TECHNOLOGY
implemented across the NAT region later in
2019. In total, across RP3, NATS expects the
ADS-B programme to enable average
customer fuel reductions of between 406kg
and 649kg per flight, with
corresponding reductions
of up to two tonnes of
CO2 per flight.
Early results
With 125 trial
days elapsed,
early results
are very
impressive.
With traffic
2.2% higher
than 2018
(and 1956
additional
flights in 2019),
the proportion of
traffic assigned it’s
requested trajectory
increased by six points
(from 60% to 66%), enabling
around 2934 fewer flights to be assigned a
different level from that requested, the
majority of which were previously cleared
2000 or more lower than requested.
Additionally, 2300 fewer flights were
re-routed from their assigned route and 108
fewer flights had their speed changed.
Significantly, with only 107 days of NATS’
speed trial elapsed, 31,689 additional flights,
around one third of all eastbound flights,
were instructed to “Resume Normal Speed”
for a total duration of 1.65 million minutes,
an impressive service from a dedicated and
38 AIR TRAFFIC TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 2020
committed oceanic team at
Prestwick. This is an
important step as it puts
flexibility and fuel
efficiency back in the
hands of the
customers, the
airlines, while
also opening up
the option to
one day ‘stream’
aircraft into
busy airports
from further out,
in order to reduce
the amount of
stack holding
on arrival.
Future vision
NATS vision for the future
aligns closely with the NAT Service
Development Roadmap, itself not mandated
by but closely aligned with the SESAR and
NextGen service development programmes.
TELSTAR’s delivery of ASEPS, and in
particular the increase in network capacity, is
therefore a key enabler for a number of
progressive and beneficial future steps by
removing a number of flight planning
constraints that have existed for decades.
Above: The Iridum Next satellite has a wingspan of 9.4m
Left: Aireon’s hosted payload network is carried on the Iridium
Next constellation
These include the progressive
de-structuring of Shanwick’s airspace,
including the regression, and ultimate
removal, of the NAT Organised Track System
(NAT OTS) enabling access to this airspace
by all flights (not just those operating along
its entire length), bringing shorter flight
times and reduced fuel use for airlines. As
well as the removal of routine fixed assigned
speeds, and the end of oceanic clearances.
These changes pave the way for greater
integration of operations, enabling greater
arrival management flexibility into busy
airspace and airports such as the London
Terminal Control Area andHeathrow.
The progressive migration of oceanic
systems, from the ground to satellites, will
continue to transform how services are
delivered for many years to come. With
traffic levels within the North Atlantic, the
world’s busiest oceanic airspace, handling
close to 1800 flights on a busy day (and
growing), the need for airspace to be safer,
more fuel efficient and more predictable for
airlines and controllers alike can now be met
with this transformational technology and
CONOPs, enabling NATS oceanic operations
to demonstrate to other programmes
worldwide that transformational change isn’t
just possible, it’s happening today. v
The progressive migration of oceanic systems, from
the ground to satellites, will continue to transform
how services are delivered for many years to come