Overview
In the context of the ECARDA framework (European Coherent Approach for RTD in Air Traffic Management), EUROCONTROL the organisation of 28 member states committed to the safety of air navigation is developing future concepts for ATM (Air Traffic Management) implementation in Europe from the year 2005. This has highlighted the need to assess the interfaces to neighbouring air traffic regions, since compatibility of different ATM systems is essential to improve the safety, capacity, reliability and quality of air transport.
ABEAM aimed to assess interface effects for the future EATMS (European Air Traffic Management System) implementation area and to identify possible technical and operational solutions to any problem discovered.
The main objectives of ABEAM were:
- to make recommendations on how to mitigate interface effects at the borders of the ECAC (European Civil Aviation Conference) area when applying the Target Operational Concept of EATMS;
- to identify problems related to the traffic exchange between ICAO/EUR (International Civil Aviation Organisation/Europe) and adjacent regions;
- to address the verification of the consistency, between EATMS concepts and ICAO regional plans.
Funding
Results
ABEAM has produced:
- A set of region-specific recommendations on how to mitigate discovered interface effects. The regions covered were NAT (North Atlantic), AFI (African and Indian Ocean), MID (Middle East) and for Europe the non-ECAC countries.
- General recommendations on how to involve non-ECAC States in further development and implementation processes, e.g. by:
- holding meetings for knowledge exchange and staff training;
- by co-operation in the planning of common route structures;
- by common selection of navigation aids;
- by promoting civil/military agreements on the co-ordinated use of air space;
- by general attempts to improve information management.
- Proposals on how to improve collaboration in decision making and IFPS (Initial Flight Plan Processing System) issues.
Policy implications
The study's achievements are an important constituent in the overall ECARDA framework of developments towards the future European Air Traffic Management System.