatin by prviding binding targets in the key areas f safety, netwrk capacity, flight efficiency, cst-effectiveness and envirnmental sustainability. SES II reinfrces in particular the cncept f Functinal Airspace Blcks. States shuld create their respective FABs by 2012. 2
The FABEC area The Functinal Airspace Blck Eurpe Central FABEC cvers the airspace f six States (Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, the Netherlands and Switzerland) lcated in the cre f the Eurpean cntinent. This airspace is ne f the busiest and mst cmplex in the wrld. Mst f the large Eurpean airprts and majr civil and military airways are lcated in this area. Owing t its size and central psitin in Eurpe, FABEC is a crnerstne f the Single Eurpean Sky. FABEC airspace is characterised by: a cmplex and dense ATS rute netwrk; a dimensin f 1.7 millin km², equating t 9% f the surface area f the Eurpean cntinent; 6 millin flights per year (2008 figures), equating t 55% f all Eurpean air traffic; a frecast traffic grwth f 50% between 2006 and 2018, resulting in clse t 8 millin flights by 2018; abut 410 military/special areas; sme 370 cntrl sectrs; 14 air traffic cntrl centres (Brussels, Brdeaux, Brest, Marseille, Paris, Reims, Bremen, Munich, Karlsruhe, Langen, Maastricht, Amsterdam, Geneva and Zürich); sme 240 airprts perating instrument flight rules (IFR); 3 majr intercntinental hub airprts (Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt) and prximity t the Lndn airprts; ttal revenues f EUR 3,128 millin. 3
The FABEC area - Airspace density FABEC Crucial rle in the Eurpean civil air traffic netwrk The cre area f Eurpe has ne f the highest air traffic densities in the wrld and is characterised by clsely interlaced civil and military rutes. (Surce: EUROCONTROL SAAM) Traffic flws n rute netwrk - The cmplex and dense FABEC ATS rute netwrk recrds particularly dense traffic n sme rutes. The chart shws high traffic density in the central cre area and als surrunding the majr airprts in Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Brussels and Zürich. Traffic: Mre than 200 A/C 100 t 200 A/C 50 t 100 A/C 20 t 50 A/C 10 t 20 A/C 4
The FABEC area - Airspace dimensins, FIRs and UIRs 990 NM 960 NM With a ttal dimensin f 1.7 millin km 2, the FABEC airspace has a dimensin f 960 nautical miles (r 1,780 km) frm nrth t suth and 990 nautical miles (r 1,835 km) frm eastern Germany t western France. FIRS and UIRs The FABEC airspace cmprises the flight infrmatin regins (FIRs) f Bremen, Langen, Munich, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Reims, Marseille, Brdeaux, Brest, the upper infrmatin regins (UIRs) f Hannver, Rhein, Brussels, France and the FIR/UIR f Switzerland. These FIRs and UIRs cntain arund 240 airprts with instrument flight rules (IFR) peratins, sme 410 military/special areas and arund 370 cntrl sectrs. 5
The partners The FABEC prgramme is driven by civil and military partners f six States: - High-level fficials frm the Ministries f Transprt and Defence f Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, the Netherlands and Switzerland - The seven civil air navigatin service prviders designated in these cuntries: Belgcntrl, Belgium Directin des services de la Navigatins aérienne (DSNA), France DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung, Germany Administratin de la Navigatin aérienne (ANA), Luxemburg Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland (LVNL), the Netherlands EUROCONTROL Maastricht Upper Area Cntrl Centre (MUAC) skyguide, Switzerland. - The military air navigatin service prviders (skyguide (CH); DFS and the German Air Frce (D); the Ryal Netherlands Air Frce (NL); the Belgian Defence (B and LUX) and DIRCAM (FR). In additin t the six participating cuntries, the United Kingdm is als linked t FABEC as a cllabrative partner. This link testifies t the clse interactin f FABEC airspace with UK airspace, in particular with the main airprts in the Lndn area. Furthermre, FABEC will als cncentrate n ptimal cnnectivity with adjacent FABs, s that a true pan- Eurpean perspective can be taken. FABEC PERSONNEL The FABEC civil air navigatin service prviders emply a ttal f 17,700 peple - which represents 43% f the ttal persnnel emplyed Eurpewide. Of these 17,700 emplyees, 5,400 are air traffic cntrllers. (Surce: ATM Cst-Effectiveness (ACE) 2007 Benchmarking Reprt, May 2009) 6
The FABEC prgramme FABEC is a perfrmance-driven prgramme with precise targets, which are fully in line with the perfrmance targets set at Eurpean level. FABEC imprvement initiatives are als aligned with the main Eurpean develpments (e.g. SESAR). Owing t its central psitin in Eurpe, FABEC will be a majr cntributr t the verall success f the Single Eurpean Sky. The FABEC implementatin phase was launched in Nvember 2008 amng the civil and military air navigatin service prviders and the State authrities. Several expert task frces are putting tgether peratinal, technical, legal, financial and regulatry imprvements that will address the fragmentatin f the netwrk. The verarching aim f this phased implementatin is t deliver tangible benefits t the aviatin cmmunity as early as pssible and reinfrce chesin between the partners a key ingredient fr success. A first step prpsed is the redesigning f the airspace t address bttlenecks. This is scheduled t be implemented by the end f 2013. A feasibility study reprt, delivered in summer 2008, reprted that FABEC wuld imprve air traffic management perfrmance in the area. The reprt fresees that 50 per cent grwth in air traffic vlume can be handled by 2018 at the same high level f safety. In additin, delays per flight will be kept lw, and emissins will be reduced. A cst-benefit analysis shws a ptential benefit fr airspace users f EUR 7,000 millin by 2025. In Nvember 2008 the six States signed a Declaratin f Intent and the air navigatin service prviders signed a Framewrk Agreement. Frming the main institutinal framewrk fr the cnstructin and implementatin f FABEC, a FABEC Agreement will be ready fr signature in 2010, and enter int frce after its ratificatin in the different States. This is freseen fr 2012. FABEC milestnes at a glance Launch f the FABEC Feasibility Study Nvember 2006 Delivery f FABEC feasibility study July 2008 - after several mnths f detailed analyses by ver 230 experts, the FABEC feasibility study nt nly cncludes that FABEC is feasible and necessary, it als lays the grundwrk fr the implementatin phase by perfrming, t a great extent, the FABEC definitin phase. Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, the Netherlands and Switzerland sign Declaratin f Intent Nvember 2008 - the FABEC States make a frmal cmmitment t build a functinal airspace blck. Belgcntrl, DSNA, DFS, ANA, LVNL, MUAC and skyguide sign Framewrk Agreement Nvember 2008 - the civil ANSPs define the first and immediate cperatin arrangements fr the FABEC prgramme. FABEC implementatin phase launched Nvember 2008. Maintaining the psitive cperatin mmentum achieved during the study phase, the prgramme structure and management principles are agreed. The bjective is t facilitate the implementatin, as early as pssible, f gradual imprvements t the ATM framewrk. FABEC Agreement Signature freseen fr 2010; entry int frce freseen fr 2012. FABEC peratinal This is freseen fr 2012. 7
FABEC bjectives The verarching bjective f FABEC is t deliver substantial perfrmance imprvements in the air navigatin dmain. In line with the bjectives f the Single Eurpean Sky, the signatries f the FABEC Declaratin f Intent have agreed n aspiratinal gals in the fllwing key areas: Safety FABEC will make every effrt t ensure an imprved safety level. Despite the civil traffic grwth, the current abslute number f ANS-induced accidents and risk-bearing incidents will nt increase r may even decrease. Capacity FABEC shuld ffer airspace capacity t satisfy the demand fr increased civil air traffic in the range f 50% frm 2005 t 2018, taking int accunt the currently agreed delay target f max 1 min per flight as well as the military needs. Cst-effectiveness Given the expected levels f grwth, FABEC and ther Eurpean prgrammes shuld, ver the next 10 years, enable an verall reductin f a quarter in real average unit csts. On the military side, a decrease in ATM cst will be realised. Flight efficiency FABEC will significantly cntribute t increasing flight efficiency by imprving rutes, flight prfiles and distances flwn. Envirnment FABEC will cnsiderably reduce the envirnmental impact per flight by imprving rutes, flight prfiles and distances flwn, in line with brader Eurpean prgrammes. Military missin effectiveness FABEC shuld significantly cntribute t imprving military missin effectiveness by imprving training capabilities and readiness pstures, as required by the States. When military missins need t be segregated, FABEC initiatives will allw them t be realised in suitable areas while keeping reasnable distances frm the airbases. These bjectives will be translated int a set f perfrmance targets, which will be mnitred n an annual basis. The FABEC perfrmance targets will be brught int line with perfrmance targets at Eurpean level. 8
FABEC gvernance FABEC aims t federate all the actrs f the air navigatin sectr, whether they are States (Ministries f Transprt and Defence) r civil and military air navigatin service prviders. T maintain the mmentum and drive the prgramme frward the CEOs f the civil ANSPs take the lead in the key functinal dmains. A number f standing cmmittees at Directr level supprt and advise the CEOs (Standing Cmmittees fr safety, envirnment, peratins, technical matters, human resurces, finance and legal and institutinal matters). 9
The FABEC feasibility study In line with the bjectives f SES, the FABEC feasibility study, delivered in summer 2008, has demnstrated that FABEC has the ptential t d away with the current fragmentatin f the Eurpean air traffic management system and implement ntable imprvements in the key areas f safety, envirnmental sustainability, capacity, flight efficiency, cst-effectiveness and military missin effectiveness. The study cncluded that in view f the increase in traffic frecasted fr the next decade and the need t imprve flight efficiency by ffering the mst direct rutes, air traffic management in the area shuld be prvided n a crss-brder, multinatinal basis rather than natinally. It shws that withut FABEC, air traffic will be cnfrnted with majr prblems such as high delays, a decrease in flight efficiency and an increase in emissins. The feasibility study has identified a set f cperatin areas taking int accunt the cntributins frm all partners: States, civil and military ANSPs. If implemented, these initiatives will make a significant cntributin twards the gals f the Single Eurpean Sky as the airspace will increasingly becme a cntinuum fr its users. Clear benefits will be delivered and a cnsiderable step will be made twards meeting the stated perfrmance targets. The study has prven that FABEC is feasible and als necessary if future challenges are t be met in the cre area f Eurpe. The fllwing table sets ut the expected cntributin f FABEC in the key areas. In additin t these cncrete results the experts cncluded that military missin effectiveness will imprve. 10
The FABEC feasibility study Main results SITUATION IN 2018 WITHOUT FABEC (COMPARISON 2006/2018) SITUATION IN 2018 WITH FABEC (COMPARISON 2006/2018) SAFETY Safety will be maintained, but grwth will be limited. The current safety level can be maintained despite traffic grwth. CAPACITY It will nt be pssible t accmmdate the demand expected in 2018. There will be sufficient capacity t meet the expected traffic demand (50% traffic increase, reaching a ttal f 8 mill. flights/year). DELAYS 33% f flights will be delayed wing t a lack f ATC capacity. 1% f flights will be delayed. The average delay per flight will g dwn frm 17 t 6 minutes. COST EFFECTIVENESS Ecnmic cst-effectiveness will decrease wing t high delays and sub-ptimal cperatin. The target f 17% reductin f the real enrute unit cst can be met. This will amunt t a benefit f EUR 7 billin fr the airspace users by 2025. FLIGHT EFFICIENCY Withut FABEC, flight efficiency will deterirate. The direct rute extensin will amunt t 6.1% f the distance flwn. Flight length will be reduced by 17.4 Km (9.4 NM) n average. ENVIRONMENT Fuel burn and emissins will increase due t sub-ptimal flight efficiency. Direct rute extensin will result in each flight burning an extra 260 kg f fuel n average, resulting in an additinal 816 kg f CO2 and 2.5 kg f NOX being emitted per flight. Fuel burn will be reduced by 72 kg per flight, leading t a reductin f 226 kg CO2 and 0.7 kg NOX/flight. 11
Other FABs in Eurpe In recent years, the fllwing initiatives have been launched t create FABs in Eurpe: BALTIC FAB - Pland, Lithuania BLUE MED - Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Malta (Tunisia, Egypt and Albania as Assciate Partners, Kingdm f Jrdan as bserver) DANUBE FAB - Bulgaria, Rmania FAB CENTRAL EUROPE - Austria, Czech Republic, Cratia, Hungary, Slvak Republic, Slvenia, Bsnia & Herzegvina FAB EUROPE CENTRAL - France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, (United Kingdm as cllabrative partner) NUAC PROGRAMME - Denmark, Sweden NEFAB - Nrway, Finland, Estnia, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden SW PORTUGAL-SPAIN FAB - Spain, Prtugal FAB UK- IRELAND - United Kingdm, Ireland Surce: EUROCONTROL, September 2009 12