+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **THE TWENTY-SEVENTH MEETING  |                                      |
| OF THE**                      |                                      |
|                               |                                      |
| **INFORMAL PACIFIC atc        |                                      |
| CO-ORDINATING GROUP**         |                                      |
|                               |                                      |
| **(ipacg/27)**                |                                      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| (Tokyo, Japan, 5 -- 9         |                                      |
| November 2007)                |                                      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Agenda Item 2:                | Report on relevant outcomes from     |
|                               | other meetings                       |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Establishment of the icao   |                                      |
| tran-regional airspace and    |                                      |
| supporting atm system         |                                      |
| steering group (trasas)**     |                                      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| (Presented by the             |                                      |
| International Civil Aviation  |                                      |
| Organization)                 |                                      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **SUMMARY**                   |                                      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| ICAO Trans-Regional Airspace  |                                      |
| and Supporting ATM Systems    |                                      |
| Steering Group (TRASAS) was   |                                      |
| established to continue work  |                                      |
| concerning the traffic flows  |                                      |
| between Asia, Europe and      |                                      |
| North America, and to respond |                                      |
| to the new requirements for   |                                      |
| increased efficiency and      |                                      |
| further developments. This    |                                      |
| paper reports the outcomes of |                                      |
| the review by the 18^th^      |                                      |
| meeting of ICAO Asia/Pacific  |                                      |
| Air Navigation Planning and   |                                      |
| Implementation Regional Group |                                      |
| (APANPIRG/18, September 2007) |                                      |
| of the first meeting of the   |                                      |
| TRASAS (TRASAS/1, May 2007).  |                                      |
|                               |                                      |
| This paper relates to Action  |                                      |
| Item IP/13-3.                 |                                      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+

# INTRODUCTION

1.  ICAO Trans-Regional Airspace and Supporting ATM Systems Steering
    Group (TRASAS), supported by the North Atlantic System Planning
    Group (NAT SPG) and Europe Air Navigation Planning Group (EANPG),
    was established to continue work concerning the traffic flows
    between Asia, Europe and North America, and to respond to the new
    requirements for increased efficiency and further developments.
    TRASAS will co-ordinate the requirements of international civil
    aviation for a coherent and economically viable and operationally
    optimal structure of ATS routes, linking city-pairs in Europe and
    Asia, Europe and North America, and Asia and North America.

# discussion

2.  The first meeting of the TRASAS (TRASAS/1, May 2007) noted the
    activities of the following forums: the 30^th^ meeting of the ICAO
    Asia/Pacific RVSM Implementation Task Force (March 2007, Bangkok)
    concerning RVSM implementation by China; the Cross Polar Trans East
    Air Traffic Management Work Group (CPWG) and the sixth meeting of
    the Route Development Group -- Eastern Part of the ICAO EUR Region
    (EDGE/6, April 2007) which worked on matters relating to ATS route
    planning in the eastern part of the ICAO EUR Region.

3.  Following the review of the Terms of Reference of the TRASAS (as
    shown in **Attachment** to this paper) and the report of the
    TRASAS/1, the APANPIRG/18 agreed that the overall concept that had
    led to the formation of the TRASAS was valid. However, concerns were
    raised about the ability of the TRASAS to effectively engage in the
    operational details of the ATM arrangements required. As the TRASAS
    was at Steering Group level, it was apparent that the TRASAS would
    be primarily a policy meeting, rather than an ATS
    coordination/implementation working group.

4.  APANPIRG/18 also recalled the very effective role played by the
    Special ATS Coordination Meeting -- China, Mongolia, Russian
    Federation and IATA (CMRI) in implementing operational arrangements
    for the polar operations. The CMRI forum was expected to continue to
    enable effective working relationships between States at an
    operational level whilst providing an opportunity for airspace users
    to directly provide operational input. Accordingly, the APANPIRG/18
    agreed that there was an ongoing role for the CMRI in it is present
    format.

5.  Nonetheless, the APANPIRG/18 supported the continuation of the
    TRASAS in accordance with the proposed Objectives and Terms of
    Reference and recommended that Asia/Pacific member States engage
    actively in the TRASAS process. The next meeting of the TRASAS is
    tentatively scheduled at the Regional Office in Bangkok from 18 --
    19 March, 2008.

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1.  **ACTION BY THE MEETING**

    1.  The meeting is invited to:

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a)  note the information in this paper;

b)  note that the next meeting of the TRASAS is tentatively scheduled at
    the Regional Office in Bangkok, from 18 -- 19 March, 2008.

TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE

TRANS-REGIONAL AIRSPACE AND SUPPORTING ATM SYSTEMS STEERING GROUP
(TRASAS)

1.  Introduction

    1.1 In order to continue work already done concerning the traffic in
    the Northern area and to respond to the new requirements for
    increased efficiency and further developments, co-ordinated efforts
    of the international civil aviation community is required. It would
    involve States and Organisations from five of the ICAO Regions: EUR,
    ASIA, NAM, NAT and PAC. A Trans-Regional Airspace and Supporting ATM
    Systems Steering (TRASAS) Group shall respond to these requirements
    under the following Terms of Reference.

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1.  Purpose and objectives

    1.  The ICAO Trans-Regional Airspace and Supporting ATM Systems
        Steering (TRASAS) Group shall co-ordinate the requirements of
        international civil aviation for a coherent and economically
        viable and operationally optimal structure of ATS routes,
        linking city-pairs in Europe and Asia, Europe and North America
        and Asia and North America. The route network shall have
        sufficient flexibility to plan different flight paths,
        day-by-day, to take advantage of prevailing upper winds.

    2.  The Group shall work in close co-operation with aircraft
        operators' international organisations in order to ensure that
        known and expected requirements for international and domestic
        routings and cost-effective implementation are taken into
        account. The Group will also take account of the requirements
        for adequate feeder and connection routings to enable optimal
        access to the route network from points of departure and points
        of destination, upstream, downstream and from within its
        vicinity. The scope of the work will respond to the global
        objectives of the ICAO operational concept and support the new
        ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan Initiatives: GPI-1 (flexible use
        of airspace), GPI-2 (reduced vertical separation minima), GPI-3
        (harmonised level system), GPI-5 (performance-based navigation),
        GPI-6 (air traffic flow management), GPI-7 (dynamic and flexible
        ATS route management), GPI-8 (collaborative airspace design and
        management), GPI-17 (implementation of data-link applications),
        GPI-20 (WGS-84 implementation), GPI-21 (navigation systems) and
        GPI-22 (communication network infrastructure).

2.  Scope of work

    1.  The TRASAS Group shall make proposals and promote improvements
        for the safety and efficiency of the Northern area route
        structure and the supporting ATM systems within the States
        affected by such proposals. It shall base its work on aircraft
        operators' requirements, which may be expanded and complemented,
        as necessary.

    2.  The Group shall take into account modern space based technology
        (GPS/GLONASS/GNSS and ADS) in accordance with the ICAO CNS/ATM
        system concept and plan for an orderly transition period. This
        transition period should enable a seamless migration of current
        aircraft fleets to full CNS/ATM compliance on such routes in the
        future. TRASAS shall consider an equitable cost recovery scheme
        for the established route system in accordance with ICAO
        provisions in line with Article 15 of the Chicago Convention.

    3.  The Group shall not substitute itself for other existing bodies
        which are active under the auspices of ICAO (e.g. European Air
        Navigation Planning Group (EANPG), North Atlantic Systems
        Planning Group (NAT SPG), ASIA/PAC Air Navigation Planning and
        Implementation Regional Group (APANPIRG), etc.) or bodies
        operating as bilateral/multilateral State initiatives. It may
        provide guidance as well as a co-ordinating function for these
        Groups working on the various technical and operational aspects
        related to the intended transit route network and to combine the
        results into one coherent overall plan. This will lead to the
        amendment, if and when required, of the ICAO Regional Air
        Navigation Plan (ANP) in accordance with procedures established
        by the ICAO Council.

    4.  In addition to its technical work on the newly established route
        system, the TRASAS Group shall explore proposals for financing
        and cost recovery for this system.

3.  Activities

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a)  To promote a modern, efficient and cost-effective international ATS
    route network linking city-pairs in Europe, Asia and North America,
    taking into account the recognized requirements of the airspace
    users, taking advantage of seasonal wind patterns, and making use of
    space-based technology in accordance with the ICAO CNS/ATM system
    concept.

b)  To promote efficient air traffic management and associated systems
    to improve safety, increase capacity and enhance operational and
    economic efficiency.

c)  To promote the provision of sufficient capacity so as to avoid the
    need for air traffic flow management (ATFM).

d)  To develop a coherent transition plan enabling a seamless migration
    of current aircraft fleets to full CNS/ATM compliance on such routes
    in the future.

e)  To promote the establishment of a minimum number of suitably
    equipped Area Control Centres (ACC) and an infrastructure adequate
    to provide the required air traffic services along the proposed ATS
    route structure.

f)  To promote suitable financing and cost recovery mechanisms for the
    newly established route system in accordance with the applicable
    ICAO provisions and in line with Article 15 of the Convention on
    International Civil Aviation (Chicago, 1944).

g)  To analyse the costs and benefits achieved by individual ATS routes
    of the newly established route system to determine their eligibility
    for inclusion into the ICAO Regional Air Navigation Plan.

    1.  TRASAS will closely cooperate with existing bodies working on
        relevant tasks and may also establish Contributory Working
        Bodies (CWB) that shall work on its behalf on specific expert
        issues (route network developments, RVSM implementation,
        communications, airport issues etc).

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4.  Composition

    1.  The TRASAS Group shall be composed of representatives with
        operational and technical, expertise from Canada, China,
        Democratic People\'s Rep. of Korea, Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
        Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Norway, Republic of Korea, Russian
        Federation, United States, Uzbekistan and from international
        organisations representing aircraft operators' (e.g. IACA, IATA,
        IBAC) and pilot associations (IFALPA).

    2.  The TRASAS Group shall work under the auspices of ICAO. The
        EUR/NAT Office shall provide full secretarial support to the
        Group.

    3.  The Group may invite participation from other States which may
        be concerned during the progress of its work (e.g. States in
        Central Asia, in the South Caucasus area, and others) and
        international organizations which may provide useful input
        during its deliberations.

5.  Reporting

    1.  Reports of the TRASAS shall be prepared by the ICAO Secretariat
        in the usual standard fashion. As reports of an informal group,
        this documentation will be made available to participating
        States and international organization(s) and shall be
        distributed to the Regional Planning Groups \[in particular, the
        Asia/Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional
        Group (APANPIRG), the European Air Navigation Planning Group
        (EANPG) and North Atlantic Systems Planning Group (NAT SPG)\]
        for their information and to facilitate co-ordination which may
        be required within their respective work programmes.

6.  Communication

    1.  As far as possible, members and participants in the work of
        TRASAS shall correspond by electronic mail. Their communications
        should be as informal as possible to ensure rapid progress of
        the work programme.

7.  Target dates and deliverables

    1.  TRASAS shall establish a comprehensive work programme containing
        target dates and milestones to be achieved. It should strive to
        complete its tasks in the shortest possible time.

        END