Environment - Czech Republic

PRB monitoring

▪ The Czech Republic achieved a KEA performance of 2.61% compared to its target of 2.05% and did not contribute positively towards achieving the Union-wide target.

▪ The NSA states the main reason for not meeting the target is the severe impact of flight trajectories due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

▪ Both KEP and SCR deteriorated in comparison with 2022.

▪ The share of CDO flights marginally decreased from 25.00% to 24.61% in 2023.

▪ During 2023, additional time in terminal airspace remained at 0.69 min/flight, while additional taxi out time increased from 1.90 to 2.30 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)

AXOT

Additional taxi-out times at Prague increased in 2023 (LKPR; 2019: 2.8 min/dep.LKPR; 2020: 1.36 min/dep.; 2021: 1.76 min/dep.; 2022: 1.9 min/dep.; 2023: 2.3 min/dep.), but they were still 18% lower than in 2019.
According to the Czech Republic’s monitoring report: No formal initiatives were implemented. The development of PI #3 is mainly influenced by the volume of traffic (gradual return of traffic after the COVID-19 pandemic).

ASMA

The yearly average of the additional times in the terminal airspace remained at the same level as the previous year (LKPR; 2019: 1.47 min/arr.; 2020: 0.67 min/arr.; 2021: 0.5 min/arr.; 2022: 0.69 min/arr.; 2023: 0.69 min/arr.), and it was still 53% lower than in 2019.
According to the Czech Republic’s monitoring report: No formal initiatives were implemented, but if traffic permits the aircrafts are allowed for direct routing.
The PI monitoring is part of annual monitoring of the ANSP performance (on quarterly basis) to the CAA.

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

The share of CDO flights increased at Prague to 23.1% which is lower than the overall RP3 value in 2023 (28.8%).
According to the Czech Republic’s monitoring report: There is no CDO officialy published procedure in FIR Prague, but if traffic permits clearence are issued in order to allow CDO.
The PI monitoring is part of annual monitoring of the ANSP performance (on quaterly basis), which is provided to the CAA.

Airport level
Airport Name
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
Prague/Ruzyne 1.36 1.76 1.90 2.30 NA 0.67 0.50 0.69 0.69 NA 28% 26% 23% 23% NA
Karlovy Vary NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 13% 16% 16% 16% NA
Ostrava NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 35% 37% 37% 32% NA
Brno Turany NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 39% 37% 35% 33% NA

Civil-Military dimension

Update on Military dimension of the plan

There is a significant impact of MIL activities on the ENV indicators. The military has the lead role in the AMC, the ANSPs has no power to evaluate the airspace reservation by the military. In any case, the implementation of FUA is regularly evaluated through monitoring organized by the CAA. The administrators of the individual TRA / TSA (mostly represented by MAA) submit the evaluation of the plans and the activation of these airspaces on a monthly basis to CAA, and any deficiencies are addressed within the ASMCG meetings or individually with specific administrators, if needed.
Airspace Charter of the Czech Republic describes the competent authorities (CIV and MIL), their responsibilities and principles by which a joint civilian-military body (ASM Committee - ASMC) carries out strategic planning for the use of the Czech Republic airspace. The Charter incorporates as annexes the descriptions of processes used to provide high quality services to airspace users and ATS providers through safe, accurate and timely planning, approval and promulgation of national airspace management measures and international cooperation. The Airspace Charter was udated at the end of 2021.
The airspace of the Czech Republic is open to flights and it is divided in accordance with the rules contained in Sections 44 - 44c) of Act No. 49/1997. Pursuant to Section 44(2) of the Act, the CAA issues, in agreement with the Ministry of Defence and after consulting the Person authorized to exercise state administration in the matters related to sport flying devices, measures of general nature under the Administrative Procedure Code on division of the airspace of the Czech Republic to ensure safe conduct of flights and efficient provision of air services. In fulfilment of that mandate, the CAA takes into account, where possible, the FUA specifications described in “EUROCONTROL Specifications for the Application of the Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA)”. Consultation with airspace users, service providers and other relevant bodies is conducted with the aim of obtaining consensus, wherever possible, before making changes in the planning or design of airspace management. The consultations are performed in a transparent way following a predefined procedure. The ASMC ensures effective cooperation at all levels through the ASM Consultation Group (ASMCG). In application of Regulation (EC) No 2150/2005. the ASMC cooperates very closely with CAA and takes into account the findings and relevant corrective measures resulting from control activities (e.g. CAA, MAA, EASA). In accordance with ICAO requirements, the CAA publishes the airspace management policy and implementation of new airspace structures and follow-up procedures or their changes so that all airspace users and ATS providers have sufficient time to comply with the new requirements.
Dynamic Airspace Management is realized at ASM Level 2 and/or ASM Level 3. Areas published in AIP CR / MIL AIP or other pre-arranged areas can be used under FUA rules as AUP manageble with UUP function updates.
The ATM systems of the Czech Airforces are directly connected to the ANS CR systems in order to present current status of reserved areas to the ATCOs. The AIM/AIS provider promulgates the planning status of the airspaces concerned in AISVIEW web tool, which serves for airspace users as an information source.
On the local level the FUA is addressed within the AMC activities, on the FAB CE level the DAM/STAM projects are in progress.The AMC is newly certificated under the EU 2017/373. The regulation 2150/2005 is fully implemented within the Czech Republic.
With aim to improve FUA within the FAB CE member states an initiative concerning TSA/TRA harmonisation was conducted at FAB CE regional level with the very first deliverebles. These FAB CE TSA/TRA Harmonisation deliverables consolidate findings and recommendations from various EUROCONTROL ASM related guidance materials, ICAO Doc 10088 ‘Manual on Civil-Military Coordination’, and previous FAB CE ASM related activities to a consolidated Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for FAB CE and makes recommendations to achieve this CONOPS. It was noted that a coordinated and cohesive ASM implementation is an enabler for improved network performance on national, sub-regional and regional level and each participating Member State and their ANSPs are encouraged to undertake activities to achieve the state-of-play described in the CONOPS. The deliverebles contain some recommendations regarding Level 1 functions, as well as Level 2 and Level 3.
It was recognised that the overall ASM is State dependent and the purpose of this activity is not to attempt to override this State prerogative. However, as the topics contained in the activity and the resulting deliverables have been unanimously accepted by the participating States (via FAB CE Council and via FAB CE Joint Civil-Military Airspace Coordination Committee) and NSA (via NSA Coordination Committee) and ANSPs (via OPS SubC) the recommendations made should be considered for application by all States and ANSPs involved.
In a response of the War in Ukraine NATO corridors were created to ensure smoth operational MIL traffic from the West to the East and opposite in 2022. NATO corridors that were created within the framework of the ASM strategic level in the airspace of class ““C”” above FL 095 were at the beginning AMC manageable and later on they were handled as non AMC manageable, and their activation and deactivation is carried out at the tactical level. The corridors continued to be used in 2023.

Military - related measures implemented or planned to improve capacity

The traffic complexity manager (a tool developed with the SESAR support) was put into full operational use in 2020. The tool is predicting traffic load in particular sectors (including military activities) and thus allowing for better ATCOs usage and improvement in capacity area.
The establishment of Airspace designer function was preparing during the year 2021 to be ready at the begining of 2022 and serves as a goverment service for professional preparation of requests and supporting documentation for all changes in the airspace structures in future.

Initiatives implemented or planned to improve PI#6

Airspace Charter of the Czech Republic describes the competent authorities (CIV and MIL), their responsibilities and principles by which a joint civilian-military body (ASM Committee - ASMC) carries out strategic planning for the use of the Czech Republic airspace. The Charter incorporates as annexes the descriptions of processes used to provide high quality services to airspace users and ATS providers through safe, accurate and timely planning, approval and promulgation of national airspace management measures and international cooperation. The Airspace Charter was udated at the end of 2021.
The airspace of the Czech Republic is open to flights and it is divided in accordance with the rules contained in Sections 44 - 44c) of Act No. 49/1997. Pursuant to Section 44(2) of the Act, the CAA issues, in agreement with the Ministry of Defence and after consulting the Person authorized to exercise state administration in the matters related to sport flying devices, measures of general nature under the Administrative Procedure Code on division of the airspace of the Czech Republic to ensure safe conduct of flights and efficient provision of air services. In fulfilment of that mandate, the CAA takes into account, where possible, the FUA specifications described in “EUROCONTROL Specifications for the Application of the Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA)”. Consultation with airspace users, service providers and other relevant bodies is conducted with the aim of obtaining consensus, wherever possible, before making changes in the planning or design of airspace management. The consultations are performed in a transparent way following a predefined procedure. The ASMC ensures effective cooperation at all levels through the ASM Consultation Group (ASMCG). In application of Regulation (EC) No 2150/2005. the ASMC cooperates very closely with NSA and takes into account the findings and relevant corrective measures resulting from control activities (e.g. CAA, MAA, EASA). In accordance with ICAO requirements, the CAA publishes the airspace management policy and implementation of new airspace structures and follow-up procedures or their changes so that all airspace users and ATS providers have sufficient time to comply with the new requirements. Within its competencies, the ASMC supports the implementation of performance schemes. The conclusions adopted by the ASMC contributes to meeting the relevant performance targets and complying with EU-wide performance targets. The performance monitoring and the assessment and review of FUA operational performance are organised by CAA and MAA.
Dynamic Airspace Management is realized at ASM Level 2 and/or ASM Level 3. Areas published in AIP CR / MIL AIP or other pre-arranged areas can be used under FUA rules as AUP manageble with UUP function updates. FUA evaluation is performed monthly by individual TRA / TSA administrators and reported to the CAA. Deficiencies are addressed both within the ASMCG meetings and individually with individual administrators, if needed.
With aim to improve FUA within the FAB CE member states an initiative concerning TSA/TRA harmonisation was conducted at FAB CE regional level with the very first deliverebles. These FAB CE TSA/TRA Harmonisation deliverables consolidate findings and recommendations from various EUROCONTROL ASM related guidance materials, ICAO Doc 10088 ‘Manual on Civil-Military Coordination’, and previous FAB CE ASM related activities to a consolidated Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for FAB CE and makes recommendations to achieve this CONOPS. It was noted that a coordinated and cohesive ASM implementation is an enabler for improved network performance on national, sub-regional and regional level and each participating Member State and their ANSPs are encouraged to undertake activities to achieve the state-of-play described in the CONOPS. The deliverables contain some recommendations regarding Level 1 functions, as well as Level 2 and Level 3.
NATO corridors that were created within the framework of the ASM strategic level in the airspace of class ““C”” above FL 095 were at the beginning AMC manageable and later on they were handled as non AMC manageable, and their activation and deactivation is carried out at the tactical level. The corridors continued to be used in 2023.
It was recognised that the overall ASM is State dependent and the purpose of this activity is not to attempt to override this Sate prerogative. However, as the topics contained in the activity and the resulting deliverables have been unanimously accepted by the participating States (via FAB CE Council and via FAB CE Joint Civil-Military Airspace Coordination Committee) and NSA (via NSA Coordination Committee) and ANSPs (via OPS SubC) the recommendations made should be considered for application by all States and ANSPs involved.

Initiatives implemented or planned to improve PI#7

No data available.

Initiatives implemented or planned to improve PI#8

No data available.