ENR 1.9  AIR TRAFFIC FLOW MANAGEMENT AND AIRSPACE MANAGEMENT

1.   General

1.1.  ATFM is based on the ICAO concept for Centralised ATFM Organisation (CTMO) and, in accordance with the agreement of the Ministers of Transport of ECAC States, a Network Manager Operations Centre (NMOC) has been set up by EUROCONTROL at Haren in Brussels.

This unit assumes executive responsibilities of ATFM for Europe which consists of strategic, pretactical and tactical flow measures.

1.2.  The overall authority for the provision of the ATFM Service in the Budapest FIR is delegated to the EUROCONTROL NMOC.
1.2.1  ATFM procedures are applied for IFR / GAT flights.

2.   Responsibilities

2.1   Responsibilities of the NMOC

The NMOC is responsible for:

  • ensuring that traffic flows correspond to the stated capacity of the sectors through which they pass,
  • ensuring that ATFM measures, when necessary, are applied in an equitable manner and in such a way as to reduce as far as possible the penalties to Aircraft Operators (AOs).

In order to do this, the NMOC applies procedures which:

  • are agreed internationally,
  • are published in the corresponding NMOC documentation,
  • have, within the Budapest FIR, the same status as procedures explicitly published in this AIP.
2.2   Responsibilities of the Air Traffic Services (ATS)
2.2.1  ATS provides a Flow Management Position (FMP) in the ACC Budapest to liaise between ATC, local AOs and the NMOC. The ARO is also responsible for information exchange with the NMOC for those AOs who can not communicate directly with the NMOC.
2.2.2  It should be noted that an ATFM slot, if applicable, shall be included as part of the ATC clearance.
2.2.3  In the Budapest FIR the following procedures shall be applied:
  • at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport the Budapest TWR is responsible for departure slots (CTOT) monitoring;

    Flights which do not adhere to their slots shall be denied start up clearance by the ground contoller. However, ATC shall make all efforts to enable departing flights to comply with the slot and flights shall not be prevented from departing due to small taxiing delays.

  • At all AFIS aerodromes, the relevant ATS unit is responsible for departure slot monitoring;
  • At other aerodromes, pilots themselves shall ensure that their flights adhere to departure slots issued by the NMOC.
2.3   Responsibilities of Aircraft Operators (AOs)

AOs shall be fully conversant with of and adhere to:

  • general ATFM procedures including flight plan (FPL) filing and message exchange requirements,
  • strategic ATFM measures (e.g. Traffic Orientation Schemes (TOS),
  • current ATFM measures (e.g. specific measures applicable on the day in question),

Specifically, they shall adhere to departure slots issued by the ATFM Service.

2.4   ATFM Documentation

The general ATFM procedures for the ICAO European Region are published in ICAO Doc 7030, the Regional Supplementary Procedures, Europe and in ICAO EUR Doc 003, the ATFM Handbook.

Detailed NMOC Procedures can be found in the Network Operations Handbook. It is obtainable from the

EUROCONTROL Library

Post:

Rue de la Fusée 96. 1130 - Bruxelles, Belgium.

Tel:(+32) 2 729 3639

Fax:(+32) 2 729 9109.

3.   Information on Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) measures

ATFM measures are issued and forwarded by the NMOC via ATFM Notification Messages (ANMs). Information relating to the ANMs are notified via ATFM Information Messages (AIMs).

These messages are generally issued late afternoon before the day of operation.

These messages are received at the AO‘s offices which have direct contact with the NMOC either via SITA or a CHMI Terminal.

For those AOs who do not contact the NMOC directly, information on current ATFM measures (ANMs and AIMs) are normally available at the FMP Budapest. This information is also available at the ARO.

4.   ATFM procedures

4.1.  The NMOC automatically calculates (from flight plan data) the necessary ”slot” for flights operating into areas for which ATFM measures have been established.

This slot is available in the form of CTOT two hours prior to EOBT. The slot is defined by a period of 15 minutes (-5/+10 minutes CTOT).

4.2.  In order to avoid delays, AOs are requested to strictly adhere to flight plan filing procedures and submit the FPL at least three hours prior to EOBT if operating into areas for which ATFM measures have been established. Any delay in the filing of flight plans might have serious consequences.

Note: Wrongful use of abbreviations for special handling requirements in the flight plan, which result, in most cases, in an exemption from flow regulation is regarded as a serious breach of procedures and will be dealt accordingly.

4.3.  Dialogue between the NMOC and the users (AOs, ATS and AROs) can be effected by using special messages of ADEXP (ATS Data Exchange Presentation) format, as listed below.

From the NMOC:

SAMSlot Allocation Message
SRMSlot Revision Message
SLCSlot Requirement Cancellation Message
SIPSlot Improvement Proposal Message
FLSFlight Suspension Message
DESDe-Suspension Message
ERRError Message
RRPRerouting Proposal Message
RRNRerouting Proposal Message

From the users:

SMMSlot Missed Message
SPASlot Proposal Acceptance Message
SRJSlot Proposal Rejection Message
FCMFlight Confirmation Message
REAReady Message
RFIReady for (direct) Improvement Message
RJTRerouting Rejection Message
SWMSIP Wanted Message

Details concerning use and format of the above messages are published in the Network Operations Handbook.

4.4   Direct ATFM message dialogue with the NMOC

AO‘s who want to establish a direct dialogue with the NMOC must agree a fixed an AFTN and/or SITA address with the NMOC or may require the installation of a NMOC terminal. In this way, all ATFM messages will be sent to the respective AO, who is then responsible for the whole message dialogue with the NMOC in the context of ATFM.

4.5   ATFM Message dialogue via the ARO

Those AOs, who cannot communicate directly with the NMOC, can file and receive all ATFM messages with the help of the ARO staff or the FMP located in the ACC Budapest.

The following procedures shall be observed:

  • If requested, the ARO will inform AOs whether the planned flight is subject to ATFM measures.
  • Two hours prior to the EOBT indicated in the flight plan, the NMOC will transmit the CTOT (by means of a SAM message) for the relevant flight. AOs are required to enquire if SAM has been received.
  • A telephone number should be left at the ARO where the AO can be reached until shortly before take-off so that they can be informed immediately in case of any change in the slot. All messages received from the NMOC and addressed to the AO will be forwarded.
  • The ARO will forward the requested messages to the NMOC at the AO’s initiation.
  • If a CTOT has been allocated by the NMOC, AOs are required not to apply for an improved slot. If a better slot is available, the AO will be automatically notified (by means of a SIP message).
  • If it becomes apparent that an allocated slot cannot be adhered to, a new slot must be requested from the NMOC via the ARO.
  • The ARO shall be notified if a delay from the planned EOBT exceeds:
    1. 30 minutes, and
    2. 15 minutes, if the flight is subject to ATFM measures and no CTOT has been assigned yet.

If the delay is caused by ATFM measures, this must be pointed out to the ARO so that the delay message (DLA) can be transmitted correctly.

4.6   ATFM Message dialogue via the TWR

After having received a SAM, whenever an aircraft indicates that its flight is in a ready situation, it may ask the TWR to send a Ready Message (RDY) to the NMOC. Any potential improvement which could be given to this flight will be made by the NMOC through the transmission of a Slot Revision Message (SRM). The TWR will pass the SRM to the pilot as soon as it has been received from the NMOC. The NMOC will stop the process if the indicated MINLINEUP time is not long enough for the flight to be amended.

Note: This revision will not be given a higher priority than other flights normally eligible for an improvement through the normal procedure SIP.

5.   Operational data

5.1.  Flow Management Position (FMP) Budapest

Hours of Operation: H24

Tel:(+361) 296-9183

Fax:(+361) 296-9152

5.2.  ATS Reporting Office (ARO)

Hours of Operation: H24

Tel:(+361) 291-1085

Fax:(+361) 296-6925