BHANSA starts initial ATC operations over Bosnia and Herzegovina

Yesterday the Bosnia and Herzegovina Air Navigation Services Agency (BHANSA) has started initial operations in the provision of air navigation services in the airspace of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIR Sarajevo) up to Flight Level 325 (10,000m).

In addition to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Directorate of Civil Aviation (BHDCA) and BHANSA, this goal was contributed by and accomplished in close cooperation with the civil aviation authorities and air navigation service providers from Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia, as well as EUROCONTROL. All the parties involved in the process leading towards the start of initial operations by the BHANSA have provided significant contribution in order to ensure that the intruduction of a new service provider would be implemented in the safest possible manner.

In this respect, the BHDCA’s Director General Mr. Djordje Ratkovica has said that the acomplishment is the result of many years of work and efforts undertaken primarily by the BHDCA, in cooperation with all the involved parties, whether from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region or Europe.

“This is a historic date for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we expect this transitional period to proceed without any problems, only to show that the BHANSA is ready and capable to independently take over the remaining portion of the BIH airspace by the end of 2015”, Mr. Ratkovica said.

In this regard, yesterday, on 12 November 2014 a Certificate for Initial Operations up to FL325 was issued by the BHDCA to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Air Navigation Agency.

Director General of EUROCONTROL, Mr. Frank Brenner has also expressed his pleasure with the start of initial operations by the BHANSA.

En-route air traffic services in the airspace of Bosnia and Herzegovina above FL325 will continue to be provided by the respective agencies from Belgrade and Zagreb until the end of 2015, at which point the BHANSA is expected to start providing air navigation services fully and independently in the entire airspace of Bosnia and Herzegovina.