CTM

Cooperative traffic management

Working together to make the best use of the air traffic management resources and reducing the need for air traffic flow and capacity management regulations.

This project provides solutions for optimising the network planning, making the best use of the ATM resources and reducing the need for ATFCM regulations, through collaborative processes involving all actors and continuous information sharing of individual and local preferences, in both the planning and execution phases of ATM.

Upgrades

The following improvements to our current systems will be implemented as part of this project:

  • short term ATFCM measures (STAM) - these system upgrades allow for network optimisation through the application of coordinated targeted ATFCM measures on the day of operations. Included system coordinated improvements are STAM based scenario management, tactical flight and flow measures, network impact assessments and what-if capabilities for all network actors supported by wide information management via system-wide information management (SWIM);
  • flight plan predictability - the system upgrades support the identification of yo-yo flights, sharp-turn angles, exchange of trajectory information with ATC (within and beyond Europe) and with airspace users via SWIM, support to what-if reroute for ATC and integration of ADS-B data;
  • target time operations - support to target times for managing en-route congestions and airport arrivals. Target times operations also support the Integration of airports and en-route constraints;
  • extended arrival management - support to ATC sequencing processes, either directly by improving predictability and smoothing the arrival sequence, or more indirectly to en-route ATC in the case of extended arrival management (AMAN) procedures. Integration between local and network demand and capacity balancing (DCB) processes through SWIM;
  • user driven prioritisation process - support airspace users to optimise departure sequences for flights affected by network constraints, by allowing swap of ATFCM slots, and by allowing Airspace Users to prioritise flights.

Benefits

A wide deployment of CTM functions is expected to further minimise the need for regulations. System supported CTM coordination processes will ensure a resource-efficient involvement of all operational partners in establishing efficient ATFCM measures. Improved predictability of traffic loads, required to effectively  execute ATFCM measures, will increase ATC confidence in ATFCM planning allowing a reduction of capacity margins.

Acknowledge EU funding square

This project has been co-financed by the Connecting Europe Facility of the European Union.