BULATSA implements a new air traffic complexity management system
BULATSA implements a new air traffic complexity management system. The SESAR deployment modernization project 2015_217_AF4 aims at deploying the Traffic Complexity Assessment Tool (tCAT) in Sofia Area Control Centre (ACC). When the air traffic increases again, this tool will help to manage complex air traffic situations in Bulgaria and bring substantial performance benefits to the European aviation.
The tool uses Enhanced Tactical Flow Management System (ETFMS) flight data information, combined with other prediction data in order to evaluate the complexity of the Air Traffic Management (ATM) operation. It supports the planning of the Air Navigation Service Provider’s resources to manage the air traffic in a more efficient and cost-effective manner while optimizing capacity.
The SESAR project covers in full the existing regulatory gap in SESAR Deployment Programme (SDP) Family 4.4.2 “Traffic Complexity Tools” in Bulgaria. The Traffic Complexity Tools is the only one SDP Family within the Pilot Common Project (PCP) Sub-AF 4.2, related to “Automated Support for Traffic Complexity Assessment”, which remains in CP1 regulation under a different numbering “Sub-AF 4.3”, but with the same technical background.
In the framework of the CEF-funded projects coordinated by SESAR Deployment Manager, BULATSA is involved in 2 SESAR deployment projects as a Project Leader and in another 5 as a Project Contributor. Those, 7 in total, ATM modernization projects are in the areas of Network Collaborative Management, the initial System Wide Information Management (SWIM) and initial Trajectory Information Sharing.
The completion of the project was planned for 2020 but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was delayed by a few months and the project is expected to be completed in September 2021. It will support the planning of the Air Navigation Service Provider’s resources to manage the air traffic in an efficient and cost-effective manner. It is expected that the project will bring the largest performance benefits in terms of capacity increase and reduction of delays in the en-route airspace.
A Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) was conducted by SESAR Deployment Manager, supported by the expertise of Network Manager (Eurocontrol), as part of a larger effort to assess the implementation of the requirements of regulation (EC) №716/2014 (The PCP Regulation). The analysis is based on the standard Eurocontrol methodologies for delay analysis in EATMN and assessment of benefits and costs of ATM investments. The results of the CBA, after having factored in the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, indicate a forecast cumulative Net Present Value of about 22 million euros by 2030.
User Feedback
“One of the first things I appreciated in the system is the ease of inputting data and new configurations as well as the contemporary and intuitive HMI, providing a much better presentation of operational information. The possibility to be able to see forecast and real radar data on the same screen is a lot of help when selecting the best sector configuration.”
Deyan Nikolov,
FMP Coordinator
“The system functionalities, related to ATCO workload assessment, have given us new possibilities to assess forecast air traffic situation and assist the opening and closing of sectors. The module for automated opening scheme optimization has made the selection of configurations much easier. The automatic data refresh and the simplified exchange with NM save us the additional time and effort and strongly support the ATFM process.”
Petar Papazov,
Head of Sofia FMP
“Unlike the legacy system, which provided archive only for the last observed air situation, the new tCAT system supports a full archive of each intermediate state of the traffic forecast. This detailed archive allows us to have a much deeper insight of the operational decision-making process and issue better targeted safety recommendations.”
Valo Samokovliyski,
Safety Expert More information about the project you can find here: https://www.sesardeploymentmanager.eu/projects/2015_217_af4
The tool uses Enhanced Tactical Flow Management System (ETFMS) flight data information, combined with other prediction data in order to evaluate the complexity of the Air Traffic Management (ATM) operation. It supports the planning of the Air Navigation Service Provider’s resources to manage the air traffic in a more efficient and cost-effective manner while optimizing capacity.
The SESAR project covers in full the existing regulatory gap in SESAR Deployment Programme (SDP) Family 4.4.2 “Traffic Complexity Tools” in Bulgaria. The Traffic Complexity Tools is the only one SDP Family within the Pilot Common Project (PCP) Sub-AF 4.2, related to “Automated Support for Traffic Complexity Assessment”, which remains in CP1 regulation under a different numbering “Sub-AF 4.3”, but with the same technical background.
In the framework of the CEF-funded projects coordinated by SESAR Deployment Manager, BULATSA is involved in 2 SESAR deployment projects as a Project Leader and in another 5 as a Project Contributor. Those, 7 in total, ATM modernization projects are in the areas of Network Collaborative Management, the initial System Wide Information Management (SWIM) and initial Trajectory Information Sharing.
The completion of the project was planned for 2020 but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was delayed by a few months and the project is expected to be completed in September 2021. It will support the planning of the Air Navigation Service Provider’s resources to manage the air traffic in an efficient and cost-effective manner. It is expected that the project will bring the largest performance benefits in terms of capacity increase and reduction of delays in the en-route airspace.
A Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) was conducted by SESAR Deployment Manager, supported by the expertise of Network Manager (Eurocontrol), as part of a larger effort to assess the implementation of the requirements of regulation (EC) №716/2014 (The PCP Regulation). The analysis is based on the standard Eurocontrol methodologies for delay analysis in EATMN and assessment of benefits and costs of ATM investments. The results of the CBA, after having factored in the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, indicate a forecast cumulative Net Present Value of about 22 million euros by 2030.
User Feedback
“One of the first things I appreciated in the system is the ease of inputting data and new configurations as well as the contemporary and intuitive HMI, providing a much better presentation of operational information. The possibility to be able to see forecast and real radar data on the same screen is a lot of help when selecting the best sector configuration.”
Deyan Nikolov,
FMP Coordinator
“The system functionalities, related to ATCO workload assessment, have given us new possibilities to assess forecast air traffic situation and assist the opening and closing of sectors. The module for automated opening scheme optimization has made the selection of configurations much easier. The automatic data refresh and the simplified exchange with NM save us the additional time and effort and strongly support the ATFM process.”
Petar Papazov,
Head of Sofia FMP
“Unlike the legacy system, which provided archive only for the last observed air situation, the new tCAT system supports a full archive of each intermediate state of the traffic forecast. This detailed archive allows us to have a much deeper insight of the operational decision-making process and issue better targeted safety recommendations.”
Valo Samokovliyski,
Safety Expert More information about the project you can find here: https://www.sesardeploymentmanager.eu/projects/2015_217_af4