Asian airlines are pushing China to open a planned future air-navigation system (FANS) route from 1997, offering a significant cut in flight times to destinations in Europe.
The route awaiting approval by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), represents the shortest distance between Bangkok and Europe. It would cut travel time by up to 50min for eastbound traffic in winter, and allow a Boeing 747-400 to carry an extra 2,500kg of cargo between Singapore and London, or a full volumetric load out of Bangkok all year round.
Compared to the main existing route passing through the congested Calcutta flight-information region, the new airway would run north from Bangkok and across central and north-west China and the Russian Federation. It would connect with the existing route at Vilnyus, Lithuania, north of Moscow.
The route would be open to FANS-1-equipped 747-400s, using a satellite datalink to maintain contact with a yet-to-be-installed Chinese surveillance ground-station.China's air force is insisting on real-time monitoring of the aircraft to ensure that sensitive military areas are not overflown.
Consideration is also being given to opening a parallel route for slower-flying aircraft fitted with either the FANS-1 or the Airbus FANS-A system.
Source: Flight International