1. FLIGHT ACTIVATION MONITORING (FAM)
EDITION 12/11/2012
Hans Koolen

2. ENHANCED TACTICAL FLOW
ETFMS
ENHANCED TACTICAL FLOW
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
(ETFMS)

3. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
 To increase the accuracy of ATFM thus reducing any differences in data between ATFM and ATC.
 To improve short-term traffic demand forecasts.
 To reduce over-delivery.
 To enable more accurate slot allocations thus improved utilisation of the available capacity.
 To improve reaction to short-terms events.

4. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Part of ETFMS

5. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
The Objective of FAM is to:
 Take benefit from ETFMS data to improve Traffic Load counts
 Allow a more efficient use of the available capacity
 Provide an incentive for Aircraft Operators to update their EOBTs

6. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Functions of FAM
 Monitors flights which should have departed
 Identifies flights which should have departed and
for which nothing is received to confirm their departure
 Takes action on these flights by shifting them several times (until a time parameter) and then suspending them, unless a message, which confirms that the flight is delayed or the flight is airborne, has been received
 Informs the AOs of the action for them to react

7. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Expected Result of FAM
FAM will, for non-regulated areas free capacity, and for regulated areas also release slots which are unduly occupied by flights not departed, thus making these slots available for other aircraft which are ready to depart.

8. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Application of FAM (1)
 FAM is applied on all flights, whether regulated or not, departing from and/or landing at areas where CPRs are received by the CFMU and FAM is activated.
 Flights departing from and landing in non FAM enabled areas are NOT affected by FAM, irrespective if they fly through CPR covered or non CPR-covered FAM enabled areas en-route.
 CPR coverage is an essential requisite for FAM to be applied. When CPR coverage in a particular area is not at the level considered as ‘safe’, then FAM is deactivated for this area.
 Where FAM is applicable, the timing starts at departure if it is FAM enabled, or if it is not, at the entry of the first CPR-covered FAM enabled area (AUA), provided there is continuous FAM coverage to destination.

9. = FAM enabled CPR-covered areas
APPLICATION OF FAM (2) 1. X }
FAM applies 2. X 3. }
FAM does not apply 4.
= FAM enabled CPR-covered areas

10. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
CPR/FAM-Covered Areas:
Austria (FAM)
Belgium (FAM)
Czech Republic (FAM)
Denmark (FAM)
Finland - Tampere (FAM)
Finland - Rovaniemi
France (FAM)
Germany (FAM)
Greece
Hungary (FAM)
Ireland (FAM)
Italy (FAM)
Lithuania (FAM)
Maastricht UAC (FAM)
Malta (FAM)
Netherlands (FAM)
Norway - Oslo (FAM)
Norway - Stavanger (FAM)
Portugal (FAM)
Romania (FAM)
Slovak Republic (FAM)
Slovenia (FAM)
Spain (FAM)
Sweden (FAM)
Switzerland (FAM)
United Kingdom
Example 1
LGAV - EIDW
FAM = YES
Start = ETO EIDWACC
Example 3
WSSS - EBBR
FAM = YES
Start = ETO LRBBACC
Example 4
EGLL - EPWA
FAM = NO
Example 5
LFML - ENGM
FAM = YES
Start = CTOT/ETOT
Example 6
LGAV - LMML
FAM = YES
Start = ETO LMMMACC
Example 2
LPPT - EINN
FAM = YES
Start = CTOT/ETOT
Example 7
WHHH - LEMD
FAM = YES
Start = ETO LECBACC

11. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Parameters (1)
 Flights departing from within, or with an elapse time to a CPR-covered FAM enabled area of less than 3 hours will
be ‘shifted’ in ETFMS up to 5 times for 5 minutes each time and will then be suspended after another 5 minutes (i.e.
after 30 minutes in total).
If ETFMS receives no message that they are airborne,
EOBT
ETOT/CTOT
FLS
ATOT shifted 5 times
1600
1610
1615
1620
1625
1630
1635
1640

12. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Parameters (2)
 Flights departing from non- CPR covered areas with an elapse time to a CPR-covered FAM enabled area of 3 hours or more will be ‘shifted’ up to 23 times for 5 minutes each time and will then be suspended after another 5 minutes (i.e. after 120 minutes in total).
If ETFMS receives no message that they are airborne,
ETOT/
CTOT
EOBT
ETO
FLS
ATO shifted 23 times
> 3 hours
Elapse time to FAM area
0450
0500
0810
0815
0820
0825
1000
1005
1010

13. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Properties
 Minimum Flight Level (FL090) for FAM application
(even if covered by CPR) - to filter out unwanted suspensions of Helicopters etc.
 Disabling FAM by Group of Aerodromes - to filter out unwanted suspensions by aerodrome (e.g. military flights).
 Undo FAM for individual flight or group of flights - to solve unwanted suspensions due to intermittent radar coverage.
 FAM status in ETFMS HMI and CHMI - gives information on the FAM status of flights.

14. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Flight Suspension Message (FLS) due to FAM
TITLE FLS
ARCID ABC100
ADEP EBBR
ADES LIRF
EOBD
EOBT 0945
COMMENT NOT REPORTED AS AIRBORNE
TAXITIME 0020

15. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Actions Required by AO and Tower to avoid suspensions
In order to avoid flights being suspended due to FAM, it is important that:
 Aircraft Operators update their flight plans with accurate EOBTs and then adhere to their EOBTs and CTOTs.
 Towers ensure that departing flights are sequenced in such a way to be able to
respect their ETOTs and CTOTs.

16. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Actions Required by AO and Tower when FLS is sent
 The flight is still effectively on the ground either on stand or already taxiing :
 The Aircraft Operator should then ensure that the flight plan is re-initiated in ETFMS by means of a DLA or CHG message with a correct EOBT. FCMs should not be used.
 ETFMS will then respond with a DES or SAM message depending if the flight is non-regulated or regulated respectively.
 The Tower of departure should not let the aircraft start-up or depart before such a message (DES or SAM) is received.
 The flight is already flying :
 No action is needed neither from the AO nor from the Tower of departure.
NOTE : A DEP message if possible should be sent by the Aerodrome of Departure.

17. Response to FLS by AOs - Detail
Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Response to FLS by AOs - Detail
1. For flights which will still operate
 The correct response by the Aircraft Operator to an FLS due to FAM for a flight which will still operate is the DLA or CHG with an updated EOBT.
 The FCM should not be used to reactivate a flight which has been suspended by FAM.
Note An FCM sent as a response to an FLS due to FAM, will be rejected by ETFMS and a message sent back with:
COMMENT - CONFIRMATION MSG IGNORED FOR FLIGHT SUSPENDED BY FAM. PLEASE USE DLA OR CHG INSTEAD.
2. For flights which will not operate
 The correct response by the Aircraft Operator to an FLS due to FAM for a flight which will not operate is the CNL message.

18. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM) increases accuracy.
DEPARTURE MONITORING
In August 2007:
67% flights are monitored.
18.5% are updated.
533 flights suspended.
286 updated by AO after suspension
108 never updated  Ghosts.
(139 airborne when suspended)
Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM) increases accuracy.

19. Flight Activation Monitoring (FAM)
Activation Dates: FAM is enabled on a continuous basis on ETFMS as from:
- Tuesday 6 May Belgium
Ireland (Dublin & Shannon)
Norway (Oslo)
- Thursday 23 October The Netherlands
Portugal
Maastricht UAC
- Wednesday 3 December Denmark
Austria
Czech Republic
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Switzerland (Geneva & Zurich)
- Wednesday 21 April Italy
- Tuesday 29 June France
- Tuesday 1 March Romania
Norway (Stavanger)
- Tuesday 19 July Germany
- Wednesday 3 May Spain
- Thursday 7 June Malta
- Tuesday 26 June Hungary
- Tuesday 3 June Lithuania
Finland (Tampere)
- Monday 16 February Sweden

20. Hans Koolen Johannes.koolen@eurocontrol.int