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| A diagram of current free route airspace implementation across Europe. Photo: Eurocontrol |
[Avionics Today 05-04-2015] The South-East Axis Free Route Airspace (FRA) implementation project was successfully concluded on April 30 with free route operations now being conducted above FL325 at night in the three flight information regions of Sarajevo, Zagreb, and Belgrade. The 24-hour free route flight operations should begin after the summer season 2016.
According to Eurocontrol, this free route airspace project is significant as it proves that cross-border FRA are feasible and that several Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) and the network manager, working closely together, are fully capable of accelerating its implementation. The network manager worked closely with the three ANSPs and the four states on airspace design studies, airspace validation, and the publication of airspace changes.
This initiative is part of a major European network plan for FRA implementation that is being coordinated and supported by the network manager. The context is an agreed network FRA Concept of Operations, finalized in 2010; it has been facilitated by a significant upgrade of the network manager systems.