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Aviation History
1988
1988 - 3096.PDF
UK announces £600m ATC plan by David Learmount, Air Transport Editor The new Controller of UK National Air Traffic Services (Nats), Air Marshal Tom Stonor, has unveiled its £600 million strategic plan for the remainder of this century. Two years in the making, Nats' Operational Strategy Plan binds together many previously announced projects and aims them at an overall capacity increase. This will enable the UK's air traffic control services to stay ahead of civil and military demand to the century's end. The Plan contains the latest Civil Aviation Authority fore casts for traffic expansion rates. These have the number of air craft movements in the London flight information region (FIR) increasing by 32 per cent by the year 2000, with much greater rates of increase in the traffic handled by the Manchester Sub-Centre and the Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre (ScATCC). Air Marshal Stonor says that the traffic forecasts are, neces sarily, what objectives are based on. Asked if there is any spare capacity in the system in case the forecasts turn out to be underestimates, Stonor says that the Operational Strategy is intended to keep Nats ahead of requirements. If forecasts alter, he says, Nats' objectives will be adjusted. He also points out that Nats' capacity is dependent upon developments, or lack of them, in neighbouring foreign- controlled airspace. The Plan adjusts some signi ficant dates. The new control centre for the London FIR, previously dubbed LATCC II and planned to open around the end of the century, will now become operational in 1996— "hard on the heels of CCF". The UK's strategic ATC plan is intended to end chaos at Gatwick, caused by delays due to overcrowded airspace The CCF (Central Control Function) is the totally reor ganised London-area air traffic system which has individual controllers responsible for indi vidual routes through an expanded London terminal area into and out of the four London airports, taking over the tasks of approach controllers as well. Co-ordinating LATCC II with CCF is logical. CCF will be fully operational in 1995, and will take over the London sector functions currently handled by LATCC in its main West Dray ton operations room. The new 'LATCC, probably located else where (but most likely in the south of England), will handle the London FIR's upper and lower airspace en-route traffic, accepting traffic out of, and handling traffic to CCF, and managing flights in its over head. Hence LATCC II will almost certainly become known as the London En-Route Control Centre. Nats plans for the intro duction of CCF have varied as their simulator studies of the subject have advanced, but the Strategic Plan announces that it will be introduced in phases between 1992 and 1995, the four sectors being converted one by one. This puts the computer-tested ideas into prac tice bit by bit to see if they are as good in real life. The Manchester Sub-Centre and ScATCC will keep their functions and their locations until at least the year 2000, with their capacities much increased by the use of technology and additional manpower. This means that, by 1996, Britain's main control centres will consist of the London En-Route Control Centre, ScATCC, the London CCF, the Manchester Sub-Centre, and the Oceanic Control Centre (still located at Prestwick). The Strategic Plan does not make any revelations about technological advance. Nats summarises its technical support as follows: "Radar, enhanced with Mode S datalink capability, will continue to be the key surveillance tool for ATC. Improved accuracy will permit separation standards to be reduced. Improvements to voice communications, navi gation services, and data processing systems are all described in the Plan." They are, but as a strategic presen tation of already-announced tactical intentions. The summary continues: "By the year 2000, controllers may expect their task to be supported by various modes of automatic conflict detection and resolu tion: by approach metering, sequencing, and speed control equipment; by automatic co ordination and handover tech niques from sector to sector; and dynamic data display and update interfaces". The cost of implementing the Plan between now and the end of the century will be £600 million, the money for which will be borrowed as necessary from the Treasury, to be repaid from the CAA's earnings. The Nats Operational Strategic Plan contains traffic forecasts to the end of this century Aircraft movements in regulated airspace handled by ATCC's 1,8001 1 6001 300 200 100 0 _ _ 2 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 29 October 1988
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