Croatia Control and SMATSA co-operate to increase direct routings

Croatia Control Ltd has in cooperation with Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services Agency Ltd (SMATSA) implemented the second stage of Free Route Airspace Concept (FRA).

As the second FRA milestone, available from AIRAC 02 May 2013 and in cooperation with the Belgrade ACC, the Zagreb ACC has introduced night time cross-border DCTs routes connecting most feasible cross-border entry to exit points regardless of the existing TCPs between the AoRs of Belgrade and Zagreb ACCs.

Data exchange for cross-border DCTs is processed via OLDI using dummy points at the common boundary in both ATM system datasets, allowing for flight planning independent of fixed published entry/exit points.
The FRA Zagreb has now expanded to a total of 19 cross-border DCTs (eastbound and westbound) and 24 DCT routes within the Zagreb AoR, one of the latter being available H24 (PEROT – VANAX).

These cross-border DCTs can, in a single night, enable potential savings of:

• 916 NM reduction in planned route distance,

• 5,3 Tonnes of fuel,

• 16,2 Tonnes of CO2 emissions,

• 65,7 kg less NOx.

DCT routes are published in the NM RAD document, Appendix 4 (En-route DCT limits) available on the Eurocontrol NOP portal.

The next FRA Zagreb step will be the extension of the validity period of DCT routes to H24 (available day and night).

Within the scope of FAB CE APDG planning, there are also plans to connect the existing cross-border DCTs with FAB CE partners and to connect them with the flows coming from outside the FAB area. Further development in this area is planned for spring 2014.