Description
Sectorisation involves dividing airspace into manageable sections. This division helps in organizing air traffic services, making workloads more manageable for controllers. However, simply adding new sectors does not always increase capacity. The overall capacity is influenced by various factors, including traffic flow direction and coordination procedures. Thus, each sector configuration has a unique capacity figure.
Introduction
In the mid-1990s, changes to airspace structure and routes were mainly a national concern, with international coordination managed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). At that time, national planning was crucial, and cross-border route connections received limited attention. Over the years, air traffic control (ATC) sectorisation principles have evolved into a complex set of criteria that align with global concepts. Today, defining ATC sectors plays a vital role in the broader process of airspace design.
Sectorisation Criteria
Several factors determine sector boundaries, some of which are ATS-focused while others relate to international relations. These include:
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State boundaries or bilateral agreements for ATS provision.
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International agreements for ATS over international waters.
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Locations of special use areas, like danger or prohibited zones.
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Geographic features, service types, and coverage capabilities.
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Main traffic flow directions, in-sector flight times, and conflict point distributions.
Meeting Capacity Demand
To meet increased capacity demands, more sectors are typically established. This demand is usually based on short-term operational predictions from planned flights. Opening and closing sectors should be closely monitored to optimize resources. For example, dynamic arrangements can ensure that enough air traffic controllers are available. If the necessary sector configuration isn’t implemented on time, it could lead to risks such as sector overload or miscommunication between sectors.
Network-Oriented Development
A notable shift in the design process is seen in Eurocontrol’s Advanced Airspace Scheme (AAS) Concept. AAS aims to create an airspace system that is more flexible and responsive, allowing operators to choose their preferred routes. This choice is supported by re-routing schemes that follow predefined scenarios to maximize capacity when planned routes conflict with ATC limits. In this context, ‘Airspace Structures’ refers to both the ATS Route Network and ATC Sectorisation, which are closely linked. AAS introduces an iterative process for designing new Airspace Structures and emphasizes Sector Families and Family Groups around an ATS route network featuring direct routes. This network-oriented approach takes a comprehensive view across ECAC and focuses on enhancing the overall ATM capacity.
Implementation Steps
The process moves from broad proposals to specific solutions through several steps:
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Identify existing and anticipated problems within the airspace structure.
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Develop improved airspace structure proposals to accommodate major traffic flows and balance workloads.
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Elaborate detailed proposals within this framework, validating them through regional expert groups, and incorporating feedback into the initial proposals in a dialectical process.
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Agree upon and execute a phased implementation program.
Advanced Concepts – Dynamic Sectorisation
Dynamic sectorisation defines several elementary air volumes. It generates real-time short-term capacity demand predictions using fast-time simulations of planned traffic. ATC sectors are then formed by combining these elementary sectors to meet capacity demands at any given moment. This approach employs reliable planning methods and adapts effectively, providing an efficient solution to capacity demands and staffing challenges.