Asia-Pacific region pushes new ways to manage flights better

The Asia-Pacific region advances two new air traffic management (ATM) concepts with the signings of two Letters of Intent on the sideline of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Air Navigation World – ATM Procedures for Today event held in Singapore from 23 to 27 October 2023. These new ATM concepts will allow aircraft to take more direct and quicker routes, and enhance the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of aviation.

On 23 October 2023, ten signatories comprising the air navigation service providers (ANSPs) from China, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) signed an agreement on the Asia-Pacific Trajectory-Based Operation (TBO) Pathfinder Project, to jointly define, develop, and demonstrate TBO for the Asia-Pacific region within four years.

On the same day, five signatories comprising the ANSPs from Indonesia, New Zealand, and Singapore, CANSO, and IATA signed an agreement on the South-East Asia – Oceania Implementation of Free Route Operations (FRTO) Project, to identify applicable city pairs and flights, and validate the use of FRTO between defined cities within a year.

The two initiatives are early products of the Asia-Pacific ANSP Committee (AAC) which was set up in April 2023 to enhance collaboration between ANSPs and drive regional ATM collaboration, including in seamless ATM operations and technologies. The AAC is chaired by Mr. Han Kok Juan, Director-General, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).