Airservices Australia says it plans to release to industry a ‘Market Sounding Information Request’ for a Long Range Air Traffic Flow Management (LR-ATFM) System for Australian airspace.
To a limited extent long-range flow management is in place at Sydney and Perth largely using procedures and manual interaction, Airservices says, however it has found that no “technology-based” long-range flow management system is currently in operation elsewhere in the world.
Consequently Airservices says it is seeking industry input into “how the problem could be solved using existing technology in a new way or with completely new technology”.
“Airservices currently provides demand and capacity management through Ground Delay Programs generally issued at the start of the day. International flights are exempt from the Ground Delay Program, which leads to all air traffic flow management delays being directed to domestic flights only,” Airservices air traffic management service Manager Paddy Goodall said in a statement on Wednesday.
“With Long Range Air Traffic Flow Management systems in place, we will have greater predictability of operations, a more orderly flow into the tactical arrival management environment, improved network performance and more equitable allocation of network delay.”
The Market Sounding Information Request will be released through AusTender by early June, Airservices says.
Benefits of a LR-AFTM system would include “reduced aircraft fuel burn, increased air traffic predictability and reduced controller workload allowing for more efficient operations,” Airservices says.
“A technology-based solution will allow for widespread use of Long Range Air Traffic Flow Management across Australia,” Goodall said.
