RAT methodology application

Contacts

Contact organisation EUROCONTROL: The European organisation for the safety of air navigation
Contact organisation unit Directorate European Civil-Military Aviation - Performance Review Unit (DECMA/PRU)
Contact name Performance Review Unit - EUROCONTROL
Contact mail address 96 Rue de la Fusée
1130 Brussels
Belgium
Contact e-mail address [email protected]

Metadata update

Metadata last certified not applicable
Metadata last update 16 August 2021

Statistical presentation

Data description

EU legislation requests EU Member States to use the Severity classification based on the RAT methodology in order to allow a harmonised reporting of severity assessment of Separation Minima Infringements, Runway Incursions and ATM Specific Technical Events.

ref. Annex to ED Decision 2014/035/R

The Severity classification based on the RAT methodology follows the principle of evaluating several criteria and allocating a certain score to each criterion, depending on how severe each criterion is evaluated to be.

Each criterion should have a limited number of options with corresponding scores. Some criteria have an ATM Ground and an ATM Airborne component and both scores should be counted when evaluating the ATM Overall score. Other criteria should be only relevant either for ATM Ground or ATM Airborne.

The overall score for severity of an occurrence should be the sum of the scores allocated to each applicable individual criterion. The overall score for the severity of an occurrence should be built from the sum of the score allocated to the risk of collision/proximity (itself a sum of the score allocated to the separation and the score allocated to the rate of closure) and the degree of controllability over the incident.

For ATM-specific occurrences (i.e. technical occurrences affecting the capability to provide safe ATM/ANS services) the criteria which should be considered are the service affected, service/function provided, operational function, type of failure, extension of the failure and its scope and duration.

The severity of occurrences reported by Member States should be the ATM Overall severity.

For ATM-specific occurrences, the ATM Overall coincides with ATM Ground severity.

Member States should ensure that arrangements are in place for the ATM Overall severity score to be reported.

ref. Annex to ED Decision 2014/035/R

The Member States’ points of contact, established in accordance with Directive 2003 / 42 / EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1330 / 2007, should collect verified information regarding the application of the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology”for the reported occurrences within the scope of Commission Regulation (EU) No 691 / 2010 as amended by Regulation (EU) No 1216 / 2011.

The collection of information relevant to the use of the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology”should make use of existing safety data reporting mechanisms with enhancements where needed.

When the Member States report on the monitoring of the performance plans and targets, they should report the percentage of occurrences the severity of which has been evaluated by the use of the RAT methodology.

The following attached graphics are consistent with the EASA AMC/GM material and provide:

Further information is available in the EASA Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material (EASA AMC/GM).

Note: Member States could decide to use different means of reporting. They could use the AST/ESARR2 data reporting mechanism which is already available. It should be noted that the European Central Repository (ECR) will remain the central source of safety information in the EU. Therefore, compatibility with the ECCAIRS system, the software tool used for the ECR, is an important criteria. Member States could decide to report the RAT methodology utilisation through the ECCAIRS 5 custom attribute on nationaml level. However, the reporting of RAT methodology utilisation through ECR is still under development. Furthermore, in the near future, States could have the possibility to report aggregate values on the RAT utilisation methodology via the EASA web-interface. A new medata version will be released as soon as there are changes in the reporting mechanisms.

Classification system

The share of safety occurrences, for which severity has been assessed using the RAT methodology, can be provided by:

  • accountable entity;
  • State; and,
  • at European level.

Sector coverage

The measures pertain to the Air Transport and Air Traffic Management Sector of the economy.

Statistical concepts and definitions

When data on safety occurrences is submitted, States are requested to report “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology”. One possible means of reporting is through the AST/ESARR2: Example of RAT reporting). Other examples of reporting will be made available as soon as they are available.

The indicator is expressed as a percentage and rounded to the last digit (i.e. 95, 55, 56, etc., but no digits after the comma).

Statistical unit

The statistical unit is the State.

The application of the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology” by accountable entity can be computed by the NSA.

Statistical population

The statistical population comprises the States in the Single European Sky Area.

Reference area

The reference area is the Single European Sky Area.

Time coverage

2012 is the first year for which data is presented.

Base period

Not applicable.

Unit of Measure

Share of occurrences for which severity has been assessed using the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology” for a given group of safety occurrences (expressed in %).

Reference period

  • The first reference period (RP1) covers the calendar years 2012 to 2014 inclusive.
  • The second reference period (RP2) covers the calendar years 2015 to 2019 inclusive.
  • The third reference period (RP3) covers the calendar years 2020 to 2024 inclusive.

Unless decided otherwise, the following reference periods shall be of five calendar years.

Institutional Mandate

Legal acts and agreements are established in

Confidentiality

Release policy

Release calendar

The data is released twice a year. In April and October.

Release calendar access

Not applicable.

User access

Information is disseminated to the general public via the SES Data Portal.

Frequency of dissemination

Information is disseminated twice a year as soon as the data is verified.

Dissemination format

Information is disseminated to the general public via the SES Data Portal.

Accessibility of documentation

Documentation on methodology is available at EASA Acceptable means of compliance and guidance material.

Quality Management

The legal framework for quality management is established by EU legislation.

The assessment of data quality can be checked through two different practices:

  • The comparison between data reported at the level of individual occurrences (e.g. AST or ECR ) and the aggregated level (e.g. via the EASA website once available).
  • The monitoring of effective implementation of the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology” by EASA and NSAs.

The effective use of the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology” can be checked through:

  • the on-going compliance audits of NSA on ANSPs;
  • the standardisation inspections of EASA on Member States.
  • information available through other sources (PRB, NM, etc.)

Quality assurance

The following information could be checked in the framework of quality assurance:

  • the complete list of all entities which are mandated to conduct investigations for incidents less than serious;
  • the availability of tools to implement the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology” in each entity which are mandated to conduct investigations;
  • the availability of qualified and trained staff to use the RAT methodology and tools;
  • samples of incidents whose severity has been assessed with the RAT methodology; and,
  • the demonstration that the RAT methodology utilisation to assess severity is properly reported with one of the possible means (e.g. through AST/ESARR2).

Quality assessment

The standard quality criteria is based on the effective use of the risk analysis methodology.

If the Severity classification based on the RAT methodology is not effectively used, the reporting of its utilisation in AST becomes partially or completely invalid.

Relevance

The information is published for performance monitoring purposes in accordance with the relevant EU legislation.

Completeness

The data is collected for the entire Single European Sky Area.

Accuracy and reliability

Overall accuracy

The overall accuracy is estimated in two ways:

  • the degree of effective implementation, and
  • standard quality checks before and after data processing.

Sampling error

There is no sampling and therefore no sampling error.

Timeliness and punctuality

Timeliness

AST

When the usage of the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology” is collected through AST, data are published in preliminary and final status.

Data are available in April and October of each year. Data in April refer to the year - 2 in final status, and year - 1 in preliminary status; while Data in October refer to the year - 1 in final status.

ECR
To be developed

Punctuality

When reporting through AST/ESARR2, the data is provided by the States/ANSPs in March and September and are displayed to the public in April and October.

Comparability

Comparability — geographical

Geographical comparability is valid.

Comparability over time

Comparisons over time are valid.

Coherence

Coherence — cross domain

It should be expected that Member States reports are coherent across the different reporting mechanisms. A fundamental enabler is the compatibility of reporting mechanisms.

Coherence — internal

The data is assumed to be internally coherent as provided.

Cost and burden

Not available.

Data revision

AST
Preliminary data (April) in AST will be updated 6 months later (October of the same year)
ECR
to be developed

Statistical processing

Source data

ref. Annex to ED Decision 2014 / 035 / R

  • AMC 8 SKPI p.52 (Verification mechanism)

The Member States’ points of contact, established in accordance with Directive 2003 / 42 / EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1330 / 2007, should collect verified information regarding the application of the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology” for the reported occurrences within the scope of Commission Regulation (EU) No 691 / 2010 as amended by Regulation (EU) No 1216 / 2011.

The collection of information relevant to the use of the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology” should make use of existing safety data reporting mechanisms with enhancements where needed.

Frequency of data collection

AST

When the data is collected through the AST/ESARR2 template, the periodicity of collection is twice a year .

  • end of April (final data for the year n-2; e.g. April 2012 final for 2010);
  • end of September (final data for year n-2 and provisional data for the year n-1; e.g. October 2012 final for 2011).
ECR
To be developed.

Data collection

AST
The AST’s which contain are collected through the EUROCONTROL AST Focal Points.
ECR
to be developed
EASA website interface
to be developed

Data validation

Before publishing data on the utilisation of the Severity classification based on the RAT methodology, the PRB seeks advices from:

  • EASA;
  • EUROCONTROL DPS; and,
  • the Network Manager.

For each Member State, based on inputs received, the PRB makes an overall qualitative assessment of:

  • the effective implementation of the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology”; and,
  • the percent of safety occurrences where the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology” was used.

Data compilation

The the share of safety occurrences for which the “Severity classification based on the RAT methodology” is computed for each group.

Adjustment

Not applicable.

Comment

No comments.

Disclaimer

This data is published by the Performance Review Body (PRB) of the Single European Sky. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information and analysis contained on this website are as accurate and complete as possible. Despite these precautions, should you find any errors or inconsistencies we would be grateful if you could please bring them to the Performance Review Unit’s attention.

The information may be copied in whole or in part providing that the copyright notice and disclaimer are included. The information may not be modified without prior written permission from the PRB. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of EUROCONTROL or of the European Commission, which make no warranty, either implied or express, for the information contained on this website, neither do they assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of this information. The PRB reserves the right to change or amend the information provided at any time and without prior notice.