Network Manager nominated by the European Commission EUROCONTROL. Network Manager Annual Report 2014

Transcription

1 Network Manager nominated by the European Commission EUROCONTROL June 2015

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3 FOREWORD BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NETWORK MANAGEMENT BOARD, SIMON HOCQUARD As Network Management Board chairman, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the 2014 Network Manager Annual Report. The Network Manager has a vitally important role within Europe s aviation industry and it is the job of the Network Management Board, as the governance body established under EU legislation to provide direction, support and challenge to the Network Manager. The last 12 months have been challenging for all of us as we have been faced with gradually increasing traffic levels, conflict zones within the European area and incidents of industrial action, all of which have in turn placed an increased pressure on the network. The Network Manager has played an important role in ensuring those challenges were met and I would like to thank Joe and his team, and my predecessor as Network Management Board Chair Massimo Garbini, for their work throughout RP1. Looking forward, we must remain conscious of the important part network performance plays in maintaining the competitiveness of the European aviation industry. The industry which the Network Manager serves faces significant ongoing challenges maximising capacity, continuing to improve safety, reducing costs and ensuring that Europe s aviation industry remains successful in an increasingly competitive global market. In light of these challenges we must not become complacent but instead evolve our work and our processes to ensure we are servicing the industry effectively. The start of RP2 represents a new era for the Network Manager, taking on a much more prominent role in the pan-european network, delivering upon its obligations as laid out in the Network Functions regulation, addressing the improvements needed in the area of Network performance and offering support to the SESAR Deployment Manager. Whilst doing this it is important that the Network Manager maintain the confidence of the industry it serves. Transparency will be crucial, alongside performance. As a Network Management Board we will also have to evolve to reflect the challenges faced and the expectations of our industry. It is our responsibility to provide the strategic direction and oversight that our industry expects of this essential function. We will increasingly focus on addressing strategic issues that face users of Europe s air traffic network and will work in concert with the Network Manager, the European Commission and Europe s aviation community to bring about real change within the network. I commend the Network Manager for their work in 2014 and look forward to working closely with them, and with all stakeholders, to ensure the Network Manager continues to deliver for Europe s aviation industry. 3

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5 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR NETWORK MANAGER, JOE SULTANA - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2014 was the last year of the first Reference Period (RP1) of the Performance Scheme. NM worked hard to respond to the numerous challenges, expected and unexpected, that this difficult year presented. NM worked with its partners to limit the consequences of the series of strikes that took place in the first half of the year. Crises in Ukraine, Syria, Libya and elsewhere created major disruption in the network, shifting traffic flows, creating additional capacity crunches and causing flight inefficiencies was also the year when traffic returned to growth, the summer seeing the highest traffic level in the last five years. En-route delay/flight in 2014 was 0.61 min/flight, which is above the target of 0.5 min/flight. The disruptions share of this figure was 0.12 min/flight. Compared with the first year of the RP1, ATFM delay decreased whereas traffic increased. NM s direct contribution to delay savings in 2014 met the 10% target without this, delay in 2014 would have been even higher. The flight efficiency (FE) indicator due to airspace design met its RP1 target. The flight efficiency indicator due to flight planning was heavily impacted by the disruptions in the network and was missed by 0.42 percentage points, although it started to recover towards the end of Airspace users appreciated the flight efficiency improvements. The route network design was constantly improved in RP1. Flight planning improvements proposed to the airlines need to be operationally and economically acceptable, which is not always consistent with the way FE targets are defined. During RP1, NM governance allowed NM to be fully established with key processes in place. There was a smooth handover of the Chairmanship of the NMB with Simon Hocquard taking over from Massimo Garbini. NM s costs are kept under control and presented in a transparent manner to our governing bodies. NM s safety activities provided valuable support to our stakeholders and identifying network risks now forms part of NM s tasks. NM s ability to play a central part in resolving a large spectrum of disruptions in the network has matured. NM demonstrated that its position as an independent actor at the centre of the network, combined with a substantial body of expertise, helped it provide an effective response to these disruptions. The Scarce Resources functions (frequency and transponder codes) were correctly managed in terms of responding to frequency requests, expanding CCAMS coverage and supporting procedures and processes. The NM system continued to evolve to support the improved operations needed to deliver its services. Major functions added in 2014 included improved free route airspace processing and short-term ATFM measures (STAM). In summary, NM successfully delivered on all its commitments in RP1 and contributed directly to the ATM network s performance. The network manager function is now firmly established as one of the pillars of European ATM. 5

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7 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NETWORK MANAGEMENT BOARD, SIMON HOCQUARD 3 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR NETWORK MANAGER, JOE SULTANA / EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 1. THE NETWORK MANAGER S EVOLUTION 8 2. GOVERNANCE MATTERS NM S ACHIEVEMENTS IN NM AREAS OF ACTION NETWORK SAFETY SCARCE RESOURCES NETWORK STRATEGY PLAN FOR CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE 23 ANNEX I GLOSSARY 26 7

8 1. THE NETWORK MANAGER S EVOLUTION The European Union established the Network Manager 1 under the Single European Sky (SES) II package. The aim was to address the difficulties of the past and respond to the request of users to have seamless European airspace, better managed at network level. This 2014 report is the third annual report produced by NM 2. NM s priority is to create the operational partnerships needed to achieve the SES performance targets for the benefit of all States included in the pan European network 3. In preparation for RP2, 2014 was the year when NM developed the new Network Strategy Plan and the Network Vision for RP2 and beyond. The new NSP was approved by the EC Decision No 4660 of 22 July NM is establishing a performance-driven Network Strategy Plan (NSP) with a Network Vision detailed through the Network Operations Plan (NOP). In order to achieve its network performance objectives, NM has fostered good cooperation with its stakeholders, established appropriate governance, and focussed on the continuous improvement of network operations through proactive NM activity. The Network Manager saw the renewal of its ISO9001 International Standard certification on 19 January 2015; this certification now covers the whole NM Directorate and all its activities. As the world s most widely recognized quality management standard, the ISO9001 Certification both informs and underpins our way of delivering on performance and providing consistent service, both of which are at the heart of NM. NM s Human Resources Policy was implemented to achieve the business objectives by improving the knowledge, skills and capabilities of staff, harnessing their talent to help them achieve their potential. In this context, Safety and Security Awareness training has been given to NM staff. NM, which is part of the NM Directorate of the EUROCONTROL Agency, has established an HR Review Panel that meets twice a month to analyse, provide recommendations and take decisions on all HR matters related to NM. NM Staff Planning is the tool used to determine skill gaps and to identify resources needed for the NM work programme. Amendment of the NM regulation and relevant regulatory implications The NM regulation lays down the principle of the review of the effectiveness of the execution of the network functions which was carried out by the Commission during winter The review acknowledges that NM has contributed substantially to achieving network performance objectives. This review also identified areas where an amendment of the NM regulation is required to clarify and/or expand the related regulatory framework in some areas, in particular the tasks, governance and budget of the Network Manager and its relations with third countries. EU Member States favoured a two-step approach, beginning with an update which should address urgent issues but not impinge on the discussions to be held on the SES II+ proposal. The amendment of the NM regulation was completed with the publication on 12 September 2014 of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 970/2014 amending the NM regulation 677/2011. In addition to the amendment of the NM regulation, the Common Projects regulation (EU) No 409/2013 requests NM to establish cooperative arrangements with the SESAR Deployment Manager. The Pilot Common Project regulation (EU) No 716/2014 requests NM to deploy the relevant ATM functionalities so as to ensure consistency between the NSP and the Deployment Programme, as well as making use of NSP and NOP for deployment planning and monitoring. 1 Commission Regulation (EU) 677/2011 of 07 July 2011 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of air traffic management (ATM) network functions (NM regulation) 2 As requested by article 20 of NM regulation. 3 States include: EU Member States, non-eu Member States that are members of EUROCONTROL or have concluded an agreement with the Union on the implementation of the Single European Sky or are participating in a functional airspace block. 8

9 Stakeholder Cooperation SO-1 4 The Cooperative Decision Making (CDM) processes covering the main network functions were originally approved at the end of In 2014, CDM was updated to take into account: n n n n n the publication of the Performance regulation, which defines a standalone Network Performance Plan (NPP) - there are now CDM processes for the Network Strategy Plan (NSP) and the Network Performance Plan (NPP); the NM annual budget process; the NM multi-annual work programme process; the NM Annual Report; amendments to the European Route Network Design (ERND) and Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) CDM processes. NM s partnership approach is proving to be very successful, both in achieving its own goals and in helping its stakeholders improve their performance. The NM User Forum 2014 enabled Network Manager to listen to its partners, identify their expectations and understand their challenges. 272 participants from 37 countries attended the 2014 NM User Forum, the highest level of participation ever. The 2014 annual rendezvous for the aviation community concentrated on how to make the most of opportunities for increasing flight efficiency and predictability, as well as for improving operations from airport to airport. 4 The SO sign indicates which NSP s strategic objective is addressed under respective section of the report. 9

10 2. GOVERNANCE MATTERS The governance arrangements contributed greatly to the smooth functioning of NM. Throughout 2014, the Network Management Board (NMB), which is the industry-led body governing the network management functions and established in accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of the NM regulation, continually defined priorities and refined the NM s work programme so as to achieve the SES objectives. The NMB held three meetings in 2014 (March, June and November). The NMB reviewed the implementation of the Network Strategy Plan and Network and NM performance throughout Under the NMB s governance, NM was able to improve its performance in 2014, in line with the SES performance objectives. Preparation for RP2 was also high on the NMB s agenda: the new NSP was approved in March and the Network Performance Plan (NPP) for RP2 in October. It approved the updated Network Operations Plan. The NMB also helped solve network performance issues that NM escalated through the Network Directors of Operations (NDOP) forum and approved a number of recommendations from NDOP. The NMB and the NMB Budget Task Force worked closely with NM on defining, in a transparent manner, the multi-annual Work Programme and 2015 Budget, already implementing the new provisions of the revised NM regulation. Existing cooperative decision-making processes (CDM) were also refined. Mr Massimo GARBINI s mandate as NMB Chair ended in During his mandate the NMB successfully established appropriate governance arrangements for NM. The Commission s proposal of Mr Simon HOCQUARD, Operations Director Strategy in NATS was endorsed and he was appointed as the new Chair of NMB. Network Directors Operations (NDOP) played a key role in helping NM achieve its performance targets. The revision of the NM regulation recognised the role of NDOP in providing operational advice to the NMB. NDOP tackled various issues such as: n n n n n n the preparation of the summer and winter seasons; problem areas identified in the Network Operations Plan (NOP) or in the monitoring of network performance; disruptions in the network; airport and safety action plans; natural hazards and weather risk management; the endorsement of key NM deliverables. NDOP made reports and recommendations to the NMB on these topics. Throughout 2014, EUROCONTROL Teams and their substructures provided expert input and coordination. The teams are: NETOPS; Airports; AIS/SWIM; Safety; CNS Infrastructure. These teams are open to experts from all NM s stakeholders and are tasked with developing and reviewing specific technical and operational NM proposals at expert level. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has been tasked by the European Commission to carry out the oversight activities of the Network Manager on its behalf. In December 2014, EASA completed the two-year audit oversight cycle with positive results. The cooperation between the Network Manager and EASA has resulted in establishing enhanced operational and engineering procedures, and made for overall improvement of the Network functions and tasks. The new audit oversight cycle commences in January 2015 and both parties look forward to further continual improvement. In the course of 2014, EASA conducted four oversight audits (April, May, September and November) covering a wide scope of the regulatory requirements applicable to NM. To date, EASA has not identified any significant non-compliance (i.e. level I finding) with applicable requirements or organisational procedures/manuals in their continued oversight programme. In 2014, EASA issued three Letters of Acceptance for the deployment of two key NM releases and one NM SESAR Trial (NM18.0, NM18.5, STAM). NDOP s three meetings in 2014 made for NM s main operational forum for the preparation, review and implementation of mandated operational actions. The NDOP structure includes mechanisms for the direct involvement of ANSPs, military partners, airspace users and airports. 10

11 NM Budget Initially the NMB (at NMB/8 in November 2013) did not endorse the NM budget for 2014 due to concerns raised on the budget governance process (e.g. ringfencing the NM budget within the Agency budget, CDM process on annual budget preparation and approval). Nevertheless, business continuity was ensured until NMB endorsed the NM budget for 2014 at its meeting in June NM s 2014 budget received a positive opinion from the SSC at its 54th meeting on 1/2 July The amended NM regulation clarified the governing processes around the governance of the NM budget. The 2014 NM budget approved by the NMB was for MEURO. Including the overheads, the total budget for NM was MEURO. The budget covers all activities falling under the Network Management Functions 5. It excludes the activities carried out by the NM Directorate which are not covered by the Network Management Functions and parts of the Transversal activities that are conducted for the benefit of other EUROCONTROL Agency activities. The total en-route costs for 2014 were 7,707 6 MEURO. NM s budget represented 2.2% of the total en-route costs. This is below the Network Manager Performance Plan 7 (NMPP) target of 2.9%. In 2014, NM did not spend its whole budget and as a result the total spending was also below the 2.9% target defined in NMPP. The funds not spent by the NM in 2014 were used by the EUROCONTROL Agency and allocated to the financing of unpaid contributions by EUROCONTROL Member States. The preparation and presentation of the NM budget and work programme for 2015 were already aligned with the requirements of the amended NM regulation. NM and the dedicated NMB Task Force prepared the 2015 budget and the multi-annual Work Programme. The NMB approved the 2015 budget by written procedure prior to its 11th meeting in November EAD was included by the NM in its functions in In 2014, EAD was taken out. 6 The estimated 2013 Total En route of all EUROCONTROL States based on November 2013 CRCO with the September exchange rate of the year It will be updated in the next version of the report. 7 The NMPP addressed NM performance targets for the period

12 3. NM S ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2014 SO-4 SO-5 SO was another very busy and particularly challenging year for the Network Manager; nonetheless, it saw a number of significant achievements. NM s activities in 2014 focused on achieving the performance targets of the first Reference Period (RP1) of the SES Performance Scheme and on minimising the effect of disruption in the network. In 2014, NM gave high priority to those actions needed to achieve the performance targets on capacity and flight efficiency and to meet the safety objectives, while ensuring that NM s financial costs remained within the limits of 2.9% of total en-route costs. All these targets and objectives are captured in the NM Performance Plan (NMPP). Full 2014 results were presented to NMB and are part of a separate document Report on the Implementation of the NMPP and NSP. 0,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0.70% 0.63% En-route ATFM delay (min/flight) En-route ATFM delay Target 0.60% 0.53% 0.61% 0.50% NM contribution to delay savings In 2014, NM focused on: n enhancing network ATFCM operations; n improving flight efficiency; n synchronising major ATM changes; n mitigating the impact of strikes on the network performance; n improving the flexibility of capacity management in some ACCs constrained due to social tension or rigidity in the management of opening control sectors; n supporting safety improvement; n integrating airports into the network. In addition to the targets defined for the network, the NMPP defines a range of other indicators so that stakeholders understand the NM s added value for ATM network performance. The main target for NM is to reduce en-route ATFM delays by 10% below the declared plans for ,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0,0 En-route ATFM delay (min/flight) Achieved Value 2014 NM delay savings Network Capacity The main performance indicator is the en-route ATFM delay measured in minutes per flight. En-route delay/ flight in 2014 was 0.61 min/flight above the target of 0.5 min/flight. The disruptions (of which industrial actionrelated delays were the main contributor, followed by equipment failure related delays) contributed 0.12 min/ flight to this figure. Traffic also picked up consistently in 2014 (1.8% increase overall), particularly in the summer which saw the highest traffic level in the last five years. The average RP1 result for en-route ATFM delay is 0.59 min/flight, which is better than the average target delay of 0.6 min/flight. As overall en-route delay increased in 2014, NM s efforts to reduce delays increased in parallel. NM s contribution to delay savings in 2014 were calculated from accepted Re-routings Proposals (RRPs) and NMOC direct action (i.e. Force CTO/CTOT, Override Slot, Exclude/Include). NM s direct contribution to en-route ATFM delay savings in 2014 exceeded 900,000 minutes, which is equivalent to 0.09 min/flight without this, the delay in 2014 would have been 0.7 min/flight. This equates to 13.3% of the annual network delay, meeting the 10% target. Around 152,000 minutes of this reduction was achieved via direct re-routings. 12

13 Environment - Flight Efficiency NMPP defined two targets measuring the route extension from an optimum defined by the great circle distance, one due to the design of the routes and the other due to the last filed flight plan. Both key performance indicators had to achieve a reduction of 0.75 percentage points from 2009 to the end of RP1. The design indicator result in 2014 was 2.63%, meeting the 2014 and RP1 target of 2.70%. The flight plan indicator value in 2014 was 4.57%, missing the target by 0.42 percentage points. The target was missed mainly due to longer routes being planned because of: n the general crisis situation in Ukraine; n closure/avoidance of Libyan, Syrian and Iraqi airspace; n capacity shortfalls during the ATC strikes; n traffic composition; n scenarios applied due to capacity problems in the network; n special events. The indicator started to improve towards the end of 2014, reaching 4.46% in December NM developed an action plan based on the FE Initiative which describes the strategic and operational actions to be taken by the Network Manager in order to respond to the SES performance targets Achieved Value 2014 Target Value % 2.70% Route extension due to airspace design RTE-DES 4.57% 4.15% Route extension due to last filed flight plan RTE-FPL The FE Initiative provides both a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the impact of these actions on the European ATM network s performance. As part of the action plan, NM continued to make proposals to the airlines for better routes to be used in their flight planning; this delivered savings of more than 200,000 nautical miles in This will continue in RP2; an indicator for FE savings was defined in the NM performance plan (NPP) for RP2. Full coverage of the Network Performance is addressed in the Network Operations Report Published at 13

14 4. NM AREAS OF ACTION NM s duty is to consolidate and coordinate the activities of the network to continuously improve network performance. NM safeguards the general interest of the network and applies this network focus in analysing the real operational issues across the network. Its planning, operations and continuous monitoring activities are closely interconnected to ensure that network performance is achieved. Network Planning Network Operations Monitoring Results Throughout 2014, NM launched, and contributed to, a number of activities to address bottlenecks in the network and to improve overall performance. NM put a lot of effort into establishing an internal performance culture: the achievement of performance targets was prioritised and apportioned for all areas of work, operational or not. A continuous monitoring of results against targets and/or objectives triggered remedial action. NM s performance analysis identified a number of critical areas which were incorporated in the Network Operation Plan (NOP). The underlying causes for the critical areas were investigated; this triggered an Action Plan developed to further enhance the operational network s performance. NM brought together ANSPs, aircraft operators, airports and slot coordinators to help airports with limited capacity. In the safety area, NM worked on both improving its own safety maturity (safety assessment of system changes) as well as supporting ANSPs in meeting their safety objectives. NM drew on detailed planning of major ATM changes to ensure that network delay remained low. It implemented a number of action plans and mitigation measures to support stakeholders in improving capacity and allowing NM to contribute to delay reduction. NM improved its coordination mechanisms for ATC industrial action, successfully cooperating with ANSPs involved. NM gave added value to its stakeholders by optimising the management of scarce resources. SO-1 SO-4 Monitoring and reporting NM presented regular, timely and accurate reports on the overall performance of the network to NDOP and NMB throughout Results were published regularly in the Network Operations Report, the monthly and weekly bulletins that are distributed to interested stakeholders. Compliance with ATFM measures was monitored and the results published. The results are reviewed by the NM internal Performance Steering Committee, and those issues with a significant network impact trigger corrective actions (Greek Airports, Flight Efficiency, Zurich airport, Over-deliveries). The monitoring results were considered in both the planning (e.g. additional actions or critical areas) and operational phases (e.g. Playbook helped identify the high risk delay areas). The results highlighted where NM should use its pro-active stance and act when a problem occurred. Throughout 2014, post operations and performance monitoring were used to analyse the efficiency of ATFM measures and continually improve the process to ensure that NM could deliver over 10% delay savings for the network. Network Planning Operations Planning The Network Operations Plan (NOP) for the period /19 is a detailed plan that implements the Network Strategy Plan on an operational level. The NMB adopted the NOP in March Using the traffic forecasts as a basis, NOP quantified the capacity of the network, identified individual ACCs needs and provided operational performance forecasts for delivering the ATFM function. This was done in close cooperation with the ANSPs involved; they gave further input (an updated NOP was approved in June 2014). 14

15 Critical areas for the network in RP2 were identified and an Action Plan was developed to address ways of further enhancing operational network performance. Additional measures were proposed for Cyprus, France (Brest, Marseille and Reims ACCs), Greece (Athens and Makedonia ACCs), Poland, Portugal and Spain (Barcelona, Canarias, Madrid, Palma and Sevilla ACCs). The annual forecast of NOP for 2014 indicated an average en-route delay of 0.51 min/flight (excluding industrial action and technical disruption). The value achieved at the end of 2014 was 0.61min/flight. The 2014 results for staff, capacity, events and weather add up to 0.49 min/flight, which is slightly better than forecast. The difference to the 0.61 min/flight achieved was mainly due to disruptions, i.e. ATC strikes, ATC equipment failure and other disruptions, which accounted for 0.12 min/flight. Comparing individual ACCs achieved values (only capacity, staffing, events and weather reasons), higher delays than forecast were recorded at Lisbon, Athens, Reims, Barcelona, Bratislava, Warsaw ACCs. Better delays than forecast were achieved in Nicosia, Canarias, Madrid, Brest, Vienna, Milano ACCs. The effective capacity indicator decreased by 0.26% over the whole European ATM network in 2014, when compared with corresponding periods in Major ATM changes Another topic successfully addressed by NM through NOP and the Action Plan is the preparation of a transition plan for major projects. The plan was continuously updated during The latest edition was published by NM as the Transition Plan for Major Projects in Europe Winter 2014/2015. ATM system changes in Poland, France, Germany and Cyprus had a significant impact on the network in There were major airspace re-organisations in Italy and Finland. NM worked with the parties involved to minimise the delays caused by these events. Functional Airspace Blocks In 2014, NM continued to implement the action plan as agreed the previous year with NDOP and NMB. Activities were concentrated on the preparation of the RP2, with an emphasis on the preparation of RP2 FAB Performance Plans, the relationship between the FAB performance plans and the NSP, the NOP and the ERNIP (European Route Network Improvement Plan). NM s experts were involved in several FAB working groups to facilitate the development of plans and their implementation En-route Delays, Achieved vs Forecast Capacity, staffing, events and weather reasons 2,5 2,0 1,5 ER Weather ER Events ER Capacity ER Staffing (ATC) ER Capacity (ATC) NOP Forecast 1,0 0,5 0,0 LISBOA ACC/UAC ATHINAI CONTROL REIMS U/ACC BARCELONA ACC BRATISLAVA ACC WARSZAWA ACC [ ] PADOVA ACC MILANO ACC WIEN ACC BREST U/ACC MADRID ALL ACC CANARIAS ACC/FIC NICOSIA ACC 15

16 Route Network Design NM ensures that European airspace can accommodate additional capacity needs. This is the role of the European Route Network Design Function, the European Route Network Improvement Plan (ERNIP) is its main tool: it was approved by the NMB and is part of the Network Operations Plan. As part of the Flight Efficiency Plan, intensive work has been undertaken by States and ANSPs in close cooperation with NM to develop and implement enhanced airspace design solutions, with 661 airspace improvement packages being developed and implemented in the period. This helped ensure that the 2014 and RP1 flight efficiency target (route extension due to airspace design) was achieved. Free route airspace has been fully or partially implemented in 30 ACCs in Europe. SO-5 Network Operations Delivering the ATFM function operational daily delay performance is at the heart of the NM Operations Centre (NMOC). NMOC concentrates on anticipating problem areas and then providing network solutions using the CDM processes. The provision of the ATFM function has been an integral part of NM s activities for a number of years; network operations flow management procedures are mature and continue to provide benefit to the network. NM s developments ensured that the ATFCM procedures continued to evolve in 2014 and delivered the expected results. The Network Operations were constantly monitored against the 2014 network and NM s performance objectives and targets, using state-of-the-art systems and tools. For example, the Playbook process and tool ensured that operational staff focused on the achievement of performance targets at network and ACC level. The Playbook for airports and weather helps achieve NM s objectives in the NMPP. The map below presents the full results of the en-route ATFM delays (min/flight) for all the ACC within the NM area (represented by the ICAO four letter code). 16

17 SO-6 NM s operational staff carried out direct actions in tactical operations to reduce delays according to the NMPP s lines of action. This led to a reduction of 900,000 minutes of en-route delays, above the 10% of the en-route delay for 2014, so achieving the NMPP target. The equivalent for airport ATFM delays was 300,000 minutes, representing 7.3% of total airport ATFM delays. NM s internal reorganisation of the NMOC progressed during It creates new roles and functions that will focus on the management of the network drivers, i.e. the performance objectives on safety, capacity, flight efficiency and cost-effectiveness. All these new positions are now filled, following an open selection process. Training of staff will take place in 2015 and the new scheme will be fully operational in January NM worked closely with Cyprus to find ways of tackling the high delays in Nicosia ACC at the beginning of 2014 (3.6 min/flight by the end of April). The measures implemented in May helped Nicosia decrease en-route delay to 1.91 min/flight at the end of 2014, which is better than the planned value. NM will continue to support Cypriot authorities to find and implement a comprehensive solution in Airports There are no airport-related performance targets at network level in RP1. However, from a network perspective, the impact of disrupted operations at an airport can have a far-reaching impact on network performance. The focus of NM s airport activities in RP1 was to help airport stakeholders enhance airport performance and to integrate airport operations into the network. As an example, operations at Greek island airports in summer 2014 saw a huge traffic increase of 13% compared with summer Moreover, en-route traffic avoiding Ukrainian airspace was caught in en-route regulations elsewhere which disturbed the planning at airports, ultimately making for additional arrival delays. There was, therefore, an increase in airport arrival delays in 2014, reaching 224,000 minutes. This was still a lot less than 2011, although the traffic was 10% higher in In the summer, NM worked in close collaboration with the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, the Hellenic Air Navigation Service Provider and Airline Operators to ensure the effective management of airport slots, airline scheduling and to release additional airport capacity at certain airports at certain times. Without these actions, the delay situation would have been considerably worse. A key process to facilitate the integration of major airports into the network is Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM). In 2014, Oslo, Rome Fiumicino, Berlin Schönefeld, Madrid Barajas, Stuttgart, Milano Malpensa and London Gatwick fully implemented A-CDM. There were 15 airports that fully implemented A-CDM by the end of RP1 (representing 23% of NM area traffic). Seven more airports plan to implement it in The benefits of A-CDM implementation are visible at a network level, with more accurate departure information DPI - feeding into the ATFCM system run by NM. The network will be able to use available capacity more efficiently. NM is also supporting flight efficiency at airports through Continuous Descent Operations (CDO). To date, 89 airports have published Continuous Descent Operations in the relevant AIPs. Moreover, 42 airports have indicated that they have implemented CDO operations. In 2014, the focus turned towards finding a means of monitoring CDO application and identifying obstructions to wider deployment. In 2014, the European scheme for re-categorising wake turbulence separation (RECAT-EU) was completed with EASA s approval of the associated safety case. RECAT-EU has the potential of delivering peak period capacity increases of up to 8% for Europe s busiest runways. The first pilot deployment will be in 2015 at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Special Events In cooperation with the Moscow ATM Centre, NM made several improvements for information exchange on the flight departure times, flight intentions and airport slots to make for accurate visibility of the flights operated between Europe and the Russian Federation and for more efficient operations planning. These arrangements ensured that the Sochi Winter Olympics in February 2014 were managed without disruption to air traffic management network operations. Industrial Action Industrial action contributed to 13.4% of total en-route delay in 2014: 670,000 minutes of direct en-route 17

18 SO-9 SO-5 delays plus 121,000 minutes of indirect delays in the neighbouring ACCs due to on-loading traffic. Moreover, they had a significant impact on flight efficiency, as the aircraft are rerouted to avoid the affected area. For the two strike days on June 2014 alone, the losses were calculated to be some 400,000 nautical miles. The French industrial action on June, May, March and January contributed to most of the industrial action delays in Industrial action in Italy, Belgium and Portugal had less impact. During the strikes, NM held regular teleconferences with airlines and ANSPs to provide clarification and support as the situation evolved. The NMOC coordinated with all adjacent ACCs in coming up with mitigating actions, for instance: n re-routeing proposals; n the use of oceanic routes; n enhanced levels of staffing; n extra traffic accepted by neighbouring ACCs; n coordination with military stakeholders to reduce military activity throughout the strike period. A robust post-ops analysis of each strike ensured that the procedures and the measures for industrial action are updated to deliver an effective response. Network Crisis Management The European Aviation Crisis Coordination Cell (EACCC) was established to support the Network Manager in coordinating the management of the response to network crises impacting adversely on aviation, in close cooperation with corresponding structures in each State. In the summer of 2014, the Network Manager, with the active support of the EACCC, demonstrated its efficacy in the coordination of a proper response to events such as the MH17 disaster, the Ebola outbreak, the Icelandic volcano Bárðarbunga s becoming active, rocket attacks aimed at Ben Gurion airport, conflicts in Libya and Syria. NM proved that it can fulfil its role as an indispensable actor in the coordination of the management of disruption and crisis situations affecting European aviation, whether directly or indirectly. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is an emergency situation giving rise to international concern. A coordinated response is being led by the public health authorities - the World Health Organization at the global level and the European Commission (DG SANCO) at the European Union level. The aviation community, via the EACCC and the network of Aviation Crisis Management State Focal Points, played a supporting role in this coordinated response. NM/EACCC continues to participate regularly in ICAO volcanic ash exercises (VOLCEX), the latest one being held in April In August 2014, the Bárðarbunga volcano showed signs of erupting. Consequently, NM raised its level of alert to ensure that sufficient staffing levels, tools in particular the European crisis Visualisation Interactive Tool for ATFCM (EVITA) and communication mechanisms were in place, so as to coordinate management should there have been a release of ash. The EACCC Chairman organised a teleconference with EACCC members, VAAC London and the State Focal Points of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, UK, Ireland and Iceland. Europe is now more prepared to deal with volcanic ash as there are better mechanisms in place than they were in Every year, volcanic ash exercises are conducted to test these new mechanisms. NM and EACCC continue to work towards a fully harmonised approach in Europe as regards the basic principle of who decides if an aircraft should fly in airspace that might present a risk. MH 17 On 17 July 2014 at around UTC, the Network Manager, after receiving a request from KLM for information regarding its code share flight MH 17, received confirmation from the Ukrainian ANSP that the flight plot had disappeared from their radar screens. Sometime later, media confirmed that the aircraft had crashed in Eastern Ukraine. NM decided to enter crisis mode and the EACCC was immediately activated and convened four times via teleconference, endorsing related mitigation measures. The NMOC both led the operational response and supported EACCC in dealing with the related safety issues and operational disruption. The active contribution of the ANSPs of the adjacent States made it possible to identify safe and secure rerouting solutions in a minimum time span. There is a clear need for an urgent review of the procedures to be followed when there is a potential aviation safety risk in flying over conflict zones. In this view, the Director NM, together with representatives of EU States and EASA, participated in an ICAO Task Force to address the civil aviation and national security issues arising from the loss of MH17. 18

19 SO-2 The Task Force confirmed the principles of state responsibility in sovereign or delegated airspace and the right of states to protect their citizens flying over other states. It endorsed the proposal that there is a need for a system which allows for the sharing of reliable risk assessments for aviation in conflict zones; such a system would allow aircraft operators to make more informed decisions as to whether to operate in or near these conflict zones. Since 21 November 2014, NM has been providing, on a trial basis, information on conflict zones in Europe and its vicinity in the crisis management portlet of the (protected) NM NOP Portal. Crisis exercise In November 2014, the Network Manager, supported by the EACCC, organised a crisis management exercise called NUCLEAR 14. The exercise simulated a nuclear incident in the heart of Europe, testing how States, aircraft operators and other stakeholders would respond and cooperate during this kind of crisis. 30 organisations (airlines, ANSPs, States, the military, European agencies, railways) took part in the exercise and so helped NM and EACCC to ensure its success. The exercise showed that more work is needed so as to be able to assess and predict the extent of hazards caused by radioactive particles in airspace, as well as to provide guidance to states. Next steps are to consolidate feedback and agree on the way forward in order to define priority activities that will provide a better basis for decision-makers in the case of a genuine event. In June 2014, the EACCC organised a Crisis Management Workshop. Its main objective was to forge even closer ties between NM/EACCC and State Focal Points, who are the key players in linking national crisis management arrangements with NM and EACCC. Developments in operations and infrastructure In 2014, two major new releases of the NM system were implemented. NM Releases 18 and 18.5 delivered a number of new or updated key functionalities. Free Route Airspace (FRA): The project involved a number of changes to improve FRA network implementation, including the FPL processing systems and processes to cope with route network developments affecting NM s services, such as night direct routings (DCTs), Week-end DCTs or Free Route Airspace Initiatives. Updates were made to support ASM (airspace management) interoperability and to calculate the ASM performance indicators described in the ASM Handbook. The output of the Group ReRouting Tool (GRRT) was improved to propose better options to the airlines for improved flight planning and flight efficiency. Developments in the Flight Plan Interoperability Programme will enhance the flight plan data exchange between airlines/computer flight plan software providers and NM during the pre-filing phase, in order to improve the accuracy and consistency of the 4D flight trajectories maintained by the different stakeholders. The Initial Flight Object Prototype was developed to support the SESAR trials. Improvements were made to the consistency of the Pilot and ATC flight plans. An Extended Flight Plan validation session was run to validate the inclusion of trajectory information by airspace users in flight plans transmitted to NM and its use by the NM systems. System changes in ATFCM domain improved the operations and the CDM processes between the actors involved, such as the new Delay Threshold regulation and STAM procedures and tools. As part of the NM Information Services, the Network Operations Portal continues to evolve to provide better information-sharing with NM stakeholders. A tool was developed to provide access to all the network-related events, via the NOP Portal. The ANSPs compliance with the ATFM measures is supported by new reports developed in NM s Interactive Reporting tool. Improvements in the existing ATFCM tools - Airspace Data tools, Call-Sign Similarity Tool, CCAMS - the archiving of operational data for post-ops and performance analysis and many others were also part of NM s improvements in

20 5. NETWORK SAFETY SO-7 Recognising that safety is the key rationale for ATM, NM has adopted and started to implement a safety approach to ATM network operations. A true partnership with the stakeholders ensured that the objectives set in the NSP and NMPP were achieved in The Top 5 Risks ATM Operational Safety risks affecting the network were identified. In consultation with our stakeholders, guidance material was issued for Landing without clearance and No Transponder. Blind Spot guidance material will be released shortly, and guidance material on the other two top risk areas will be released in NM has actively supported the stakeholders in achieving the RP1 European wide performance indicators. The Risk Analysis Tool (RAT) was deployed both on NM s systems and made available to our stakeholders. NM supported ANSPs in applying the RAT methodology in their organisations by providing training. NM facilitated the use of the web-based RAT tool for more than 20 ANSPs. Through the Experience Sharing to Enhance SMS (ES2) programme, NM helped ANSPs improve the maturity and effectiveness of their SMS. Main milestones were: n n n the FAB Safety Workshop; the Safety Human Performance Conference; the Just Culture and Prosecutors workshop; which were well attended with more than 325 participants. NM put a lot of effort into improving its internal SMS (Safety Management System). In 2014, a Just Culture was formally introduced in the EUROCONTROL Agency, covering all staff, including those working in NM s operational areas. NM continued to support the ANSPs as part of the ongoing process to measure and improve the safety culture in EUROCONTROL s Member States, a key feature for maintaining safe operations. 32 ANSPs had conducted at least one safety culture survey by the end of Additionally, SKYbrary, a web-based electronic repository of safety data related to ATM and aviation safety, continues to thrive: there were more than 1.9 million visits to it in 2014, an increase of 22% compared with

21 6. SCARCE RESOURCES Both the Radio Frequency Function (RFF) and Transponder Code Function (TCF) were established in 2012 and are governed by CDM arrangements approved by the NMB. In 2014, NM consolidated these functions to provide added value for its stakeholders by optimising these scarce resources. Radio Frequency Function To satisfy the demand for frequencies in the next 10 years, more voice channels must be created. This should be achieved by extending the use of 8.33 khz channel spacing radios in The gain from 8.33 khz conversions in 2014 was largely in uncongested areas, with a very limited impact on congested areas. SO-8 It is still difficult to find a new voice frequency for an en-route or an approach sector in the central European region. If one is found, it requires several frequency shifts from neighbouring sectors before it can be implemented. In 2013, a gain was made by improving the quality of VHF frequency assignment data in NM s central register. But this was quickly absorbed by many new frequency requests in the European region in From January to November 2014, 338 new voice frequency assignments were created in the NM central register. In consequence, the VHF voice frequency congestion situation is once again very similar to the situation at the beginning of Days Year The 8.33 khz conversions planned for 2019 will deliver an appreciably more significant benefit, but until then, frequency requests in congested areas are at a very high risk of suffering significant delay. The Radio Frequency Function has also improved the tools and procedures for managing navigation frequencies and supported the analysis and resolution of the radio interferences reported by the National Frequency Managers. In the RP1 period ( ), the Radio Frequency Function cleared the backlog of frequency requests and halved the time taken to satisfy requests in congested areas. These improvements were developed and implemented in close coordination with the ICAO Frequency Management Group. Average Request Satisfaction Time Transponder Code Function The introduction or extension of multiple technologies continued to help optimise transponder code usage in Europe. TCF contributed to the network performance in 2014 by providing enough codes for users (no cases of shortfalls or shortages in code allocations to States were reported) and in avoiding allocating wrong or conflicting transponder codes. At the end of 2014, all frequency requests pending from 2012 and 2013 were satisfied and only four new requests from 2014 were not yet completely satisfied. The average time to satisfy a frequency request in central European congested areas decreased slightly in 2014 and it remains less than half of what it was in 2011 (see the diagram above). The Centralised Code Assignment and Management System (CCAMS) entered into operation in February By the end of 2014, twelve States had implemented CCAMS: Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. It should be noted that CCAMS also benefits non- CCAMS States as it reduces the number of code 21

22 changes due to crossing different participating areas as presented in the graph - this equates to a reduction of approximately 25% by comparison to the 2012 baseline (these figures are based on the current radar data provision to NM with the SSR code included). 30% Monthly average of daily number of code changes in % 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% January February March April May Percentage of total flights June July August September October November December Approximately 50% of daily flights receive an SSR code from CCAMS. No cases of wrong codes assigned by CCAMS were detected by the monitoring tools and no such reports have been received from the operational users. Another technology that contributed to the optimisation of code usage was the Mode S radar technology that supported the capability of using downlinked aircraft identification; this continued to progress in Approximately 9% of daily flights used the conspicuity code A1000. In coordination with the ICAO Paris Office, the Code Allocation List (CAL) for the complete ICAO EUR Region was produced and published in preparation for the summer season No cases of shortfalls (e.g. code shortages) in code allocations to States were reported. 22

23 7. NETWORK STRATEGY PLAN FOR The Network Strategy Plan (NSP) defines the guiding principles for network operation and its medium- to long-term perspective. It forms part of the Single European Sky planning process and aims at driving ATM operational improvements from a network perspective and in a structured way; it is organised into ten Strategic Objectives (SO). The ultimate purpose is to achieve the network performance targets in all EU Member States and also in third countries, so contributing to the pan-european dimension of the SES. The Network Strategy Plan for the 2nd Reference Period of the performance scheme ( ) was approved through the Commission Decision C (2014) of 22 July This adoption concluded a thorough consultation phase, in line with the Network Functions CDM process, and including a review by an NMB taskforce. The NSP was used by NM as a reference for defining the Network Performance Plan and was made available to stakeholders in draft mode as of spring 2014 to supportthe establishment of the FAB Performance Plans. Adoption of the NSP for In 2014, the NSP planning process was reinforced: n the new NSP builds on a Network Vision describing the desired state of ATM by 2020; n the main challenges to be addressed for achieving this vision are further detailed in a Network Concept of Operations; n a five-year NM Roadmap provides a consolidated view of the planned network evolution and the related operational and technical deliverables, in full alignment with the SESAR ATM Master Plan and the Pilot Common Project; n 9 NM Strategic Projects have been defined to coordinate the execution of these developments by functional area. An executive summary of NM s Strategic Projects is published in the NOP , together with the NM roadmap. 23

24 In RP2, the NSP will be implemented through two types of action: n developments coordinated via NM s Strategic Projects, when significant technological improvements are required; n actions taking place in the Network Functions context, addressing performance flaws and operational improvements through these Functions. The NSP execution follow-up will take place with the operational stakeholders concerned in the NOP planning process. A review of the execution of the NSP actions that were planned by the end of 2014 was presented to NMB and is part of a separate document Report on the Implementation of the NMPP and NSP. An executive summary of NM s Strategic Projects was published in the NOP , together with a roadmap providing a consolidated view of the planned network development and the related operational and technical deliverables. 24

25 8. CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE SO-10 The Network Manager has played a proactive role in RP1 in addressing network issues to bring tangible daily performance benefits to the network as a whole. RP2 requires NM to maintain these levels of good performance and to be an active player in European ATM, so as to bring added value to stakeholders and the public. The challenges of RP2 will dominate the NM agenda over the coming years. The 2014 monitoring results informed the preparation of the NOP The delay forecast at network level shows that the target is not expected to be met in any year of RP2. 1,0 0,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0,0 29 RP2 yearly en-route delay forecast Delay Forecast (min/flight) Delay Target (min/flight) A wide range of measures has been proposed to enhance the network s capacity. Mitigation solutions at local and network level have been identified: n inefficient ATS route networks and sectorisation; n less than optimal ATC sector configuration; n unnecessary restrictions; n inadequate sector capacity/traffic volume monitoring values. The NOP will identify additional measures for critical ACCs that may not have enough capacity for the demand forecast in RP2: Nicosia, Bordeaux/Brest/ Marseille/Reims, Athens/Makedonia, Lisbon, Barcelona/ Canarias /Palma, and Warsaw ACCs. NM will tackle the systemic issues and the critical capacity areas proactively. Similarly, NM will focus on flight efficiency targets through initiatives with aircraft operators to improve airspace utilisation while respecting their operational and economic efficiency needs. 20 The implementation of action plans is on-going to deal with operational issues to improve both NM s and the network s performance. Also high on the agenda for this coming year will be the safety and airport domains, which have been recognised as improvement areas for RP2. SES II+ In 2014, substantial progress was made by EU institutions in discussing the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the implementation of the Single European Sky (recast) as proposed by the European Commission. The proposal confirms and extends the role of the Network Manager as an integral pillar of the SES, subject to formal approval by the Council and the European Parliament. SESAR The Commission Regulation 409/2013 on the definition of common projects defines the cooperative arrangements between the Deployment Manager and NM on all aspects related to network infrastructure, airspace organisation and performance as well as consistency with NSP and NOP. Formal Cooperative arrangements as required by the EU Commission Regulation 409/2013 between the Network Manager and the Deployment Manager will be developed in In the interim, the Network Manager and the Deployment Manager agreed to have a timely and fruitful bi-lateral cooperation established through an exchange of letters. In 2014, the Pilot Common Project regulation 716/2014 was adopted, defining the role of NM in the area of ATM functionalities that are part of the Pilot Common Project. FAB Work will continue at full speed between the various areas of expertise of the NM and the FABs. The cooperative work between the Network Manager and the FABs will continue during RP2 to enable the consolidation of all the projects in the context of individual single FABs and the integration of these into the overall network. It will support the performance and interconnectivity of the overall network, the consolidation of individual projects inside the FABs and at their interfaces. 25

26 ANNEX I GLOSSARY NM regulation ATFM regulation Performance regulation Common Projects regulation Pilot Common Project regulation ACC A-CDM AIS ANSP ATC ATFM ATM CCAMS CDM CDO CNS DCT DPI EACCC EASA EC ERNIP EUROCONTROL EU Commission Regulation (EU) 677/2011 of 07 July 2011 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of air traffic management (ATM) network functions Commission Regulation (EU) No 255/2010 of 25 March 2010 laying down common rules on air traffic flow management Commission Regulation (EU) No 390/2013 of 3 May 2013 laying down a performance scheme for air navigation services and network functions Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 409/2013 of 3 May 2013 on the definition of common projects, the establishment of governance and the identification of incentives supporting the implementation of the European Air Traffic Management Master Plan Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 409/2013 of 3 May 2013 on the definition of common projects, the establishment of governance and the identification of incentives supporting the implementation of the European Air Traffic Management Master Plan Area Control Center Airport Collaborative Decision Making Aeronautical Information Services Air Navigation Service Provider Air Traffic Control Air Traffic Flow Management Air Traffic Management Centralised Code Assignment and Management System Cooperative Decision Making Continuous Descent Operations Communication, Navigation & Surveillance Direct Routing Departure Planning Information European Aviation Crisis Coordination Cell European Aviation Safety Agency European Commission European Route Network Improvement Plan European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation European Union 26

27 FAB FE FMP FPL IFPS KPI NDOP NETOPS NM NMB NMOC NMPP NPP NOP NSP RFF Functional Airspace Blocks Flight Efficiency Flow Management Position Flight Plan Integrated Initial Flight Plan Processing System Key Performance Indicator Network Directors of Operations Forum Network Operations Team Network Manager Network Management Board Network Manager Operations Centre Network Manager Performance Plan Network Manager Performance Plan for RP2 Network Operations Plan Network Strategy Plan Radio Frequency Function RP1 Reference Period 1 ( ) RP2 Reference Period 2 ( ) RTE-DES RTE-FPL SES SESAR SMS SO STAM SWIM TCF VOLCEX Route extension due to network design Route extension due to last filed flight plan Single European Sky Single European Sky ATM Research Safety Management System Strategic Objective of the NSP Short Term ATFM Measures System-Wide Information Management Transponder Code Function Volcanic Ash Exercise

28 EUROCONTROL August European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL) This document is published by EUROCONTROL for information purposes. It may be copied in whole or in part, provided that EUROCONTROL is mentioned as the source and it is not used for commercial purposes (i.e. for financial gain). The information in this document may not be modified without prior written permission from EUROCONTROL.