Introduction to ATFCM

Air Navigation Services

(ANS)

Communication, Aeronautical
Air Traffic Search and
Navigation, Meteorological Services
Management Rescue
Surveillance Services (MET) (AIS)
(ATM) (SAR)
(CNS)

Air Traffic Flow

AirSpace Air Traffic
and Capacity
Management Services
Management
(ASM) (ATS)
(ATFCM)

Flight
Air Traffic
Information Alerting Services
Control
Services (FIS)
(ATC)
(FIS)

Approach
Aerodrome Area Control
Control
Control (tower) (en-route)
(terminal)
(TWR) (ACC)
(APP)
 Air Traffic Flow and Capacity
Management (ATFCM).
A service established with the objective of
contributing to a safe, orderly and
expeditious flow of air traffic by ensuring that
ATC capacity is utilized to the maximum
extent possible, and that
the traffic volume (demand) is compatible
with the capacities declared by the
appropriate ATS authority.
 ATFCM Objectives
• SAFETY IN ATC
– Avoid exceeding the hourly capacity of ATC Units (sectors,
points, arrival and departure aerodromes).
• FLUIDITY OF THE TRAFFIC
– Assure a regular distribution of traffic.
• OPTIMISATION OF THE ATC CAPACITY & FLEXIBILITY
– Minimise delays, utilise the airspace by means of rerouteings,
manage ATC sectorisation as a function of demand.
– Flexible use of Airspace (FUA).
• EQUITY BETWEEN FLIGHTS
– The principle "first planned/first served".
• INFORMATION FOR USERS
– The users know in advance the regulations in force, the reason
for delays and the system is transparent.
© EUROCONTROL1996 - Central Flow Management Unit
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The Network Manager
 ATM Structure in Europe
41 European States
450 Sectors & 64 en-route centres
560 Airports
One single 250 Aircraft Operators

Flow Management 84 FMPs

System over
Europe 466 Staff
+ 3,500 Connected end-users
Peaks + 30,000 Flights a day
+ 9,000,000 Flights a year

© EUROCONTROL1997 - Central Flow Management

Unit
 Network Manager role
(SES II Network Function Regulation)

• Monitor, report and forecast the performance of the

European ATM network based on the agreed
performance targets;
• Act as a central unit for air traffic flow management
across Europe;
• Ensure the European airspace can accommodate the
additional capacity needs and seamlessly integrate
airports into the network;
• Give Member States and partners access to common
resources;
• Support the deployment of technological improvements
across the European ATM network.
• Development, maintenance and implementation of the
Network Strategy Plan.
 NM main functions
To ensure safety and efficiency of all flights, by
facilitating the management of the network
• Checking compliance of flight plans with ATM rules.
• Assessing the impact of the expected traffic demand on
the ATM capacity.
• Reconciling demand and capacity by applying
rerouteings, flight level capping and delayed take-off times
(CTOT).
• Providing a common pan-European overview of short-
term situation.
• Coordinating response to unexpected events.
• Providing the necessary support to all partners.
• Ensuring the oversight of the European AIS Database.
 Main Actors in the ATFCM
process:
• Aircraft Operators (AOs)
• Flow Management Positions (FMPs)
• Air Traffic Services Reporting Offices
(AROs)
• aerodrome and en-route ATS Units
operating within the NM Area of Operation.
 NM Services
Partners

Air Traffic Flow

Initial Flight
& Capacity
Planning
Management
IFPUs
(ATFCM)

Airspace Data EAD & Aeronautical

Management Information

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 ATFCM Phases
ATFCM consists of 4 phases:
• Strategic Flow Management (… , D-7]
– Output: Network Operations Plan (NOP)
• Pre-Tactical Flow Management [D-6,D-1]
– Output: ATFCM Daily Plan (ADP)
• Tactical Flow Management [D]
• Post Operational Analysis [D+]
 ATFM (Flow Management) Continuous Process

1 1 week real-time
year

Traffic Strategic Flow & Capacity Planning

Forecast Real-Time
Harmonised Planning Optimised Capacity Management Operations
considering :
- Traffic Demand Optimised Daily Tactical Flow & - ATC
Resources - Airspace Structure Plan Capacity Management
- ATC Capabilities
- ASM
- Airspace and
- Airport Capabilities anticipation of Reaction to real-time
events to minimise
- Airport
- ATC events in order to disruptions impact
maintain the - AOs
- Airport and/or to take benefit
network stability. of opportunities.

Feedback Feedback
Feedback
Feedback

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 ATFCM Coordination - FMPs
IS FI

 CFMU States
 Cooperating States NO SE
RU
+ EE
AO Organisations LV
DK
 IACA IE
LT
BY
KZ

 IATA GB NL

 EBAA BE DE
PL
UA

 IAOPA
LU
CZ
SK
HU MD
FR CH AT
RO GE AZ
SI
AM
HR
MC
ES BA CS BG IR
PT IT
MK
AL TR
GR
SY IQ
LB
CY
DZ TN MT
MA IL
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Flow management position - FMP
FMP positions at Swanwick
 Operational Structure with NM
Flight Plans Flight Plans

Aircraft
Slots / Rerouteing
Sectorisation Air Traffic
Operators Capacities
ATFM Situation Control
(AOs) Awareness
ATFCM Measures (ATC)
Actual Situation
NM
Situation FMPs

OPERATIONS Awareness

Actual situation

Airports Airspace

Departure Airspace / Route Military

Planning Availabilities Cell

(AMC)
 OBJECTIVES OF IFPS

 The objectives of the Integrated Initial Flight Plan

Processing System (IFPS) are :

 To rationalise reception, initial processing and

distribution of flight plan data for the ECAC area.

 To provide ATC Units with flight plan data that can

be automatically processed.

 To provide the ETFMS with a copy of the flight plan

data.
OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF ATFM ACTIVITIES

• PLANNING • MONITORING
– Analysis of Demand / – Short-term ATC deviations
Capacity relationship
• Load variations
– Rerouteing scenarios
• Capacity variations
– Slot Allocation scenarios
– Decisions - ANM (ATFCM
Notification Message)
– CASA Monitoring
• EXECUTIVE
• Delays
– Slot allocation
• Bunching
– Individual rerouteing
• Equity
– Ad-hoc rerouteings of
flows • Unused slots
– Slot updates
 TRAFFIC DEMAND & CAPACITY

© EUROCONTROL1996 - Central Flow Management Unit

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 REGULATED DEMAND

© EUROCONTROL1996 - Central Flow Management Unit

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CASA SLOT ALLOCATION PRINCIPLES
• CENTRALISED

– Centralised management of interdependent regulations by

CASA.

• PASSIVE SLOT ALLOCATION

– Slot Request is unnecessary as Flight Plan submission

plays this role.

• FIRST PLANNED – FIRST SERVED

– Flights sequenced in the same order they would have

arrived at the airspace in the absence of any restriction

• FULLY AUTOMATED - CASA

– Computer Assisted Slot Allocation (CASA)

© EUROCONTROL1996 - Central Flow Management Unit
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SLOT ALLOCATION
 CASA SLOT ALLOCATION PRINCIPLES [2]
10'
TAXITIME

EOBT 1200 REGULATED AREA

(Estimated Off-Block Time) FPL BEFORE 0900
1300/1600
ETOT 1210 1400
(Estimated Take-Off Time) (Estimated Time Over)

CTO 20' delay

1420

CTOT CTO
1230 1420
(Calculated Take-Off Time) (Calculated Time Over)

SLOT ISSUED AT 1000 (SAM) : CTOT = EOBT + TAXITIME + DELAY

 COMPUTER ASSISTED SLOT ALLOCATION
ETOT 0700 (CASA) ETOT 0615
 F1 
CTOT 0700 F4
ETO 1000 ETO 1015 CTOT 0636

CTO 1000 REGULATED CTO 1036

ETOT 0905 ETO 1005 AREA

 F2 ETO 1020
ETOT 0820
CTOT 0912 CTO 1012

CTO 1048 F5
ETO 1007 CTOT 0848
CTO 1024
ETOT 0807
 F3 Global Rate 5 per hour
CTOT 0824
EOBT ETOT ETO CTO DELAY CTO SIT1
 F1 T
0650 0700 1000 1000 0000 0700 0450
 F2 0900 0905 1005 1012 0007 0912 0700
 F3 0800 0807 1007 1024 0017 0824 0600
 F4 0600 0615 1015 1036 0021 0636 0400
 F5 0800 0820 1020 1048 0028 0848 0600
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 NM Areas
• The FPM Distribution Area (FPM DIST) is the area in which IFPS is
responsible for the distribution of flight plans and associated
messages.
• The ATFCM Area is the area in which the NM is responsible for the
provision of ATFCM.
• The NM provides limited ATFCM services to some FIRs which are
geographically adjacent to the ATFCM Area. These FIRs, which are
collectively referred to as the ATFCM Adjacent Area, have a letter
of agreement which details the service level provision.
• Additionally, the FMPs of these FIRs may request to apply ATFCM
measures for the airports within the FIR or for significant points at
the interface between the FIR and the ATFCM Area.
• The NM may apply ATFCM measures to flights which:
– Depart from within the ATFCM area.
– Enter the ATFCM area after departing from an adjacent
Flight Information Region (FIR) within the ATFCM Adjacent
Area.
 CTOT?
RJAA - LIMC
EDDM - LFPG
DTTA - EDDF
DTTA - OEJN