En Route Program Operations Air Traffic DRVSM Program Office

1
Domestic Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum
(DRVSM)Program Status Briefing

• En Route Program OperationsAir Traffic DRVSM
  Program Office

2
Briefing Content

• RVSM What is it?
• Factors to be addressed when flight planning
• Approved aircraft
• Non-approved aircraft
• Airspace management with RVSM
• Contingencies turbulence, equipment failures,
  etc.
• Question and Answer

3
FAA Operational Evolution Plan (OEP) Initiative
4
DRVSM Program Objectives

• Implement RVSM from FL290-FL410 in the airspace
  of the United States, Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico
  where the FAA provides air traffic services and
  the San Juan FIR.
• DRVSM is scheduled to be implemented on January
  20, 2005 0901 UTC.
• Six new altitudes available immediately upon
  implementation new capacity for solving
  separation problems vs. new capacity for
  traffic growth.

5
DRVSM Benefits

• Operators
• 5.3B fuel savings benefits 2005 2016
• 393M first year savings with 2.0 annual
  increase
• Greater availability of fuel-efficient altitudes
  and routes
• Air Traffic NAS Operations
• ATC flexibility (e.g., routing aircraft around
  storm systems)
• Mitigates conflict points
• Enhances sector throughput
• Enables crossing traffic flows to be accommodated
• Reduces controller workload

6
DRVSM Environment

• Airspace will be exclusionary for DRVSM approved
  aircraft with limited exceptions to accommodate
  DoD, Lifeguard, manufacturing development and
  certification, and certain foreign state aircraft
• Other Non-RVSM approved aircraft may climb or
  descend in transition through RVSM airspace.
• ALL Non-RVSM approved operations are conducted
  based upon workload conditions.

7
International Agreements with Mexico, Canada and
Caribbean States

• North American RVSM Implementation Group
• Bi-lateral meeting with each state to coordinate
  specific airspace, procedures, etc.
• Caribbean/S. American Regional Planning Group
• U.S. participates as one of numerous states in
  the region

8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10
ATC Procedural Issues

• Routine RVSM procedures to manage RVSM airspace.
• Process to climb/descend non-RVSM aircraft
  through RVSM airspace.
• Accommodation of Lifeguard and other excepted
  aircraft, primarily DoD tactical or certification
  flights.
• Coordination responsibilities, i.e. point outs
  between sector stratas.

11
Separation Applied Between Non-RVSM and RVSM
Aircraft Within RVSM Airspace
RVSM approved aircraft
FL 390
X
FL 380
Non-RVSM approved aircraft
FL 370
X
FL 360
RVSM approved aircraft
FL 350
RVSM approved aircraft
FL 340
RVSM approved aircraft
FL 330
12
Prior to climb into RVSM airspace, aircraft shall
be coordinated one sector ahead to insure system
acceptance for transition.
13
Full Data Block Non-RVSM

• HOST, DARC and DSR modifications completed.
  Implementing in field sites through August 04.
  Note The visual cue will be applied to non-RVSM
  aircraft because it is anticipated that they will
  comprise less than 2 of the flights operating at
  RVSM altitudes.

LN4215Y 350 275 056 380
14
European RVSM results
 
 
 
15
RVSM Airspace Analysis Schedule
Airspace Kickoff
10/28
11/1 - 12/31
Internal Analysis
Inter-facility Analysis
NAR tasking ends here July 1, 2004
12/15 - 2/28
Modeling (SDAT) as needed
2/15 - 6/30
Frequency Assessment
2/15 - 6/30
Define Airspace, SOP/LOA automation changes
6/15 - 8/31
DRVSM Go/Delay
9/15
Revise SOP/LOA and automation
9/15 - 1/20
1/20
Implement DRVSM
16
ATFM Flow Plans for Initial Operations

• Work Being Developed by ATO System Operations
• Develop and implement traffic flow management
  strategies/plan in support of DRVSM
  implementation in 2005.
• Develop and implement strategies/plan to mitigate
  the compression of aircraft that may plan into a
  particular sector or airspace due to the
  availability of 6 additional flight levels.
• Identify and implement strategies/plan to monitor
  and manage the impact of multiple non-RVSM
  approved aircraft operating in the system at one
  time.

17
Mitigation Plan

• Compression issues at or below FL280
• Traffic Management Unit (TMU) will monitor sector
  loads for compression
• TMU will monitor yellow/red sectors
• Mitigate compression with traditional constraints
  as necessary
• Compression issues within RVSM airspace
• Not expected with the additional 6 altitudes
• Working with each ARTCC TMO to identify
  chokepoints within their airspace

18
Severe Turbulence Mitigation

• Conditions can be forecast, but advance action is
  not planned in tactical (RADAR) environment. If
  controllers are receiving reports of severe
  turbulence they should handle it as they do
  today.
• Aircraft encounters with severe turbulence will
  cause ATC action to move aircraft out of the
  phenomenon. While experiencing severe
  turbulence, pilots can expect ATC initiated
  vectors to avoid merging targets at 1,000 ft.
  vertical separation.
• Separation standards do not change in RADAR
  environment.

19
Light, Moderate and Wake Turbulence

• Pilot reports of turbulence less than severe will
  trigger higher level of awareness for controllers
  to issue traffic advisories when 1,000 ft.
  separation is applied. Pilots may request
  vectors to avoid merging targets.
• Wake turbulence can be mitigated with request for
  offset or other action by ATC.

20
Response is just like turbulence, except that the
severity of mountain wave activity (MWA) is not
defined in terms that are easily
described. Pilots must assess impact of activity
on altitude hold capability and request vectors
to avoid merging targets.
21
National Procedures, Order Changes and Briefing
Guides

• Air Traffic Handbook and Facility Management
  Handbook
• Comments incorporated in guidance material from
  circulation this spring will appear in DRAFT
  form on web site this summer
• Planning to submit final changes for publication
  cycle in November 2004
• Publication by notice for Implementation
• Handbook publication in August 2005

22
Facility Task Overview

• Communications
• Schedule and Resource Planning
• Site Transition and Contingency Planning
• Airspace Analysis and Modeling
• LOA/SOP Updates
• Traffic Flow Planning and Mitigation Strategies
• Automation Integration and Test
• Site-Specific Training Development and Conduct

23
www.USDRVSM.com