ENR 1.9  AIR TRAFFIC FLOW MANAGEMENT (ATFM) AND AIRSPACE MANAGEMENT

1.   General

1.1.  ATFCM is based on the ICAO concept for Centralised ATFCM 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 ATFCM for Europe which consists of strategic, pretactical and tactical flow measures.

1.2.  The overall authority for the provision of the ATFCM Service in the Budapest FIR is delegated to the EUROCONTROL NMOC.
1.2.1  ATFCM 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 ATFCM 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 ATFCM 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 ATFCM procedures including flight plan (FPL) filing and message exchange requirements,
  • strategic ATFCM measures (e.g. Traffic Orientation Schemes (TOS),
  • current ATFCM measures (e.g. specific measures applicable on the day in question),

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

2.4   ATFCM Documentation

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

Detailed NMOC Procedures can be found in ATFCM Users Manual:

3.   Information on Air Traffic Flow And Capacity Management (ATFCM) measures

ATFCM measures are issued and forwarded by the NMOC via ATFCM Notification Messages (ANMs). Information relating to the ANMs are notified via ATFCM 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 ATFCM measures (ANMs and AIMs) are normally available at the FMP Budapest. This information is also available at the ARO.

4.   ATFCM procedures

4.1.  The NMOC automatically calculates (from flight plan data) the necessary ”slot” for flights operating into areas for which ATFCM 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 ATFCM 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 MessageRerouteing Notification 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 ATFCM 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 ATFCM messages will be sent to the respective AO, who is then responsible for the whole message dialogue with the NMOC in the context of ATFCM.

4.5   ATFCM Message dialogue via the ARO

Those AOs, who cannot communicate directly with the NMOC, can file and receive all ATFCM 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 ATFCM 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 ATFCM measures and no CTOT has been assigned yet.

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

4.6   ATFCM 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.   Use of STS/Indicators in FPLs for ATFCM purposes

5.1   The following principles apply

The insertion of an STS/… indicator in field 18 of a Flight Plan will identify that a flight may require special handling. This indicator is for use by all parties which may have to handle the flight.

The following flights are automatically exempted from ATFCM slot allocation:

  1. flight carrying Head of State or equivalent status [STS/HEAD],
  2. flight conducting search and rescue operations [STS/SAR],
  3. flight carrying a life-critical emergency evacuation [STS/MEDEVAC],
  4. flight authorised by the relevant States Authorities to include in the flight plan [STS/ATFMX].

It should be noted that flights using only STS/STATE, STS/HUM or STS/HOSP will no longer automatically qualify the flight for exemption from ATFCMmeasures.

5.2   Procedure for the Approval of use of STS/ATFMX in Hungary

The indicator STS/ATFMX is used for flights indicated as STS/HOSP, STS/HUM or STS/STATE. The insertion of both STS/indicators is required, e.g. STS/ATFMX HOSP.

The operator of a flight seeking an individual approval to insert the indicator STS/ATFMX in Item 18 of a flight plan, for a flight departing from an aerodrome within Budapest FIR, shall obtain prior permission from FMP Budapest, that has been mandated by Hungarian CAA to carry out the approval process.

The request for the exemption shall comprise the following information and shall be submitted in written form when practicable at least 24 hours in advance, but not later than 2 hours in advance of the flight:

  1. the reason of the request (to give reasons urgency of flight, which is to be considered),
  2. the aircraft operator identification,
  3. the flight identification,
  4. the airport of departure,
  5. the airport of destination,
  6. the date of flight.

FMP Budapest may be contacted H24 as follows:

Tel:(+361) 296-9183

Fax:(+361) 296-9152

Email:flow2@hungarocontrol.hu

5.3   Compliance Monitoring

The Network Manager provides the Hungarian CAA and Budapest FMP a list of all flights departing from Hungary using STS/ATFMX, on a monthly basis. The Hungarian CAA may verify that all such flights operated with an appropriate approval for ATFCM exemption.

6.   Operational data

6.1   ATS Reporting Office (ARO)

Hours of Operation: H24

Tel:(+361) 291-1085

Fax:(+361) 296-6925

7.   AIRSPACE MANAGEMENT

7.1   General

Overall responsibility regarding airspace management within Budapest FIR rests with the Minister responsible for transport matters in agreement with the Minister responsible for defence. Flexible use of airspace as a concept described by ICAO and developed by EUROCONTROL is carried out in Hungary in compliance with Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2150/2005 of 23 December 2005 laying down common rules for the flexible use of airspace. Based on the above, Airspace Management (ASM) is applied on three levels:

  • Strategic ASM – ASM Level 1
  • Pre-Tactical ASM – ASM Level 2
  • Tactical ASM – ASM Level 3
7.2   Strategic ASM – ASM Level 1

The National Airspace Coordination Working Group represents the strategic ASM in Hungary. This Working Group is the National High Level Airspace Policy Body (HLAPB). The strategic ASM consists of joint civil and military process within a which formulates the national ASM policy and carries out the necessary strategic planning work, taking into account national and international airspace users’ requirements. The Airspace Coordination Working Group continually assesses the national airspace, determines the working structures for ASM Levels 2 and 3, and gives them the authority required to carry out their tasks.

7.3   Pre-Tactical ASM – ASM Level 2

Pre-Tactical ASM in Hungary is carried out by the Airspace Management Cell (AMC) as a joint civil-military unit. AMC Hungary conducts the day-to-day management and temporary allocation of airspace in the framework of the State airspace structure, priority rules and negotiation procedures as laid down by the national HLAPB. AMC collects airspace requests from the Approved Agencies (AAs) and promulgates the airspace allocation as an Airspace Use Plan (AUP), changes to the airspace plan are notified via Updated Airspace Use Plans (UUPs). AUPs/UUPs contain AMC Manageable Areas (AMA) such as Temporary Reserved Areas (TRA) and Danger Areas (D). EUROCONTROL Network Manager Operations Centre Centralised Airspace Data Function (NMOC CADF) consolidates national AUPs/UUPs to be published on the NOP Portal as European AUP/UUP (EAUP/EUUP). Besides to AUPs/UUPs, AMC Hungary creates a National Airspace Use Plan (NUP) including additional areas for local interests, which are not published centrally by NMOC CADF. The NUP is available on the HungaroControl website:

Airspace Management Cell (AMC) contacts:

Tel:(+361) 296-9258

Fax:(+361) 296-9117

Email:AMC@hungarocontrol.hu

7.4   Tactical ASM – ASM Level 3

AMC Hungary performs real time activation and deactivation of the manageable areas and conducts reallocation of the airspace allocated at ASM Level 2. Furthermore ASM Level 3 includes resolution of specific airspace problems and/or traffic situations between civil and military ATS units and/or controlling military units and/or controllers, as appropriate.