EUROCONTROL releases revised Guidelines for Contingency Planning of Air Navigation Services

The States and ANSPs are primarily responsible in the event of failure and or disruption of their Air Navigation Services. The Guidelines provide them with additional information and processes for contingency planning. In particular, the revised edition provides more detailed advice on how ANSPs can ensure service continuity during contingency situations, i.e. how they can sustain the provision of their services for protracted periods following activation of contingency arrangements. The revised Guidelines also provide enhanced information on the economic aspects of ANS contingency as well as on policy, operational concept, security and safety related issues. They also describe the key roles and responsibilities of the different bodies including the State, ANSP and airspace users, and set out the essential consultations that need to take place within the ANS contingency planning process. The Guidelines recognise that many States already have contingency plans in place. Therefore, as well as catering for those who wish to conceive and develop contingency plans further, there is also an accompanying Contingency Planning Reference Guide (RG) which is aimed at those institutions who are more familiar with the subject. The RG provides a menu of checklists and graphics and, along with the main Guidelines, may be used by ANSPs and States to validate their own processes and existing plans against the advice provided. In putting together these Guidelines, EUROCONTROLs objective is to help ANSPs and State authorities fulfil their international obligations concerning ANS Contingency Planning set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the European Commission, said Bo Redeborn, Director Cooperative Network Design at EUROCONTROL. The Guidelines provide States and ANSPs with guidance on the strategic and tactical measures they could employ to provide the greatest resilience to unpredictable and potentially damaging threats such as natural disasters, fires, security incidents and, as we have seen recently, pandemics. The Guidelines and Reference Guide are available at http://www.eurocontrol.int/ses/public/standard_page/sk_sesis.html