Airservices Australia says that a new industry-wide collaborative approach to air traffic management in Australia has resulted in more efficient operations for airlines.
Collaborative decision making (CDM) sees Airservices, airlines and airports sharing data to maximise use of available airspace and airport capacity, reduce fuel burn and environmental emissions, and enhance safety.
The first stage of the collaborative program has seen aircraft held on the ground when the capacity of their destination airport is expected to be exceeded, helping to reduce en route holding, and subsequently lowering fuel burn on a number of sectors.
Airservices says that already the program has cut an average of five minutes from the transit time on a Melbourne-Sydney flight, which annually equates to a 40,000 tonne reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
Key to the program has been new software developed by Airbus owned company Metron Aviation in the US.
“Metron Traffic Flow gives our National Operations Centre in Canberra and industry an advanced tool for strategic planning, as well as pre-tactical and tactical management of the air traffic flow within the available airspace and runway capacity,” said Airservices executive general manager air traffic control Jason Harfield.
