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EUROPE'S ATC IS OVERUE FOR HARMONISATION
by Hans-Ulrich OhlSeven control centers are responsible for Germany's airspace. However, their locations are not based on strategic considerations. Until 1955 the four allied powers had the responsibility for Germany's air traffic control. It was not surprising that in each of the occupied zones their own military oriented air traffic control center was set up. When in 1955 the German Contract was implemented, the newly founded BFS (German air navigation services) relied on personnel who were trained by the allies and used the existing infrastructure.
Also, 1950's analogue radar technology did not allow the positioning of the control center far away from the radar site, requiring the building of the control centers close to the antennae. The situation improved once the radar data could be digitized, allowing to simply transmit data via modems. With today's technological capabilities it is no concern at all where the data is collected and where it is displayed in the end.
Today's six German control centers in Berlin, Bremen, Frankfurt/Main, Düsseldorf, Karlsruhe and Munich illustrate Europe's problem. There are 56 other such centers in Europe controlling the various airspaces. In a time of European unification process, it is incomprehensible that these airspaces are primarily based on national borders rather than on air traffic requirements.
So far, all efforts to realize a homogenous and communication capable European air traffic control system have either failed or were realized inadequately. It was certainly not always technical problems that turned out to be obstacles.
When the German air navigation services (DFS) decided to divide all of the IFR routes and terminal radar positions on just three control centers, it was logical from the technical point of view and correct in order to find cost economical solutions in the long-term.
Europe's air traffic control systems will sooner or later have to face a stronger competition in aspects of service and route fees. The international marketing of our air traffic control system's conditions will decide if the future air traffic flow will go through our airspace or if it will take a detour based on a better cost structure left and right of our airspace. Our Eastern neighbors are already shaping their systems to earn money later on down the road.
The new operational concept of the DFS plans for the mid-term closure of the control centers in Düsseldorf and Berlin. The work places in the airport control towers will remain. The Frankfurt center will be responsible for the Düsseldorf airspace, as well as, for the airspace over the new states. It has not been decided yet which one of the two control centers in Southern Germany (Munich or Karlsruhe) will be closed.
The division in the upper and lower airspace is not as conclusive as the restructuring of the centers. The Eurocontrol center in Maastricht, Netherlands, will continue to be responsible for the upper airspace over Northern Germany. This looks very much like a political compromise. A consequently structured airspace would offer a greater operative flexibility.
Once having realized the new operational concept, DFS hopes to save costs in the amount of several hundred million marks per year. The German air traffic services are aiming for a good ranking in the middle third of the European air traffic fee structures.
The restructuring of the control centers will be accompanied by the introduction of the new generation of digital radar work stations. In the new control center in Langen close to Frankfurt, all preparations are made to begin the operation with this new generation of controller stations before the end of the century. The groundwork for a new and conceptionally different air traffic control system in Germany is laid out. The hope remains that all this will one day be integrated into a homogenous and operationally oriented air traffic control concept.
From page 36 of FLUG REVUE 4/97
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Last updated March 7, 1997