Environmental management system
As a part of BULATSA’s Integrated Management System (IMS), the Environmental Management System, in accordance with the ISO 14001 standard, aims to:
- improve the sustainable development by protecting the environment, reducing the impact of the enterprise’s activities on the environment, and achieving compliance with the regulatory requirements, considering the life cycle.
- reduce the business risk for BULTSA by achieving the environmental objectives and demonstrating to the stakeholders and partners (other ANSPs, airports, airlines etc.) improved performance with respect to the environment, through consultations for encouraging collaborative efforts regarding the environment.
- improve the awareness and the skills of BULATSA’s personnel for environmental protection and reduce the use of resources.
The Environmental Policy is based on the commitment to protect the environment including increasing the effectiveness regarding the environment.
Taking account of the increased public need of air transport services for ensuring socio-economic development together with the responsibility for minimizing the negative impact on the environment to ensure sustainability, BULATSA manages the impact of its activities on the environment as commitment of each employee to:
- be aware and comply with the management’s environmental policy, procedures, and instructions, applicable to its activities.
- perform analysis and evaluation of the environmental impact in case of changes in equipment, technologies, processes etc.
- apply the system for separate waste collection with focus on the dangerous and specific waste.
- Ensure monitoring and reporting in accordance with the specific obligations and the Environmental Monitoring Plan.
The Green Point messages
- In execution of the European ATM Master Plan and in accordance with one of the environmental measures of the European Single Sky Implementation Plan (ESSIP), BULATSA initiated the establishment and participates actively in the “Collaborative Еnvironmental Management“(CEM) forum in Bulgaria.
- Since 28.04.2016, BULATSA introduced procedures for arrival, approach and departure of aircraft at Sofia Airport using satellite navigation. The introduction was made pursuant to Resolution 37-11 of the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Optimization of the airspace structure at Sofia Airport was achieved, one-way routes for departing and arriving airplanes were established with elimination of the conflict points, which increased the airspace capacity and reduced the noise impact, fuel consumption and the harmful emissions.
- BULATSA is working proactively to expand the Free Route Airspace in Southeastern Europe (SEE FRA), developed in line with the EU regulatory framework. SEE FRA enables airlines to plan and operate flights freely and directly to any point within the airspace of Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Moldova. It also provides seamless connectivity through cross-border direct routes between SEE FRA and BALTIC FRA (the Free Route Airspace between Poland and Lithuania).
The Free Route Airspace concept allows flights to follow the shortest possible trajectories, leading to reduced fuel consumption and lower environmental impact through minimized emissions. - In line with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1048 and with the aim of ensuring more efficient airspace management around airports, BULATSA has implemented Performance Based Navigation (PBN) procedures for arrivals and departures, based on the aircraft’s capabilities and onboard equipment.
Between late 2021 and early 2024, new and more precise departure and arrival trajectories were introduced at all civil airports open to public use in Bulgaria. These procedures deliver several important benefits:
– More flexible routes, enabling aircraft to fly shorter and optimized trajectories, while keeping flights as far away from populated areas as possible;
– Separated arrival and departure routes, which reduce the risk of conflicts and allow for smoother climb and descent profiles (Continuous Climb Operations – CCO / Continuous Descent Operations – CDO)
– Reduced flight time, lower fuel consumption, fewer emissions and noise, and increased airspace capacity around airports.
BULATSA annually determines its carbon footprint in accordance with the international standard ISO 14064-1:2019, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, and the CANSO guidelines “Air Navigation Service Provider Carbon Footprinting: A Best Practice Guide.”
