SESAR FREE Solutions demo workshop presents benefits of free route operations
Free route operations are possible in Europe and can significantly reduce flight, times, congestions and the impact of the environment. This was the main conclusion of a recent workshop organised by the SESAR FREE Solutions demo consortium. The event showcases the project results achieved to date and share the views and experiences of industry, operational and business stakeholders.
FREE Solutions (Free Route Environmental & Efficient Solutions) is one of several large-scale demonstration projects launched by the SESAR Joint Undertaking at the end of 2014 with the aim to bridge SESAR development activities with the deployment, proving the benefits of SESAR solutions in real-life environments. Against this background, in 2014 a large group of airlines and air navigation service providers decided to work together to demonstrate the SESAR free route concept and several focused operational solutions.
The more general aim of SESAR demonstration activities are to engage with the broader ATM stakeholder community to show how solutions work in practice. In doing so, these activities help to de-risk the industrialisation and subsequent deployment of SESAR Solutions. A number of free routing solutions are in the pipeline for delivery and are due for implementation across Europe’s upper airspace in accordance with the Pilot Common Project.
In line with the SESAR research and innovations (R&I) delivery approach “Seeing is believing”, the Rome workshop showcased successful integrated flight trials results as well as what is expected in terms of deployment activities. The event was a unique opportunity to debate the results with a wide range of stakeholders, such as airspace users, service providers, national authorities, manufacturing industries, professional staff associations, military authorities and other ATM stakeholders.
Between 2014 and 2016, the project performed several flight trials sessions managing more than 1,000 flights. The two-year project focused on preparation and flight trials activities to demonstrate that direct routes and initial free routing (in low and medium density) operations are possible in Europe and can help reduce flight times, congestion and the impact on the environment.
During this timeframe, a wide campaign of live trials took place to assess the operational impact of city pairs, direct routing and initial free routing (for low to medium density). The campaign involved a high-level consortium composed by: ENAV (project coordinator), Air France, Alitalia, DFS, DSNA, EUROCONTROL/Network Manager, Lufthansa, MATS, Ryanair, skyguide and Swiss. HOP! and KLM participated in the project as third parties of Air France, with SICTA as affiliates of ENAV.
Offering advanced air traffic services
This solution is part of a broader set of solutions (key feature) aimed at increasing the performance of advanced air traffic services, in line with the vision of the European ATM Master Plan.
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