Traffic Management
European airspace is one of the busiest in the world. Traffic forecasts predict an annual growth rate of up to 2.7%. In order to meet the needs of airspace users, Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) manage capacity to ensure a safe and efficient traffic flow. In addition, the high market share of low-cost carriers influences the cost pressure on airlines and air navigation service providers. As a result, studies on productivity and cost efficiency of European air navigation services have gained increasing attention recently.
Due to the historical development of Air Traffic Control, currently 38 independent Air Navigation Service Providers are covering the European airspace, coordinated by EUROCONTROL. This fragmentation is often considered to be one major reason for perceived inefficiencies of the current system. As part of the Single European Sky (SES) concept, the Functional Airspace Block (FAB) approach was developed and introduced in order to efficiently restructure the segregated European airspace.
The airspace and its structure have a significant influence on the capacity and thus on the performance of the ATM system. IFL is investigating potential drivers and inhibitors of performance and deriving alternative operating concepts. The analyses comprise both an operational and an economic evaluation. The mission is to develop a dynamic adaptation of structures to the demand of airspace users. This "Flight-Centered ATM" approach represents a paradigm shift in which traffic flow no longer follows the airspace structure, but spatial boundaries are formed according to demand.
Current research projects
Further research
- Dynamic sectorization
- Endogenous and exogenous influences on performance
- Operational and economic heterogeneity and its consequences
- Disaggregated efficiency analysis at ACC and sector level (in cooperation with FABEC Performance Management Group)
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Volatility, Airspace complexity, Efficiency rating, Forecasting quality, Level of Service