The implementation of a major restructure of airspace boundaries between the Eurocontrol Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) in the Netherlands and Reims Area Control Centre (ACC) in north-west Germany marks a major step in improving air navigation efficiency across one of Europe’s busiest and most complex airspaces.
The newly designed air traffic control (ATC) sector interface now aligns with the natural flow of air traffic in the region for all users, whether civil or military. The shift allows for more direct flight paths, reduces controller workload and increases overall ATC capacity.
Airlines flying within the airspace block will benefit from more efficient routing and enhanced flight profiles, which in turn will enable the planning of shorter and more fuel-efficient journeys.
The overriding purpose of the redesign is to prepare for future air traffic demand and to accommodate evolving requirements of both military and civil airspace users. A new dual-route structure along re-shaped military training area boundaries which seperates opposite traffic flows is a key element of the redesign.
Cross-border air navigation efficiency
Peggy Devestel, Director of MUAC, highlighted the significance of the project in streamlining air traffic management:
”As Europe’s only cross-border civil-military air navigation service provider (ANSP), the new design will cater to the future requirements of all our airspace users including our military partners in terms of training areas as well as our civil customers with growing flight schedules. We are proud to have delivered this project in the core of Europe, and I extend my thanks to all project partners for the concerted effort.”
Wider modernisation effort
The boundary redesign is part of the Central High Project, an initiative led by MUAC under the Functional Airspace Block Europe Central (FABEC) framework. The project aims to enhance coordination between surrounding air traffic control centres, ensuring smoother air traffic flows.
Devestel acknowledged the close and productive collaboration with DSNA, skeyes, Civil Aviation Authorities, and other partners in the delivery of the project, including Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL), DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung, the German Air Force, the Royal Netherlands Air Force and neighbouring ANSPs.
Maartje van der Helm, General Manager Performance & Development ATC, the Netherlands, said: “Together we have succeeded in realising a design that accommodates the modernisation of military airspace in Germany. At the same time, it improves the overall efficiency of the route network in the north-west European airspace reducing fuel consumption emissions. Furthermore, the change in the route network in the Netherlands will limit the impact of the military exercises on civil traffic flows.”
The project also maximises the Flexible Use of Airsapce (FUA) concept, enabling mutliple smaller segments, rather than one large section, to be activated temporarily based on daily requirements. Not only does this improve flight efficiency through enhanced airspace usage, but it also improves real-time civil-military cooperation, according to Colonel Mario Herzer, Branch Head Flight Operations Branch, German Air Force.
“The airspace restrucutre project that has been implemented today provides larger and modular military training areas, which enhance effectiveness of military training missions by applying techniques, tactics and procedures suited to state-of-the-art military aircraft,” said Herzer. “The new structures and procedures also allow for closer collaboration between the German Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Air Force in cross border operations, paving the way for larger military exercises in the future.”
This project coincides with one of the largest airspace design reorganisations by DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung to enhance traffic flows over northern Germany, precisely the western part of Bremen ACC’s airspace over the North Sea, airspaces over Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg and Hannover.
Image source: Eurocontrol – Created for illustrative purposes, it shows the airspace restructure above the Netherlands and north-west Germany, highlighting the dual-route structure along re-shaped military training areas (shaded in red).
