**THE TWENTY-SEVENTH MEETING OF THE**

**INFORMAL PACIFIC ATC COORDINATING GROUP**

**(IPACG/27)**

(Tokyo, Japan, November 5-9, 2007)

Agenda Item 02: Report on relevant outcomes from other meetings.

**Report of the Fourth Meeting of the Cross Polar and Trans-East**

**Air Traffic Management Working Group (CPWG/4)**

(Presented by the Federal Aviation Administration)

**[SUMMARY]{.underline}**

This paper notes the occurrence of the fourth meeting of the Cross Polar
and Trans-East Air Traffic Management Working Group (CPWG).

**1. Introduction**

1.  The Cross Polar Trans-East Air Traffic Management (ATM) Working
    Group (CPWG) provides a forum wherein the varied groups involved in
    the provision, or use, of air traffic services for the Cross Polar
    flow (North America to Asia) can come together to identify, design
    and implement short and mid term solutions to ATM problems. The
    group is facilitated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
    and meets bi-annually at locations determined through group
    consensus. The latest meeting of the group (CPWG/4) was hosted by
    NAV CANADA in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada from 18 to 20 September
    2007.

**2. Discussion**

2.1 CPWG/4 was well attended, with 46 total participants. These included
representatives from the four Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs);
ISAVIA of Iceland, NAV CANADA of Canada, the United States FAA and State
ATM Corporation for Russia, as well as representatives from twelve
airlines. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) was also
represented. The overarching focus of the meeting was on airspace
capacity issues. Of these, four are worth noting to IPACG.

2.2 State ATM announced the opening of a new Air Traffic Service (ATS)
route, B240, which provides a routing generally from Nome, Alaska to
waypoint PAKLI lying close to the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk/Sapporo Flight
Information Region (FIR) boundary. This route may provide a more optimum
flight path for flights from eastern North America to Asia and, in
conjunction with the other Russian Trans-East routes, enhances
efficiency by relieving traffic congestion on the North Pacific (NOPAC)
route system.

2.3 The meeting reviewed developments in China's implementation of
Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM). This topic is of special
significance to the CPWG since RVSM has not yet been adopted by all the
Artic FIRs. Special note was taken of China's intent to continue with
*metric* level assignments. Some participants noted that in their
opinion, implementation of RVSM was *the* single most beneficial action
ANSPs can take to enhance capacity. However, it should also be noted
that the use of different units of measure in adjoining FIR's Flight
Level Orientation Schemes (FLOS) may diminish the actual derived
benefits.

2.4 CPWG/4 also invested time in discussing the feasibility and
advisability of introducing a system of daily flex tracks through
Canadian and Alaskan airspace to the Russian FIR entry points. It was
suggested that flex tracks may serve to enhance capacity by allowing
ANSPs to better use the existing separation rules. Although not all
participants agreed with this premise, the meeting took the action to
begin a "paper trial" in order to gain a fuller understanding of the
potential operational impacts.

2.5 CPWG/4 discussed at length the FAA's Track Advisory and Gateway
Reservation List program for Cross Polar and Trans-East flights. FAA is
introducing a web based "online" interface for airline dispatchers to
more easily interact with the Dynamic Ocean Tracking System Plus (DOTS+)
Track Advisory program. A demonstration of the interface was provided
and operators noted several areas of possible improvement. FAA hopes to
field the interface before the end of calendar year 2007.

2.6 The full report of the Cross Polar Trans-East/4 meeting is available
at the following web site:
<http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/enroute/oceanic/cross_polar/>.

**3. Recommendation**

3.1 The meeting is invited to note the contents of this paper.

**- END -**