1. Vertical Evolution during Cruise
A Challenge for ATC and Flight Planning

2. In the "Good Old Days"... Many Flight Plans were based on RPLs
Routings were rather static
Except for long-haul flights, level changes during cruise were not filed a lot

3. Nowadays...
Many Flight Plans are generated and filed by fully automated systems using route optimiziers
Routings and especially profiles are highly dynamic
Many level changes during cruise are being filed
But...

4. ATC Capacity & Vertical Evolution

5. ATC Capacity & Vertical Evolution

6. Practical Example - 1 Flight climbed from FL340 to FL360 around HOC
(FPL-XXXyyy-IN -A321/M-SDFGHIJ1LORVWXY/L -HEGN1630 -N0459F310 DCT HGD V608 AST/N0456F340 P751 KATAB B12 DBA UL613 YNN UL611 RODON DCT VAKSU DCT ROTAR DCT SAFFA UZ613 RONAG/N0439F360 UL613 SANDY UN57 WELIN UT420 TNT -EGCC0556 EGGP -PBN/A1B1D1L1O1S1S2 NAV/RNP10 RNP5 RNP4 RNP1 RNAVGPS DOF/ EET/LGGG0134 LAAA0241 LYBA0256 LDZO0302 LIMM0348 LSAS0409 LFFF0428 EGTT0519 SEL/DSGJ CODE/406D39 RVR/075 OPR/TCX ORGN/EDDFTCXX RIF/SANDY N57 DET ABBOT1E EGSS RMK/TCAS)
Flight climbed from FL340 to FL360 around HOC
Approx. 100nm after the planned climb (but still within AoR ZRH)

7. Practical Example - 2 Flight maintained FL340 during all its cruise
(CHG-XXXyyy-HEGN1835-EGKK-DOF/ /N0468F290 DCT HGD V608 AST/N0473F300 P751 KATAB/N0477F320 B12 DBA/N0474F340 UL613 TANSA/N0463F300 UL617 MIL UN134 KOR UL613 YNN UL611 RODON/N0463F340 DCT KOFER DCT VAKSU DCT ROTAR DCT SAFFA UZ613 RONAG UL613 HOC/N0460F360 DCT GIPEG DCT GIKEL DCT KESAX UT421 KUNAV -16/EGKK0502 EGSS -18/PBN/A1B1D1O1S1S2 NAV/RNP10 RNP5 RNAVGPS DOF/ EET/LGGG0133 LAAA0237 LYBA0251 LDZO0256 LIMM0338 LSAS0356 LFFF0413 EGTT0455 SEL/GSLP RVR/075 OPR/TCX ORGN/EDDFTCXX RMK/TCAS)
Flight maintained FL340 during all its cruise

8. Practical Example - 3 Flight maintained FL360 during all its cruise
(FPL-XXXyyy-IS -B753/M-SDFGHILORVWXY/L -LTAI1325 -N0453F340 EKSEN M855 LEMDA UM855 KFK UL610 VADEN L615 OGOTA/N0443F360 L615 DOLAP DCT GORPA/N0441F340 DCT TIBRO DCT MOBDO/N0437F320 Y9 NAXAV Z613 SAFFA UZ613 RONAG UL613 ELMUR/N0442F360 UL613 DIDOR UT10 IRBAL UT421 KUNAV -EGKK0348 EGSS -PBN/A1B1D1O1S1S2 NAV/RNP10 RNP5 RNAVGPS DOF/ EET/LTBB0021 LBSR0050 LYBA0118 LQSB0140 LDZO0149 LJLA0205 LIMM0216 LSAS0234 LFFF0252 EGTT0340 SEL/GQBD RVR/075 OPR/TCX ORGN/EDDFTCXX RMK/TCAS OVERFLT PERM NBR LT PASSENGER FLT)
Flight maintained FL360 during all its cruise

9. Practical Example - 4 Flight maintained FL360 during all its cruise
(FPL-XXXyyy-IS -A320/M-SDE2E3FGIJ1RWXYZ/H -LFML0940 -N0446F380 ETREK UN871 KORED/N0435F360 UN871 KONOL/N0429F340 UN871 BERSU/N0369F200 UN871 DITON T163 ZUE/N0405F300 T163 EMPAX EMPAX1W -EDDF0119 EDFH -PBN/A1B1C1D1O1S1S2 DAT/VM DOF/ EET/LFFF0007 LSAS0032 EDGG0049 EDUU0049 EDGG0057 CODE/3C66A8 RVR/075 IFP/MODESASP OPR/DLH ORGN/EDDFDLHD RMK/TCAS)
Flight maintained FL360 during all its cruise

10. Observations Flight Plans reflect an optizmed profile (wind etc.)...
...which is almost never followed in practice!
Whilst intermediate climb does occur during cruise (even if seldom at the point indicated in the FPL)...
...intermediate descent virtually never occurs!

11. Consequences for ATC Wrong traffic expectation at ATC Sectors
Inefficient Sector Opening Schemes
Inefficient Staffing of ATC Sectors
Unnecessary Regulations and corresponding ATFM Delay
Sector OVERLOAD!

12. Possible Solutions for Discussion
Complicated System of many PTRs
 ATC and AOs would have a completely different view of the flight profile
SWISSRAD
CFSPs might be unable to process corresponding restrictions correctly
Actions on CFSPs' and AOs' side (e.g. barriers to prevent level changes)

13. Current Status
ACC Geneva already took some RAD measures to prevent such anticipated descends.
LSAGL6 Not available for traffic 1. Via LSAGL7 sector before LSAGL6 Except ARR EDDM/DR/DS/FH/FM/JA/MA/MO/NL/NY/RZ/SB, EDT*, ELLX, ETHL/SI, LFG*, LFH*, LFJ* LFK*, LFL*, LFM*, LFS*, LFT*, LIM*, LIP* except LIPZ, LIQS/RP/RQ/RZ, LOWI, LS** 2. Via LSAGL7 sector before LSAGL6 Except ARR EDDR/DS/FH/FM/JA/NL/NY/RZ/SB, EDT*, ELLX, ETHL, LFG*, LFH*, LFJ* LFK*, LFL*, LFM*, LFS*, LFT*, LIM*, LIP* except LIPZ, LIQS/RP/RQ/RZ, LS**
ACC Zurich did not (yet) take RAD measures, but will have to implement similar restrictions for the summer season if no solution can be found on flight planning level.

14. Restriction Applicability
RAD Example
Point or Airspace
Utilization
Restriction Applicability
LSAZM4
Not available for traffic 1. via LSAZM56 before LSAZM4 Except ARR EDDE/DF/DM/DN/DR, EDF*, EDJA, EDM*, EDPA, EDQC/QD/QG/QM/QT/QP/RZ, EDRY, EDS*, EDT*, ETAR/HL/OU/SA/SL/SI, ELLX, LFJL, LFL*, LFKl/KY,  LFMH, LFHJ/HN/HS/HV/HW, LFQM/QJ, LFS*, LFXA,  LIM*,  LIP*, LOWI/S, LS** 2. via LSAZM56 before LSAZM4 Except ARR EDDE//DM/DN/DR, EDF*, EDJA, EDM*, EDPA, EDQC/QD/QG/QM/QT/QP/RZ, EDRY, EDS*, EDT*, ETAR/HL/OU/SA/SL/SI, ELLX, LFJL, LFL*, LFKl/KY,  LFMH, LFHJ/HN/HS/HV/HW, LFQM/QJ, LFS*, LFXA,  LIM*,  LIP*, LOWI/S, LS**
1. Last AIRAC MAR…AIRAC OCT 2. AIRAC NOV..First AIRAC MAR

15. Already agreed Actions
CFSPs shall check whether it is possible to define either
A threshold value (e.g. in terms of gain) configurable per airspace volume (e.g. FIR/UIR) under which the route optimizer will not plan descends of 2'000ft or more during cruise unless this is enforced by a restriction
A minimum time of level flight during cruise after any level change, configurable per airspace volume (e.g. FIR/UIR), unless this is enforced by a restriction
Deadline: End of February 2017
Feedback received by that deadline: NIL

16. FILE AS YOU FLY
THANK YOU!