Flight Level Adherence in Europe

[LayLoLay]

There will be a flight plan adherence trial in Europe 29th-30th september 2010. There are some FAQs and a poll here:

www.adherencedays.com (http://www.adherencedays.com/)

This only involves FLs not directs, for now.

[Longhitter]

Why the need for such a trial? If you don't have the requested level available just tell us to stay at the flightplan level and we'll have to put up with it.

The source of the problem to me seems that controllers allow level changes. Pilots will request a different level to optimise fuel economy based on the actual conditions (wind, aircraft weight etc.) which can change rapidly between the planning stage and execution of the flight. If you can't allow it because you might overload the next sector: just say no. How difficult is that?

The solution is better coordination between sectors, IMHO...

[fireflybob]

There will be a flight plan adherence trial in Europe 29th-30th september 2010

So the French and Spanish ATC have just misread the dates then?

[LayLoLay]

The solution is better coordination between sectors, IMHO...

Yes, with proper coordination you could arrange a different flight level, but it is relative. For example a flight from LEMG to EKCH with filed level 330, asks for 390, how far down the route can you coordinate? What if there is no problem till Paris but Paris will be overloaded at the upper sector?

It is possible to check the restriction with a phone call to the flow and see if the change in level or even route would cause any problem, but longer the flight longer time this will take and how many calls can you afford to do meanwhile trying to separate traffic.

I personally think better distribution of information and free route sectors would greatly help. If pilots could file the entry and exit points into sector blocks (off military times at least), and could check somehow the restrictions on the sectors they will fly through and adjust there would be less problem with wrong predictions. This is what CFMU is already doing more or less but relying on old data. Pilots have the latest data so maybe it is time they are more involved in the loop.

[ChristianF]

The solution is better coordination between sectors, IMHO...
It is true that coordination and knowing what is happening downstream is an issue, but would better coordination fix the root of the problem?
Accurate ATC flight plan data is neccesarry to determine the real traffic demand and plan capacities. The operational flight plans are pretty accurate, I suppose, so why are there differences between operational and ATC flight plans. :confused: Maybe someone can shed some light...:O

Last minute changes to the zero fuel weight seems to be one of the reason, but why can those not be incorporated in the ATC flight plan, even at the last minute?

I am sure there are many unnecessary regulations and capacity reductions in order to be able to cope with unexpected traffic. That's not really efficient, is it? :rolleyes: