Strong industry partnerships, dynamic airspace and innovation unlock ATM efficiencies in Europe
Janusz Janiszewski, President of PANSA, explains how the Polish ANSP contributes to enhanced capacity in Europe.
Every day PANSA ensures the safety of passengers in more than 2,500 flights over Poland. Our airspace is one of the biggest in Europe: over 334,000 km2. In 2018, almost a million overflights, approaches, take-offs and landings were managed by over 570 Polish ATCOs. This represented a significant 10% growth in air traffic compared to the European average of 3.8%. During this time, PANSA guaranteed the highest level of efficient and cost-effective service, keeping delays to the minimum, through a combination of strong industry collaboration and innovative operational measures.
In PANSA we are aware of our role in addressing capacity issues in Europe. We believe that only the common work of all stakeholders can bring optimum solutions and ensure we are fit for the future. As a result we are committed to working hard with our colleagues, other European ANSPs and aviation industry partners. Our customers, and the flying public they serve, want a quality-price balance, safety, efficiency and effectiveness and flexibility – and we are aiming for exactly that.
To enhance air traffic management (ATM) in Europe, PANSA has been continuously working on increasing capacity by introducing a number of initiatives, in addition to those proposed in the Joint Enhanced Network Manager and ANSPs Summer 2019 Measures.
Airspace design
Effective airspace design is critical in improving ATM efficiency. To this end, our airspace has been re-sectorised by implementing a multilayer vertical split and additional sectors in the lower airspace to accommodate more traffic. In February, Free Route Airspace was also officially implemented in the Polish airspace (POLFRA: 24/7 above FL095). The next step is to expand it into cross-border implementations with neighbouring FIRs. Benefits not only include improved routing efficiency but also a reduction of CO2 emissions.
In addition, we are participating in a Dynamic Airspace Configuration (DAC) concept. This allows for sector design and dynamic sector configuration based on predicted traffic.
Together, these airspace initiatives allows for flexible capacity, enabling safer, faster, more efficient flights and increasingly economical movements.
Technological advances
PANSA is keen on the constant modernisation of its technologies to provide the most efficient service for airspace users. From upgrading our ATM system to optimise ATCO efficiency, to implementing Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC)[1] [link doesn’t work] to reduce the possibility of misunderstandings between pilots and ATCOs and manage workload in peak hours.
PANSA has also created in-house solutions that assist in handling traffic smoothly. Our Common Airspace Tool (CAT) ensures efficient airspace management by real-time data flow between all civil and military partners, PANSA UTM supports the planning and management of drone flights, while PANDORA supports us with wide spectrum of a real time aviation data, raising situational awareness. PANSA is now also implementing a Traffic Complexity Tool to provide automated and dynamic traffic forecasting, sectorisation and rostering.
Industry partnerships
Collaborative working and partnerships are the foundation to effective ATM optimisation – both on a practical and strategic level. For example, this year we implemented airport collaborative decision-making (A-CDM) at the biggest Polish airport – Warsaw Chopin. This enhanced the effectiveness of collaboration between ATC and other aviation stakeholders in managing air traffic and improved traffic flow.
In addition, PANSA has worked together with IATA, to develop the first edition of Airspace Strategy for Poland. This outlines our plan to address emerging issues and meet customer needs. It is also supporting the creation of NaviHub, an ATM research and development centre aiming at Europe-wide cooperation on innovation. PANSA is also a member of the iTEC Collaboration – one of the major alliances of ANSPs and manufacturing industry facilitating the common development of innovative ATM solutions.
Future-proofing ATM
The measures and initiatives we have put in place and are developing are helping us to successfully address rising airspace demand but they are only the beginning. We will strive to continuously work towards safer, environmental-friendly and seamless European sky, continuing to innovate and share best practice, and to work in close partnership with the industry.
To read more about the measures PANSA has taken to create capacity in Europe, please download the factsheet.
