Don't confuse inefficient frequency management with opportunistic revenue generation!
IAOPA Germany has conducted an extensive examination of frequency management:
IAOPA has won significant concessions on the spread of 8.33 kHz radio with an agreement across Europe that they will not be mandated below FL195 until at least 2013 and possibly later.
Eurocontrol claims there aren't enough frequencies to go round and is demanding that every aircraft re-equip with 8.33 kHz-spaced radios, a demand that is estimated to cost the European GA industry some €2 billion. But IAOPA has demonstrated that this expenditure would be unnecessary if Europe got its act together on the existing frequencies. At the moment frequencies are allocated by individual countries, with each VHF frequency having an exclusive zone of up to 300nm around it. Huge numbers of frequencies have been allocated but are virtually or completely unused. IAOPA has pointed out that if the 27 frequency allocation offices in Europe were replaced by two people in Brussels, far better use could be made of the spectrum. The 27 offices disagree.
Michael Erb, managing director of AOPA Germany and a doctor of economics, has produced a technical paper showing the massive wastage in the current system. Martin Robinson says: "This is an excellent paper which shows there is plenty of capacity in Europe without 8.33 kHz. Eurocontrol have tried to ignore this paper so we have taken it to the European Commission, who asked Eurocontrol for an explanation. Eurocontrol tried to blind them with science, but the Commission has requested a full study and analysis. Their request seeks 'further information from Eurocontrol on how the current utilisation of the band could be assessed, and the potential gains which might be expected from improved practices. The outcome would provide the proper basis for a decision on the expansion of the newly adopted Regulation to the airspace below FL 195.'
"At a meeting in December I was able to ask the chairman of the EC's Industry Consultation Body if the ICB endorsed the EC's letter to Eurocontrol, and in effect they have no alternative but to do so. Eurocontrol is now bound to carry out the request. The earliest 8.33 kHz can now be mandated is 2013, and it may take longer."
Dr Erb adds: "This is a welcome development that will potentially save European general aviation many millions of Euros. A well crafted Europe-wide frequency utilization plan should easily prevent users of the lower airspace from having to re-equip with radios with channel spacing less than the existing 25 kHz."