ROMATSA and BULATSA host Visitor’s day at DANUBE FAB’s Free Route Airspace Real-Time Simulations

BULATSA and ROMATSA are currently performing a series of real-time simulations for the development and implementation of Free Route Airspace (FRA) in DANUBE FAB. The objective of these simulations is to determine the conditions under which FRA operations can be extended beyond night hours safely and efficiently, within an acceptable controller workload.
FRA will allow airspace users to freely plan a route between entry and exit points without having to adhere to a fixed route network, therefore optimising flight paths and reducing environmental impact and cost. Free Routing is already implemented in both FAB states at night, and the RTS aimed to support its extension to full time operations planned for 2019.
With this occasion, BULATSA and ROMATSA welcomed visitors to observe the simulations on 5th November, which are being performed at EUROCONTROL’s Experimental Centre in Bretigny. Representatives of the State authorities on transport, military and civil aviation authorities from both DANUBE FAB States, together with neighbouring ANSPs were in attendance to take part in the simulation activities, share experiences of Free Route implementations so far, and learn about the recent developments of DANUBE FAB.
Commenting on the project benefits, Mr Georgi Peev, BULATSA Director General noted: “The flights through Bulgaria and Romania will become faster, safer and cheaper as the airlines will plan their own air routes to fly. The free routes are a prelude to the elimination of the air borders in Europe”.
The results of the FRA simulations will be published in December 2015. Co-financed by the European Union with funding from the Trans-Europeean Transport Network (TEN-T, now INEA), the simulations are part of a larger set of activities which aim to support the implementation of the SESAR Interim Deployment Program within DANUBE FAB.