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  • Belgium
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  • Environment
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    • En route performance
      • Horizontal flight efficiency
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      • AXOT & ASMA
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  • Capacity
    • PRB monitoring
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Environment - Belgium

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PRB monitoring

▪ Belgium achieved a KEA performance of 3.53% compared to its target of 3.05% and did not contribute positively to the Union-wide target. KEA performance is at similar levels to 2021.

▪ The NSA states that given the limited size of the Belgium-Luxembourg airspace, possibilities to improve the KPI are also limited.

▪ Both KEP and SCR improved in comparison with 2021’s performance.

▪ The share of CDO flights decreased by 12.76% compared to 2021.

▪ During 2022, additional time in terminal airspace increased from 0.47 to 0.57 min/flight, while additional taxi out time increased from 1.28 to 1.53 min/flight.

En route performance

Horizontal flight efficiency of the actual trajectory (KEA) (KPI#1), of the last filed flight plan (KEP) (PI#1) & shortest constrained route (SCR) (PI#2)

Terminal performance

Additional taxi-out time (AXOT) (PI#3) & Arrival Sequencing and Metering Area (ASMA) time (PI#4)

Focus on ASMA & AXOT

AXOT

Additional taxi-out times at Brussels (EBBR; 2019: 2.21 min/dep.; 2020: 1.36 min/dep.; 2021: 1.28 min/dep; 2022: 1.53 min/dep) increased in 2022 but remained well below the SES average of 2.52 min/dep.

According to the Belgian monitoring report: It is noted that some factors included in the Taxi-out time (for example: push-back time) influence this indicator but are beyond control of ANSP. A-CDM is implemented for many years, and continuously being improved. Latest improvements were focused on incorporating de-icing (and hence reducing taxi times). Taxi-out time includes – for example – push-back time. Those (and other) factors – influencing the indicator – are beyond control of ANSP.

Improvement of A-CDM is also part of Stargate (EU Green Deal Project for more sustainable aviation). Within this framework, skeyes will provide support to Brussels Airport in developing e-learning modules to create awareness and better understanding of the concept for the airport stakeholders and the fellow airports. The Lighthouse will also enhance reporting and monitoring of KPIs within A-CDM towards more efficient and, thus, more sustainable operations.

The monitoring report also mentions: The additional taxi-out time is computed by EUROCONTROL/PRU and can be retrieved on the SES e-dashboard (https://www.eurocontrol.int/prudata/dashboard/data/) but the indicator is not available for all airports. However, the methodology defined by PRU is still under discussion because it remains unclear what the time difference from year to year indicates, or the meaningfulness of an airport A versus airport B comparison, in particular when focussing on the ANSP influence on the performance.

ASMA

Additional ASMA times at Brussels slightly increased in 2022 (EBBR; 2019: 1 min/arr.; 2020: 0.89 min/arr.; 2021: 0.47 min/arr.; 2022: 0.57 min/arr.).

According to the Belgian monitoring report: ASMA is considered to be intended primarily to capture terminal holdings. Within EBBR, stacking aircraft in holding to absorb delays (similar to EGLL) is seldomly applied. Within a radius of 30 NM around EBBR, radar vectoring is most often applied. Depending on the traffic demand, shorter or longer trajectories are being flown (-> sequencing). However radar vectoring has the advantage that shortest routes can be issued, hence leading to ‘best possible’ ASMA values, while of course taking into account applicable restrictions (e.g. noise abatement).

Purely for the sake of ASMA, the current working methods (vectoring), probably leave very limited room for improvement. The real challenge is improving predictability in the arrival process (vectoring -> increased use of fixed routings), without deteriorating ASMA. In this context, in summer 2022, skeyes has organized a trail period of increased use of RNP approach at EBBR. Within this period skeyes has promoted RNP APCH with the incentive to fly the full procedure, in order to optimize the vertical as well as horizontal flight efficiency of incoming traffic. Based on lessons learned during the first trial period, skeyes plans to organize RNP trials 2.0, in summer/autumn 2023. These initiatives are part of the Stargate project (EU Green Deal Project for more sustainable aviation).

The monitoring report also mentions: The additional time in terminal airspace (ASMA) is computed by EUROCONTROL/PRU and can be retrieved on the SES e-dashboard (https://www.eurocontrol.int/prudata/dashboard/data/). However, the methodology defined by PRU is still under discussion. FABEC trials showed that changes of the ambient air temperature alone can significantly infuence the measured performance.

Share of arrivals applying continuous descent operations (CDOs) (PI#5)

Focus CDOs

The share of CDO flights for Brussels is 17.1% which is a decrease of 2.5 percentage points but still quite low compared to other airports with similar traffic numbers and the overall RP3 value in 2022 (29.0%).

According to the Belgian monitoring report: skeyes has been running several initiatives/projects to improve the facilitation of CDOs at EBBR. This includes implementation of PBN procedures, promotion of RNP (Required Navigation Performance) procedures (in the framework of Stargate project – see 2.2.2.(d)) and operational demonstration of ISGS (Increased Second Glide Slope) at Brussels airport (in the framework of HERON project, currently in its planning phase; demonstrations are planned to take place in 2024). Besides, skeyes maintains a collaboration with main OPS stakeholders at EBBR (ATC/airport/airlines) through CEM (Collaborative Environmental Management) platform to further reduce the environmental impact of airport operations.

Airport level
Airport
Additional taxi-out time (PI#3)
Additional ASMA time (PI#4)
Share of arrivals applying CDO (PI#5)
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Brussels 1.36 1.28 1.53 NA NA 0.89 0.47 0.57 NA NA 18% 20% 17% NA NA

Civil-Military dimension

Focus on Civil-Military dimension

Update on Military dimension of the plan

For obvious flight safety reasons, military activities must be segregated from civil flows which has an impact on both horizontal (HFE) and vertical flight efficiency (VFE). Because ASM manageable areas form an integral part of the nominal system, military airspace reservations shall be considered as part of the performance baseline rather than a key factor degrading environmental KPIs.

As a result of implementation of the FUA concept the impact of military activities using Restricted Airspace -RSA on civil performance is highly minored when associated with an efficient ASM process:
- At strategic level (HLAPB) by designing areas in accordance with A-FUA concept (MVPA/VGA structures), especially for congested airspaces.
- At pre-tactical level (AMC), by managing these areas in a dynamic way, with an associated level 2 CDM process, validated by HLAPB.
- At tactical level (ACC/Regional Military Control Centre) by activating/deactivating areas as close as possible to actual use and allowing crossing or direct routes when possible (in accordance with TRA status), with an associated level 3 CDM process validated by HLAPB.

At each level, HLAPB, AMC or ACC/Regional Military Control Centre, a key factor of efficiency is a trust-driven civil-military cooperation. As a counterpart, AOs and CFSPs must be reactive and take efficiently into account available or released airspaces. At last, ANSP have also to adapt the route network to create more DCTs within military areas.

Finally, local circumstances (e.g. constrained airspace, proximity of international hubs, etc….) as well as a large number of military missions that differ from one State to another must be taken into account. Therefore, airspace needs (e.g. airspace requirements for the 5th generation fighters) and related ASM procedures of the States differ and standardized objectives cannot be defined.

Information related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine

No general answer possible here as it depends a lot of the geographical position of the different States and their related political-military status (e.g. within or outside an alliance), decisions and military means. To mitigate the impact of the Ukraine crisis related operations, Military were actively involved within the EACCC (European Aviation Crisis Coordination Cell) and NM processes at tactical level.

Military - related measures implemented or planned to improve capacity

FABEC States are working on mid-term improvements regarding implementation of ASM level 1, 2, and 3 procedures. Some local initiatives regarding ASM/ATFCM convergence, like the traffic Light Scheme concept in France are promoted at FABEC level, as well as at ECAC level in the EUROCONTROL OEP framework. Another major improvement is the interconnection of the existing ASM tools (e.g. LARA, STANLY_ACOS) at FABEC Level, to enhance regional coordination among FABEC AMCs as well as with the NM.

Initiatives implemented or planned to improve PI#6

Since January 2022, Belgium implemented the R-UUP process, while in March 2022 a trial started to adapt the AUP booking principles coordinated between civ and Mil, resulting in a more stable network for the airline users and ANSPs without impacting too much the flexibility of the military.

ATM-Portal will be used to propose improved routings to aircraft operators in pre-tract. The tool takes into account the expected airspace availability.

The BB-AUP was introduced in the Belgian Airspace

Initiatives implemented or planned to improve PI#7

Please refer to the report of the BEL FUA WG on the results of the BB-AUP trial.

Initiatives implemented or planned to improve PI#8

Please refer to the report of the BEL FUA WG on the results of the BB-AUP trial.

 
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